TWC: We Are Offering Must-Have K.C. Sports to Google Fiber TV

MSO indicates it won't provide other local programming, including high school sports, for fiber-based IPTV service

By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/26/2012 10:53:36 AM

Time Warner Cable said it's offering "must-have" regional sports content on its Metro Sports network in the Kansas City area to Google at fair and reasonable prices -- but the MSO indicated it won't provide other local programming such as high school sports for the Internet giant's fiber-based IPTV service.

In a Sept. 21 filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Google said it was having difficulty obtaining "must-have" live regional sports content.

The TWC-owned Metro Sports channel broadcasts college basketball and high school games in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., markets. Google is planning to connect homes in 180 neighborhoods in the area to offer 1 Gbps Internet speeds and a next-generation TV service. Metro Sports is available on TWC, Comcast and Knology of Kansas (formerly Sunflower Broadband).

Asked to respond, Time Warner Cable said in a statement: "TWC has absolutely offered, and continues to offer, what the FCC describes as Metro Sports' ‘must-have' live regional sports programming -- men's and women's Division I basketball -- at fair and reasonable prices. As for the remaining programming on Metro Sports, we have long invested in local programming, and [Google is] welcome to do the same."

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