AT&T (NYSE: T) U-verse customers in Connecticut will have access to MSG HD and MSG+ HD after the telco added the two channels to its lineup. The programming, which focuses on teams that play in and around Madison Square Garden in New York City, including hockey's New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, is being made available as the result of a federal appeals court ruling in December rejecting a bid by cable provider Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) to block AT&T and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) from carrying the channels.
Cablevision spun off MSG last year, but still has ties to the MVPD, which argued that it should be allowed to decide which providers can access the content. But, in mid-December, a Second Circuit Court of Appeals panel lifted a temporary stay it granted Nov. 23, after denying the cable company's request to review an FCC order that it supply the HD feed to U-verse and FiOS. Cablevision said it would explore its options after the ruling and said it had "raised serious concerns regarding the manipulation of federal law by Verizon and AT&T." Verizon has already added MSG and MSG+.
"After years of seeking access to this programming, we're pleased to bring MSG HD and MSG+ HD to U-verse TV customers," said Dan York, president of content for AT&T. "We're delighted that our U-verse TV customers now have access to these important HD sports channels on reasonable terms. We will continue to work diligently on behalf of our customers to continue enhancing U-verse TV by adding the content they want at fair terms and prices."
For more:
- see this release
Related articles:
Court: Cablevision must make regional sports HD feed available to U-verse, FiOS TV
Verizon, Cablevision drop Tennis Channel as US Open action begins
Cablevision Apple iPhone app launches with 300 channels, VOD
TW Cable, Cablevision iPad plays push content-owners' buttons, and that's good
The basics: Cablevision's Optimum App for Apple iPads