This Day In Dodgers History: SportsNet LA Launched

"The 24-hour channel was created to provide exclusive and unrivaled coverage of the Dodgers with games, news programs and documentary-style shows. In addition to Time Warner Cable subscribers, it was available for Bright House Networks Champion Broadband customers from Day 1."

"While there was plenty of excitement surrounding the all-Dodgers channel, it effectively was blacked out for DirecTV customers. The pay-TV provider remained firmly against offering SportsNet LA as part of a package - a common practice - and instead preferred an a la carte option."

"In November of that same year, the United States justice department filed a lawsuit against AT&T-DirecTV, alleging they were the ringleaders in colluding against Spectrum and distribution of SportsNet LA. AT&T reached a settlement with the justice department in March 2017, and it did not include a mandate to carry the network."

Time Warner Cable SportsNet LA officially launched on February 25, 2014, following the Dodgers' landmark $8.35 billion, 25-year broadcast agreement signed in January 2013. The 24-hour network provided exclusive Dodgers coverage including games, news, and documentaries. Available to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subscribers initially, Charter added the channel in 2015 and purchased Time Warner in 2016, leading to the network's rebranding as Spectrum SportsNet LA. However, DirecTV refused to carry the network as part of standard packages, preferring only à la carte options, creating a significant blackout affecting thousands of fans. Despite Congressional intervention and a Department of Justice lawsuit against AT&T-DirecTV for alleged collusion, the dispute persisted until April 2020 when Spectrum Networks secured a carriage agreement with AT&T and its subsidiaries.

Read at Dodger Blue