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Connecticut lawmakers ask Optimum to refund customers
New York state is starting to flex a little bit of its muscle to push for a resolution in the dispute between the Optimum cable TV system and MSG (Madison Square Garden) that has left Optimum subscribers without key sports programming of games by the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders and more.
Gov. Kathy Hochul used her bully pulpit to urge the companies to resolve this dispute as soon as possible and directed the state’s Department of Public Service (DPS) to start making moves to help Optimum consumers.
“New Yorkers are proud sports fanatics, and blocking Knicks, Rangers and Islanders fans from watching programming they’ve paid to watch is simply unconscionable,” Hochul said. “Denying fans access to live sports because of a ridiculous dispute between Optimum and MSG is unfair to New Yorkers and our patience has expired. This has gone on for long enough.”
Brian Ossias, acting director of DPS, wrote to Chris Bresnan, senior director of government affairs at Optimum’s owner Altice USA and demanded answers about what’s going on and giving Bresnan five days to respond to the state. Bresnan was told to:
“• Describe in detail what cost-neutral option(s) Optimum intends to offer to those customers impacted by this programming dispute, when such option(s) will be available, and how customers can enroll.
“• In the alternative, acknowledge if Optimum intends to provide those impacted customers a service credit for services they are no longer receiving.
“• Finally, explain how Optimum intends to communicate its cost-neutral option(s) and/or customer credit information throughout its New York service territory.”
According to Hochul’s office, if Altice fails to provide a satisfactory plan, DPS will initiate public hearings where the company will be required to publicly explain how it is protecting affected customers as part of the department’s ongoing review of the matter.
A statement from Optimum said, “We agree with Governor Hochul that local sports fans who want MSG Networks’ content should have access to it, which is why we were asking MSG to reach a deal for our customers who want it. In the meantime, we have been making sure our customers don’t miss a game, spending millions of dollars to help sports fans and non-sports fans alike. We look forward to working with Governor Hochul to fix the outdated programming model that does not align with how consumers watch TV today. In the meantime, while we help customers with options, MSG Networks has done nothing to make their content more affordable and has made no effort to assist impacted fans.”
