Today, Governor Roy Cooper sent a letter to the Walt Disney Company and Charter Spectrum Communications urging them to end their dispute and come to a broadcast agreement that would allow North Carolina customers to get the services they’ve paid for and to view Atlantic Coast Conference football games and other popular sporting events. The ongoing failure to reach a broadcast agreement means many North Carolina Charter Spectrum customers faced an unnecessary blackout of their favorite teams’ games and may not be able to enjoy games at all while the dispute continues.
Governor Cooper called on Disney and Charter Spectrum to find a solution, writing, “Your customers pay a lot of their hard-earned money to watch your entertainment and most of them don’t care how you divide the profits they help you earn. But they do care that they are now paying for something they’re not getting and they want you to settle this dispute right away. As an avid sports fan myself, I second that sentiment.”
Read the Governor’s full letter here or see below:
I write on behalf of many North Carolinians who are frustrated and angry that their football viewing holiday weekend was ruined because of the Charter Spectrum Communications and Disney dispute. Not only did ESPN and the ACC Network go dark, but other popular channels as well.
Your customers pay a lot of their hard-earned money to watch your entertainment and most of them don’t care how you divide the profits they help you earn. But they do care that they are now paying for something they’re not getting and they want you to settle this dispute right away. As an avid sports fan myself, I second that sentiment.
North Carolinians are passionate about college sports and it’s a severe blow to have the rug pulled out from under them – especially when most people were not expecting it.
Of course this dispute is occurring amidst the troubling arms race for larger broadcast deals that has destabilized college sports and caused a chaotic realignment of conferences. Fans are obviously willing to pay their fair share, yet they are concerned about the fight over corporate profits threatening valued traditions like the return of football season.
In our communities, these teams and games matter. Fans who’ve already put up with a lot of changes, deserve to watch the games they’ve paid to watch.
I’ve seen your public positions about why each other is wrong. But we know there is a resolution out there and you should get to it soon without using your customers as leverage.
I urge you to work around the clock to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Roy Cooper
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