AG: TV Providers Should Lower, Eliminate Fees For Sports Packages
NEW YORK — The New York Attorney General recently called on seven major TV providers to lower or eliminate some of their fees associated with sports packages in light of the coronavirus crisis. Since all live sporting events have been canceled, Attorney General Letita James says the major cable and satellite providers should reduce or eliminate fees that come with live sports programming to provide financial relief for New Yorkers.
The NBA, the NFL and the NHL all had to suspend their seasons due to the pandemic. The NBA announced last month that it wants its teams to prepare to play games without fans if necessary because of the coronavirus crisis.
However, James says many cable and satellite television providers continue to charge and collect high fees for live sports programming and refuse to lower the cost of packages that normally include live sports programming.
In letters to Altice USA, AT&T Inc., Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, DISH Network, RCN Corporation, and Verizon Communications, James requested that the companies immediately "prepare and provide plans to the Attorney General’s Office for how they will provide financial relief to consumers until live sports programming is resumed."
According to James, cable and satellite television subscribers can pay up to $20 a month in extra fees in order to have access to live sporting events, but even with the cancellation of all live sporting events in the United States, cable and satellite television providers are still charging customers the same amounts. In addition, she says the companies not providing their customers refunds or cancellations in light of the pandemic.
In her letter to these cable and satellite television providers, Attorney General James requested that these companies provide appropriate refunds, discounts and reductions of charges and fees, payment deferrals, and waiver of termination fees for their customers, at least until live sports programming is resumed.
James is asking these companies to act to "minimize the financial burdens on consumers," since millions are now left unemployed due to the coronavirus crisis.
"At a time when so many New Yorkers have lost their jobs and are struggling, it is grossly unfair that cable and satellite television providers would continue to charge fees for services they are not even providing," James said. "These companies must step up and immediately propose plans to cut charges and provide much needed financial relief. This crisis has brought new economic anxiety for all New Yorkers, and I will continue to protect the wallets of working people at every turn."
This article originally appeared on the Babylon Village Patch
