DirecTV RSNs Near New Big Sky Pact

By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 1/16/2012 12:01:00 AM

DirecTV-owned Root Sports and the Big Sky Conference are nearing a deal for a new multiyear programming renewal.

Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated the agreement could be announced as soon as early this week. The pact is expected to encompass Big Sky men’s basketball, football and other athletic events.

Root Sports has three regional sports networks, two of which — Root Sports Northwest and Root Sports Rocky Mountain — span nearly all of the states with Big Sky schools.

The deal will also grant Big Sky territorial media rights throughout Alaska, where a number of transplants from the Big Sky footprint now reside.

Root Sports’ Big Sky rights expansion into the nation’s largest state could be a useful property in Root Sports Northwest’s battle with GCI, Alaska’s top MSO. In a license-fee dispute, GCI dropped the RSN at year-end and replaced it with MLB Network, which has been positioned on a more-expensive level of service.

The move will shut out GCI customers from watching Seattle Mariners games, Major League Baseball’s homemarket TV team in the state.

Root Sports is expected to launch a multimedia campaign in Alaska to present its position on the matter.