We’ve been through this before.
Other carriers have dropped Bally Sports North (some of them long enough ago that it was still branded Fox Sports North when it happened), prompting anger and frustration from Minnesota fans.
But when Comcast, a huge cable carrier in Minnesota and the second largest in the United States, dropped Bally Sports channels in a pricing tier dispute with parent company Diamond Sports last week, it felt different.
The channels went dark last Tuesday night, and so far subscribers have missed four Twins games (with a fifth on tap Monday night). Many avid Twins fans who stuck with cable even as prices escalated in recent years had decided the cost was worth it to avoid the hassle and potential confusion associated with searching for cheaper cord-cutting options.
My sense is this round of a multiple-year dispute is affecting many long-term Twins fans, as Patrick Reusse and I talked about on Monday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
But I wanted to get a more well-rounded perspective on how Comcast Xfinity subscribers are dealing with the loss of the Twins. A query on X (formerly Twitter) reveals some fans who are proactively seeking out creative solutions. But it also shows plenty who are cutting off their cable service and quickly putting the Twins out of sight and mind.
Here is a sampling of the more than 100 responses that have come in since the question was posted Monday morning:
Alternative TV options: A handful of people said they have started seven-day free trials of Fubo, one of two streaming services (DirecTV Stream is the other) that carries Bally Sports North, although one fan amusingly noted, “Subscribed to Fubo yesterday and the winning streak ended.”
One fan said she was going to sign up for the Bally Sports $20 per month standalone streaming service until another respondent correctly noted that while the Wolves, Wild and Lynx are available through that package, the Twins are not.
Another fan said he is sharing a DirecTV Stream login with a friend as a temporary measure to retain access to BSN, another said she searches message boards for non-sanctioned streaming options while a few others said they have been going to sports bars to watch games. A note on that, though: Bars with Comcast “are being heavily impacted,” one respondent speculates. Indeed, another wrote: “Had an hour to kill on Saturday, figured I’d walk to a tavern and watch the last couple innings, took three tries to find one that had DirecTV.”
Alternative non-TV options: The most common workaround mentioned, by far, is an old-fashioned one: the radio. Several fans said are just listening to games on WCCO or the broader Twins network instead of watching them. Said one: “CCO radio. I JUST upgraded my Xfinity because they were doing so well and then 4 days later Bally’s goes dark. I’m not paying anymore … luckily Xfinity is doing the right thing and giving credit on our bill.”
Others are using a mix of non-TV options to keep track of games. “Listen on the radio if I’m in the car or the kitchen, otherwise just follow score updates on my phone,” one said.
Said another: “The weather is improving and my interest in the team is fading. I catch updates on X and listen to the radio broadcast, when I’m in a position to do so. This situation is definitely hurting fans more than anyone, and the team did this to us. Sad.”
The fact that this has coincided mostly with a Twins home stand has enabled a couple fans to say their workaround has simply been to attend games in person.
Canceling and tuning out: A lot of other folks are either angry, apathetic or a little of both. A number of people said they have either canceled Comcast already or plan to do so soon. Those folks should be of major concern to both the Twins and Comcast.
Writes one of them: “Canceled Comcast last Thursday. The Twins and Wild were the only reason we hadn’t canceled it sooner. We’re thinking about getting Fubo, but so far haven’t. So far I’m not missing watching games as much as I expected. Out of sight, out of mind.”
And another: “Canceled cable and forgot they existed. Even while winning 12 straight.”
Bummed out, mad, sad or all of the above:
Canceling is one thing, though. These responses show a level of sadness that should worry the Twins, too.
“My 90-year-old mother-in-law typically watches every baseball game possible every year. Even training camp games. She is devastated, trying to keep up by listening to games on the radio.”
“I’m 70 years old and have been a Twins fan my whole life, I have a Twins flag on my house, I have more Twins T-shirts and hats than I can count, for health reasons I can’t go to games anymore, it’s disgusting what they’re doing to the fans.”
“MN sports on Bally is the primary reason I haven’t cut the cord and still get cable. This move hurts the Twins, Comcast and me.”
“My 9-year-old’s baseball season just started and it was nice in previous years to talk about the team and watch games together, but now that bonding time isn’t there. He’s already talking about the Vikings’ season.”
And this from a 40-something dad named Grant might crystallize the whole state of sports on TV as well as anything else. He emailed after seeing the social media query.
“The week before Bally’s went dark was the most I had watched baseball in years and then it was over. I still followed the games on the ESPN app, but mostly moved on (I am used to living without baseball). Overall, my family is on the verge of being cord cutters and having reliable access to the Timberwolves via Bally’s and NFL Red Zone are the only things that have kept me on Comcast. I am the only one in my family who watches cable anymore, both my teen daughters and my wife stream content on their phones (mostly TikTok and YouTube). If the Timberwolves are not on Comcast when October comes around I am 100% certain that I am leaving Comcast and going somewhere else I can watch the Timberwolves. As for the Twins, I will go back to mostly not caring with a zero percent chance of plugging back in because I have nowhere to ‘flip’ when I get curious.”
Michael Rand is the Star Tribune’s Digital Sports Senior Writer. In 20 years covering Minnesota sports at the Star Tribune, he has seen just about everything.
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