Charter Communications to offer Dodgers TV channel

Charter Communications plans to soon begin offering the Los Angeles Dodgers TV channel, SportsNet LA, in Southern California, breaking the year-long impasse that has prevented thousands of baseball fans from watching their favorite team on TV. "We are going to get the Dodgers on," Charter Communications Chief Executive Tom Rutledge said. "We want the Dodgers on every outlet and we are committed to making that happen," Rutledge said. Rutledge's company announced its $56.7-billion takeover of Time Warner Cable, which has been the only major distributor in Southern California to carry SportsNet LA since it launched at the start of the 2014 baseball season. For now, Rutledge only has control over his company's decisions, and Charter must wait until after the merger is approved to make more sweeping changes. But the move is significant. Until now, Charter has been one of several pay-TV companies that has refused to carry SportsNet LA, which is owned by the Dodgers. The move does not guarantee that DirecTV, AT&T U-Verse, Cox Communications, Dish Network or Verizon will begin offering the channel. But Charter's switch could put pressure on the other providers to pick up the channel.