LA fans finally get brief glimpse of Dodgers as Time Warner agrees to 6-game deal with KDOC

One of the biggest farces in recent Southern California sports history has been the television deal the Los Angeles Dodgers signed with Time Warner Cable.  That agreement filled the team's coffers and gave them a return on their hefty purchase of the franchise from the incompetent Frank McCourt, but also made the team largely absent from the public view.

In other words, because Time Warner is only seen in roughly a third of the area's households, and because few local sports bars carry Time Warner, the majority of the team's fans have not been able to watch the games, unless they go to Chavez Ravine in person.

To complicate matters, Time Warner has failed to come to an agreement with other cable providers about carrying their channel and showing the Dodgers.

The result of such an arrangement is almost sinful.

Clayton Kershaw is having a historic season, but local eyeballs have not seen it.  The staff has thrown two no-hitters -- at least that's what the fans have been told -- but again, no one has seen it on television.  That goes for Yasiel Puig's nightly highlight show, Matt Kemp's bounce-back season, and Dee Gordon's breakthrough year as well.

But here may be the ultimate sin: For those fans without Time Warner, Vin Scully's play-by-play brilliance can only be heard for a mere three innings on radio each night, compared to his more extensive work on television.

Overall, it's a problem that has reduced the Dodgers' visibility despite the team enjoying significant success this year.  Worse yet, it could fail to cultivate that next generation of young fans every franchise needs to survive.

Well, today there is at least a sliver of short term good news, as Time Warner Cable announced it has secured an agreement to broadcast the final week of Dodger games on KDOC. KDOC is an independent broadcast station that is carried by every cable, satellite, and telco provider in Southern California and can also be received over the air with an antenna.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in a race for the National League West Division Championship with the San Francisco Giants. The final six games, including a series against rival Giants, could determine if the Dodgers make the playoffs and have a chance to win the World Series.

Beginning September 22, Time Warner Cable will simulcast the remaining games of the season, featuring the iconic Vin Scully, on SportsNet LA and KDOC, subject to national broadcast commitments. The Dodgers face the Giants on September 22, 23, and 24 at 7:10 p.m. and then take on the Rockies on September 26 at 7:10 p.m., September 27 at 6:10 p.m., and September 28 at 1:10 p.m.

“Time Warner Cable is part of this community and we’re Dodger fans too,” said Dinni Jain, Time Warner Cable’s Chief Operating Officer. “Angelenos love their Dodgers, and we’re happy to give them a way to watch their beloved team during this pennant chase.”

For Time Warner, this is the first smart move they have made in months, as their brand is already tarnished with local sports fans due to the current scenario, and could not afford to take many more hits.

Let's hope this is just the first step in getting more Dodger games on television.

KDOC can be seen on the following channels:

Charter: 710, 10
Cox: 1012, 12
AT&T U-verse: 1006, 6
DirecTV: 56
Verizon FiOS: 506; 6
Dish Network: 56
Over the air broadcast: 56.1

By Mike Elliott
Editor for TheDailySportsHerald.com