Sinclair, Charter Ink Distribution Deal for Stations, Regional Sports Nets

By George Winslow
published

The deal is an important step forward for Sinclair’s efforts to put its sports nets on a better financial footing

Bally Sports
(Image credit: Sinclair Broadcast Group)

BALTIMORE, M.D.–After months of intensive negotiations, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. and Charter Communications, Inc. have reached a comprehensive distribution agreement for continued carriage of Sinclair’s owned local broadcast stations, Tennis Channel, 19 Bally Sports RSN brands, Marquee Sports Network and the YES Network, in which Sinclair is a joint venture partner.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The deal is an important one for Sinclair, which has been struggling to get carriage for the regional sports networks, which is owned by a joint venture carrying nearly $10 billion in debt. 

Sinclair has been hoping to launch many of those as direct-to-consumer services, though the announcement made no mention of streaming or if Charter will offer the direct-to-consumer streaming services as well as the linear TV networks after they launch. 

George Winslow
George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.