Standing Up for North Carolina Universities, Congressman Steps Up Pressure on Time Warner

November 29th, 2007

(Greenville, NC) --- North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones has stood up for his state's universities and sports fans by urging delinquent cable company Time Warner to begin immediately carrying MASN and the local NCAA football, basketball and lacrosse featured on the regional sports network.

Twenty North Carolina colleges and universities have agreements to have their games broadcast on MASN, including 30 basketball games in the 2007-2008 season. Yet the state's dominant cable company, Time Warner, is refusing to televise MASN, effectively blacking out the network for its 1.1 million customers. Currently, MASN is carried by four providers in the state, reaching 700,000 households.

"Twelve North Carolina colleges and universities - including East Carolina University - are competing in football, men's basketball, baseball, lacrosse and wrestling on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). ...[M]any of their games are available directly or indirectly as a result of agreements with MASN," wrote Congressman Jones in a letter to Time Warner Cable Chairman Glenn Britt.

"I strongly encourage you to reach an agreement with MASN as soon as possible and begin televising on basic cable the "must have" local sports of this regional sports network," Congressman Jones continued.

In recent months, a growing chorus of community leaders has spoken out in favor of getting MASN on Time Warner Cable. Last week, Georgetown University Athletic Director Bernard Muir wrote to the FCC Chairman in support of MASN, as did High Point University President Nido Qubein and Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander. In October, East Carolina University Athletic Director Terry Holland sent a letter to Time Warner's chairman to carry MASN.

Already this fall, MASN has televised 9 of 12 ECU football games, bringing the Pirates into more than 5 million households from Charlotte to Harrisburg, Penn. Earlier this month, MASN announced it would televise 30 North Carolina college basketball games.

The network televises weekly North Carolina shows like The Skip Holtz Show (ECU Football), the Mack McCarthy Show (ECU Basketball), The Butch Davis Show (UNC Football), The Roy Williams Show (UNC Basketball), The Sylvia Hatchell Show (UNC-Women's Basketball), The Sidney Lowe Show (NC State Basketball), The Benny Moss Show (UNC-Wilmington Basketball) and The Tom O'Brien Show (NC State Football), as well as Tarheel Football Review, Seahawk Sports Roundup, and CAA Basketball Preview Show.

A September survey of North Carolina sports fans found that 70 percent believe Time Warner should carry MASN on basic cable. Only 16 percent of respondents agreed with Time Warner's assertion that "viewers have little interest in the programming carried by MASN, including coverage of North Carolina schools."

In addition to televising more than 200 NCAA football and basketball games, many featuring North Carolina colleges and universities, MASN is the home of every available Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles baseball game. MASN is the only source for nightly Major League Baseball for the majority of North Carolina households.

MASN's offering of 320 Major League Baseball games - and 500 major professional and collegiate events - are unique, in demand, and being denied to millions of North Carolinians by Time Warner Cable.

Presently, four other cable and satellite providers - including DirecTV, Dish Network, MediaCom and Charter - carry MASN on basic cable.

To read a full copy of Congressman Jones letter, please click here.

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