There are a slew of stories today about the ongoing battle between Time Warner and Cablevision regarding the latter's price-gouging of the former.
Daily News
Daily News #2
New York Times
Cablevision had a similar square-off with the YES network a couple of years back, where YES was charging inflated prices for the privilege of showing Yankee games, of all things. Cablevision's role has actually flip-flopped from that debacle, with Cablevision now trying to secure higher rates for its suddently-underwhelming programming package.
Time Warner knows that the Mets will be coming their way in 2006 when the Mets network launches, but 2.4 million customers, a few of which are presumably Mets fans, will be pretty distraught if they can't watch their "New Mets" all season.
The two sides really need to come together on this one, because if Cablevision insists on raking Time Warner over the coals for this last season of Mets baseball, TW will be inclined to do exactly the same thing starting in 2006 (remember: Time Warner, Comcast, and the Mets are teaming up on the new Mets network).
I live in northern New Jersey, which is Cablevision territory, but I'm a DirecTV subscriber, mostly because I can't stand giving my money to James Dolan knowing the kind of shenanigans he pulls.
I'd like to hear a bit of perspective from the Time Warner customers out there who are about to be blacked out of Mets games. What do you guys plan to do if this impasse extends into the regular season? Grind it out? Switch to satellite? Get the MLB.tv package and watch Mets games on your computer? Put your reactions into the comments, or create a new Diary to start a new rant of your own.