Opinion: Don’t make all pay-TV subscribers pay for the Dodgers channel

To the editor: Not all of us are Dodgers fans, and we resent having to pay for those who are. (“Justice Department sues AT&T-DirecTV, alleges collusion in blocking Dodgers channel,” Nov. 2)

My understanding is that pay-TV providers like DirecTV were willing to carry the Dodgers but were trying to protect their overall subscriber base from this extremely expensive add-on to their basic fees. I don’t think it required collusion for competitors to reach the same conclusion.

If the feds manage to effectively force us non-Dodgers fans to subsidize customers who want to watch their team, I will switch to a streaming provider that doesn’t bundle sports channels in their basic service. Sports channels are very expensive these days and should be separated out into a premium service so that only those who are interested in sports pay for sports.

James King, Covina

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To the editor: While U.S. Justice Department lawyers might think they’re protecting ordinary citizens in their suit against DirecTV, it’s really greedy business owners (in this case the Dodgers) from whom we need protection.

DirecTV took action to get a fair price for its subscribers. Unfortunately, Time Warner Cable, which held the rights, would not budge, effectively banning televised games for most people.

This was the result of owners who pay too much for businesses. When you are the high bidder in an auction environment, you rarely get a deal that pencils out, so you must then raise the prices on your products to make a profit. The consumer loses in the end, while more millionaires become billionaires.

Rodney Liber, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Note to the Justice Department:

Instead of pocketing whatever fines are levied, offer the money to local Los Angeles television stations, which can use it to carry our Dodgers on their cable-free airwaves for those of us who do not have pay TV.

Now that’s justice — for us.

Daniel J. Marquez, Redlands

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