Comcast Xfinity and Scripps Dispute Over NHL Coverage Sparks Industry Concerns Comcast Xfinity and The E.W. Scripps Company entered a dispute over regional NHL broadcasting rights, leading to the blackout of several Scripps-owned stations on Tuesday night. The conflict arose after the two parties failed to reach a new agreement, with Scripps demanding that Comcast carry stations airing local NHL games as a condition for carrying other Scripps stations nationwide. The blackout affected stations that broadcast games for the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and San Jose Sharks, with Xfinity users in affected areas losing access to live broadcasts during key matchups. At the time of the blackout, Xfinity only carried stations airing Florida Panthers games, including WHDT-TV in West Palm Beach and WSFL-TV in Miami Dade and Broward counties. Both stations went dark during a Panthers game, highlighting the immediate impact of the dispute. Scripps also requested that Comcast carry a station broadcasting Nashville Predators games starting next season, though the Las Vegas market, home to the Vegas Golden Knights, was excluded from Xfinity’s service area. Scripps emphasized its commitment to negotiating in good faith, stating it aimed to reach a fair agreement for both parties and viewers. Meanwhile, an Xfinity employee noted the company was working to restore programming under “fair pricing, terms, and conditions for customers.” The dispute has raised concerns about the potential consequences for local TV news, with Fox warning that the exclusion of live sports from distribution could lead to the decline of local news, akin to the obsolescence of print newspapers. Fox also called for reevaluating the antitrust exemption granted to professional sports leagues under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.#fox #espn #nfl_network #comcast_xfinity #the_ew_scripps_company
