DISH, Comcast SportsNet reach deal in regional dispute

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Satellite TV provider DISH Network Corp and Comcast Corp's SportsNet have reached a deal allowing the cable giant's regional sports networks to remain on-air for DISH subscribers, DISH said on Saturday.

The two pay-TV companies have been in negotiations over whether DISH would drop Comcast's regional sports network, threatening access to televised games for satellite-TV customers in the Chicago, San Francisco and Washington areas. 

"DISH has reached a multi-year agreement for carriage of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, California, Chicago and Mid-Atlantic," the satellite provider said in a statement.

The company did not disclose terms of the agreement.

Comcast SportsNet is part of Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, and DISH must pay fees in order to carry it.
DISH has blamed increased fees in the dispute and said most of its customers do not watch NBC's sports channels. DISH has roughly 14 million subscribers, according to the company.

A Comcast spokesman referred a request for comment to representatives for NBCUniversal, which did not immediately respond.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Stephen Powell)