Talkswith Comcast to put Washington Nationals games on D.C. public access television fell apart Monday afternoon, city officials said, as frustration over the ballgame blackout rose.
Two members of the D.C. Council have threatened to shut down cable television in Washington.
Ward 5 Council Member Vincent Orange and Ward 2 Council Member Jack Evans are expected today to introduce emergency legislation to suspend Comcast’s franchise agreement and its right to do business in Washington. That threat, Orange said Monday, brought the cable giant to the negotiating table and gave rise to some hope that 1.3 million area cable subscribers might finally have access to all Nationals games.
“The game plan is to air the games on public access television, channels 95 and 96,” said Orange, a candidate for mayor. “It meets our objective of giving D.C. residents the opportunity to watch the games, and Comcast and Peter Angelos can continue their negotiations.”
But by afternoon, the talks had collapsed over a legal issue, the free nature of public access and equitable treatment of other cable providers, Evans said, and it was “back to the drawing board.”
Evans said the emergency legislation, which could take effect within 10 days of council passage, should force further talks.
