Time Warner Cable Sports to Tip Off Lakers-Centric RSNs on Oct. 1

Rone: Meetings with distributors for Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Deportes have begun

By Mike Reynolds, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/10/2012 11:28:50 AM

It's official now: Time Warner Cable will tip off its two regional sports networks centering on the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 1.

The largest MSO in Los Angeles will bow Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Spanish-language RSN Time Warner Cable Deportes, which will have its own production team and programming sensibilities, shortly before the National Basketball Association begins its 2012-13 season, according to Time Warner Cable Sports president David Rone.

The foundation for the services was established in February 2011, when Time Warner Cable secured local rights to the Lakers -- whose games have been televised by Fox Sports West and KCAL-TV -- for a 20-year period in a deal that is reportedly valued at $3 billion. Since then, Time Warner Cable Sports also gained rights to the defending Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy and WNBA Los Angeles Sparks.

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