While the eyes of the nation have been focused on the Cablevision-Fox Networks last-man-standing scorched earth struggle, another drama has started to bubble up in Texas where Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) subscribers are face the thought that they might not be able to see the Texas Rangers in their first-ever World Series.
Dish's dispute with Fox has been pushed offstage a bit by the bright lights of Broadway, the New York Yankees and just the whole East Coast elitism thing. Now it's coming back into focus, albeit probably not center stage, as Texans realize they might be next on Fox's hit list if the two sides don't reach agreement by Nov. 1. Of course that deadline would mean that the October classic has stretched into November, but let's not be picky.
The precedent to worry Dish subscribers is that the two sides couldn't reach agreement and Fox shut off its regional sports stations earlier this month. "There's a possibility viewers might miss the entire NBA and NHL seasons," a Fox spokesman said. That's enough to push San Antonio subscriber Dan Smith to rival satellite provider DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV)--but not cable.
"I think Dish is putting their customers in a bad spot and Fox also. And unfortunately I'm sick of being stuck in the middle," said Smith.
To which Cablevision subscribers no doubt add: "right on, brother!"
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