Just announced today, NESN is launching a national version of its channel and has received a carriage agreement in the Carolinas. I’m sure Orioles fans in North Carolina who have been hoping Time Warner Cable will pick up MASN, will be thrilled to see the Red Sox regional sports network in their area. However, this version of NESN will not air Red Sox games, that will be shown through the MLB Extra Innings pay per view package.
This agreement is effective immediately so subscribers can see NESN National on Time Warner Cable’s sports tier. Here’s the joint release from Time Warner and NESN.
TIME WARNER CABLE LAUNCHES NESN NATIONAL THROUGHOUT NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINASeptember 7, 2010 – Time Warner Cable today launched NESN National on Time Warner Cable’s sports tier, SportsPass, throughout North and South Carolina. SportsPass is available to more than 2 million Time Warner Cable subscribers. NESN National is the national television service of New England Sports Network (NESN), a sports television network owned by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins. Time Warner Cable customers in the Carolinas are the first cable subscribers to receive NESN National, which is the best way for fans outside New England to follow the Red Sox, Bruins and all New England sports, particularly those fans who also watch Red Sox and Bruins games through MLB and NHL league packages.“The Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins are two of the best known brands in professional sports and the addition of NESN National to SportsPass is just another example of our commitment to offering customers more choice and more programming. We’re thrilled with this addition as we continue to provide new programming and product offerings,” said Dan Santelle, vice president, programming and product development, Time Warner Cable Carolinas.“The Bruins are getting ready to start training camp, the Red Sox are chasing a playoff spot and NESN Daily is getting ready for a special NASCAR edition to discuss the upcoming Sylvania 300 in New Hampshire all of this making it an opportune time for Time Warner Cable customers in North and South Carolina to begin receiving NESN National,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s president and CEO. “We’re sure fans in the Carolinas will enjoy our regular pre and post-game programming, New England sports news coverage, and the many other games and programs that are now available.”Time Warner Cable’s SportsPass subscribers will be able to watch NESN’s Red Sox and Bruins pre and post-game shows, which are among the most comprehensive in the regional sports television business. Red Sox GameDay Live for example, is a 60-minute pre-game show that boasts MLB Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Jim Rice and Peter Gammons as analysts who join host Tom Caron to get fans ready for each and every game. The same team of experts also provides 60-minutes of analysis after every game on Extra Innings Live and Red Sox Final. NESN’s Bruins pre and post-game coverage similarly delivers expert game-day coverage before each and every Bruins game with host Kathryn Tappen and former Bruins stars Mike Milbury, Barry Pederson and Gord Kluzak.Additionally, NESN National also includes Bruins replays and classic games; NESN Daily, a daily sports news and debate program; minor league baseball; college hockey and basketball; and many of the network’s Original NESN Entertainment (ONE) productions such as The Instigators, Pocket Money and After the Game.NESN National can now be found on channel 529 in the following Time Warner Cable markets: Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina; Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head, South Carolina.Live game telecasts of the Red Sox and Bruins, Red Sox replays or classic games, and certain other programs will not be available on NESN National due to league restrictions. When these programs are airing on NESN in New England, Time Warner Cable customers in the Carolinas will see other programming. Time Warner Cable customers can receive virtually all of NESN’s Red Sox and Bruins game telecasts by subscribing to MLB Extra Innings and NHL Center Ice packages respectively.
Interesting. We’ll see if other regional sports networks follow suit.
UPDATE: 3:05 pm.: YES Network has already launched its programming outside the tri-state New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area, and that was in Florida thanks to an agreement with Bright House last year. Thanks to J.P. Kirby of the 506.com for the tip.
