Readers React: Still not buying the Dodgers’ cable deal

Re “Trapped into paying extra for cable sports,” Column, May 2

Thanks to David Lazarus for shining a bright light on corporate greed. As a lifelong fan of the Dodgers, I blame the super-rich and super-greedy owners who made the deal that prevents me from watching my team on TV.

I certainly don’t blame satellite TV provider DirectTV for not paying an exorbitant amount to carry the new Dodgers cable channel operated by Time Warner Cable. I could afford to switch to Time Warner, but I won’t.

But what about the millions of Dodger fans who can’t afford any cable TV? Should they just buy tickets to see the game at Dodger Stadium?

So much for the great American pastime.

Steven Wiener

Marina del Rey

Dodgers owner Guggenheim Baseball Management is not an innocent business entity in this television mess.

It knew that most fans would be teetering on the edge of blackout when it signed on with Time Warner Cable for a guaranteed $8 billion. Apparently, Guggenheim didn’t care. It could have negotiated the deal to secure the interest of all Dodger fans, but it did not.

Guggenheim needs to play a part in resolving the problem.

Tom Wilson

Los Feliz

Great article by Lazarus. Of course, talking about a la carte cable programming is naive given the money big media companies use to hire attorneys and lobbyists to buy off lawmakers and snuff out any threat to their monopolies.

But I guess that issue is separate. Smart business plans aren’t as effective as sleazy business plans in America these days.

What do our lawmakers care that Vin Scully has been silenced for most TV viewers in Los Angeles, so long as they keep their campaign donations and don’t make waves with the powers that be?

Ken Newman

Sherman Oaks