Justice Department settles suit over LA Dodgers broadcasts
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday it has settled a lawsuit that accused AT&T’s DirectTV unit of orchestrating a backroom deal with competitors to not carry the sole channel that broadcasts Dodgers baseball in Los Angeles.
The deal, while a seeming victory for deprived Dodger fans, will not necessarily lead to them seeing their team on TV more this season.
The suit claimed DirecTV swapped information with Cox Communications Inc., Charter Communications Inc. and AT&T — before it acquired DirecTV — during negotiations to carry the SportsNet LA, the network owned by the Dodgers.
Officials said the settlement will ensure that the companies will no longer make agreements to prevent competitors from offering the channel to lure customers. “We are pleased to have resolved this matter to the satisfaction of all parties,” AT&T spokesman Fletcher Cook said Thursday.