Big-bucks free agents Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran are generating big buzz about the Mets this season – but there may be nothing they can do to boost the team’s TV audience if Mets games are blacked out to 2 million Time Warner Cable customers.
No progress was reported yesterday in the feud between Time Warner and rival cable behemoth Cablevision, which operates MSG and Fox Sports New York, two channels that carry most Mets games.
“We are as upset as anyone that our fans may not be able to watch the new Mets on Time Warner Cable,” the team said yesterday.
“With the excitement and enthusiasm for our team at the highest level in years, a blackout would be extremely disappointing and frustrating for our fans.”
The feud centers on the fees Time Warner pays to broadcast games on FSNY and MSG. Both channels carry Mets games, and MSG carries the Knicks and Rangers.
Cablevision repeated yesterday its demand that the dispute go to binding arbitration, and blamed Time Warner for the blackout.
Time Warner said it’s willing to continue nonbinding arbitration, and blamed Cablevision for pulling the plug.
The Yankees’ YES Network was blacked out for 3 million Cablevision customers for all of 2002 in a similar dispute over fees.