Cablevision Strikes Deal for NFL Network, RedZone

NFL Media's Rolapp says they are not talking with Time Warner Cable

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/16/2012 11:13:07 AM

Cablevision has reached a multiyear carriage agreement with the NFL Network, which will finally put the league-owned channel on the New York area's largest TV provider.

The deal, which also includes the league's RedZone Channel, will see the network debut on Cablevision systems Friday. It will be available to customers who subscribe to iO Preferred, iO Silver, iO Gold or the iO Sports & Entertainment Pak. RedZone will be part of the iO Sports & Entertainment Pak.

"We are thrilled to be partners with them," said NFL Media COO Brian Rolapp. "This is an important milestone for the NFL Network."

The agreement also means that NFL Network will now reach over 60 million homes. With the increased distribution, Rolapp said the league may soon join the TV Everywhere game. "We are embracing the concept of authentication or TV Everywhere," said Rolapp. "All these deals account for multiple platform distribution rights."

"We know there is significant interest in the NFL Network and NFL RedZone among our Optimum TV customers, and are pleased to have worked productively with the NFL to offer both channels in time for the upcoming season, and for years to come," said Mac Budill, Cablevision's executive VP of programming, in a statement.

The deal leaves Time Warner Cable as the only major TV provider that has yet to reach a carriage agreement with the NFL Network. "We are not talking, regrettably," said Rolapp. "We're obviously not close."

The MSO earlier this month pulled the NFL Network from its acquired Insight Communications systems serving Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Rolapp said they offered a one-year extension with no price increase.