Finally, Los Angeles Lakers fans will have access to their favorite team on DirecTV. In an agreement announced on Thursday, DirecTV tweeted what Lakers fans have wanted to hear ever since the season began, that it will carry Time Warner Cable SportsNet starting tonight and the first game on the satellite provider will be seen Friday night.
We have an agreement to carry #TWCSportsNet on Ch: 691 in time for the next game (Friday 11/16).
— DIRECTV (@DIRECTV) November 15, 2012
The agreement includes both the English and Spanish language channels.
.@lakers, @lagalaxy and @la_sparks fans can watch #TWCSportsNet on ch. 691 and @twcdeportes on ch. 458 starting tonight.
— TWC SportsNet (@TWCSportsNet) November 15, 2012
DirecTV had balked at the Time Warner asking price of $3.95 per subscriber, but apparently found common ground to start carrying the channels. Dish Network remains as the last major holdout for Time Warner SportsNet.
DirecTV continues to block viewers from the Pac-12 Networks and Comcast SportsNet Houston. We’ll see how long it takes for the satellite provider to continue its holdout for both entities.
UPDATE, 5:05 p.m.: Here’s the official joint press release from DirecTV and Time Warner Cable SportsNet.
DIRECTV LAUNCHES TIME WARNER CABLE SPORTSNET AND TIME WARNER CABLE DEPORTES
New local homes of Los Angeles Lakers, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks games now provided to DIRECTV customers
EL SEGUNDO, CA (November 15, 2012) – DIRECTV will launch Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes today for all Southern California customers. These networks are the local TV homes for Los Angeles Lakers, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks games, as well as in-depth, dedicated, team-focused programming.
Time Warner Cable SportsNet will be available for DIRECTV customers on channel 691 throughout Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield and parts of Fresno) as well as Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, Las Vegas and Hawaii. Time Warner Cable Deportes will be available on channel 458.
“DIRECTV is pleased that Los Angeles Lakers, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks games and programming will now be seen by so many people whose loyalty remains the life’s blood to each team,” said Dan York, chief content officer. “We appreciate our customers’ patience and are happy to have arrived at an outcome that benefits everyone involved. We know that our customers will enjoy the great programming of these three franchises for many years to come.”
“Our partners at DIRECTV value Southern California sports as much as we do and we’re thrilled to work with them to bring Lakers, Galaxy and Sparks games and programming to our viewers,” said Dan Finnerty, Senior Vice President, Time Warner Cable Sports. “Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes will help bring DIRECTV customers closer to these teams than they have ever been before.”
That does it.