Magic Johnson thinks Dodgers will be on TV next year

Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson said he is confident a majority of local households will be able to watch his team’s games on television next season.

“I think we’re going to be on TV next season,” Johnson said Sunday. “I really do.”

The Dodgers’ network, SportsNet LA, was unavailable in 70% of local households as Time Warner Cable was unable to reach a distribution agreement with DirecTV and other providers.

Comcast is in the process of taking over Time Warner; AT&T is doing the same with DirecTV. Johnson thinks a deal can be struck once the mergers have been completed.

Johnson pointed to how fans responded when the Dodgers’ final six games were aired on KDOC.

“They saw the response of the fans when they were on TV and how everybody tuned in to see the Dodgers,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that at one point, he reached out to DirecTV.

“I asked them, ‘Can we do anything to make this deal happen because our fans are suffering?’” Johnson said. “They felt they had a good proposal on the table. They did respond, so I give DirecTV credit.”

The Dodgers’ games in the National League division series will be televised be FS1 or MLB Network.

“They don’t have to worry about that starting on Friday,” Johnson said. “They’ll be on all the cable stations.”