7M NFL Fans In The Dark Thanks To League, Dish Contract Fight

Image courtesy of frankieleon

Dish Network has been busy this week, blacking out Tribune Co. channels earlier this week and now, because of another contract dispute, football fans who subscribe to Dish won’t be able to watch NFL Network or NFL RedZone.

Seven million Dish customers were cut off from NFL Network as of Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET, after the two sides failed to come to terms on a distribution contract. If Dish and the NFL can’t make up, customers won’t be able to access NFL RedZone — a Sunday gameday-only channel — come fall and football season.

“Our contract with NFL Network has expired,” Dish said in a statement. “We remain open to a fair offer that allows us to carry this content at an appropriate value to our customers.”

The NFL says it has never been dumped like this before.

“This represents the first time in NFL Network’s 13 year history that one of its service providers has not continued to offer the network to its subscribers,” the league said in a statement.

The NFL also set up a website, IWantNFLNetwork.com, that sends users to other television providers that carry the league’s channels.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.