Comcast Raises Price To Watch Blazers, Mariners, Kraken

Comcast’s Xfinity cable informed customers today that Root Sports Northwest will be moved to a more expensive cable TV package. Root Sports will now be part of the Ultimate TV package, requiring an additional monthly fee over their cheaper Popular tier. By removing Root Sports from the Popular tier, Comcast is also dropping the price on that package accordingly.

ROOT SPORTS has moved to a different TV package

We regularly review our channel lineups and adjust them, as needed, to ensure our entertainment packages provide customers with the best choices and most value. We pay programmers in order to offer their content to our customers, and the costs for sports programming continue to rise.

Because Regional Sports Networks (RSN), like ROOT SPORTS, drive significant expense for our customers, we’ve removed this channel from your current TV package and will be reducing your RSN fee. Until this fee reduction goes into effect, you’ll soon see a credit in your monthly bill.

Of course, ROOT SPORTS is still available from Xfinity as part of a higher tier package for those who are interested in this programming. If you’d like to add it back to your channel lineup. you can upgrade to the Ultimate package[Comcast contact information removed]

The price changes may depend on your region, but on average, the Ultimate tier costs will cost over $20 more, while the Popular tier will decrease in price by around $8. You can share your specific price differences in the comments, along with taxes and fees.[Note: The pricing was removed from the quoted text]

For 14 years, Comcast broadcast Blazers games via their Comcast/NBC Sports Northwest network. When that contact ended in 2021, the Blazers were free to sign with any network or stream games themselves. They agreed to anexclusive deal与根运动,MLB的持有多数股权Seattle Mariners, and now also broadcasts the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. Comcastclosed their sports channelafter the Blazers left.

Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) have run into trouble recently. Previously seen as boon to cable systems, RSN’s notoriously charged high fees. However, online streaming cable services likeYouTube TVandDish Networkremoved the channels amid signs they did not bring the expected return on investment. Sinclair-owned Bally Sports has struggled to make payments, and recentlylost rightsto the Phoenix Suns,who movedto a local-broadcast and streaming solution.

Root Sports Northwest has broadcasting agreements with online cable streamers FuboTV and DirecTV Stream, for local fans who decide to leave Comcast. Root Sports offers no standalone streaming options.

Both the Blazers and Kraken are about to start their 2023-24 seasons. Portland’s first televised preseason game is Thursday’s matchup against Jusuf Nurkic and the Phoenix Suns on Root Plus. The Kraken’s first regular season game on Root also airs Thursday night, against Nashville.