PORTLAND, Ore. — Comcast Xfinity customers who want to watch Portland Trail Blazers or Seattle Kraken games now or Seattle Mariners games next spring may have to fork out an additional $20 a month to do so.
Xfinity sent an email to customers Tuesday saying they were removing Root Sports, which carries Blazers, Kraken and Mariners games, from its standard channels package. The channel is still available in Xfinity's highest-tier "Ultimate" package, which costs about $20 more per month — or $240 more per year — than the standard channels package.
The notice went out to customers the same night the Kraken start their season and two nights before the Blazers' first televised preseason game.
Ryan Whitledge, co-host of the We Like the Blazers podcast with Brandon Goldner, and Chris Burkhardt of Rip City Radio 620 AM were among the first to report the change Tuesday afternoon. They shared screengrabs of an email from Xfinity explaining the move. In the email, Xfinity blamed the decision on the cost of Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) like Root Sports. KGW was later sent a copy of the same Xfinity email.
"Because Regional Sports Networks (RSN), like ROOT SPORTS, drive significant expense for our customers, we've removed this channel from your current TV package," the email reads. "Of course, ROOT SPORTS is still available from Xfinity as part of a higher tier package. ... If you'd like to add it back to your channel package, you can upgrade to the Ultimate package."
Root Sports later confirmed what was in the email and directed its customers to contact their provider.
"If you are a Xfinity customer and no longer have access to ROOT SPORTS, it is because Xfinity has moved ROOT SPORTS to its Ultimate package," Root Sports posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "If you wish to continue to receive ROOT SPORTS, please contact Xfinity to change your subscription package."
Root Sports' post did not allow replies.
KGW spoke to two customer service representatives with Xfinity who confirmed Root Sports was no longer available in the standard TV package and only in the "ultimate" package.
Later Tuesday, Comcast sent the following statement to KGW: "We're happy to continue offering Root Sports Northwest to our customers and making it available on a package that includes the most sports content. We'll also be providing credits to our customers on our digital basic package who do not receive the network."
People in social media forums voiced their frustration with the sudden change.
"I have the second tier (Popular TV) package and also received the email. Root Sports being removed from the base package and second tier, being moved directly to the "Ultimate" (3rd tier) package feels like another bundle of straw on an old camel that's already been over-encumbered," said a fan on Reddit.
"Nice advanced notice they gave us," posted another fan on X, formerly known as Twitter. "I am livid."
Blazers fans do have other options to get Root Sports other than Xfinity. The channel is also carried through DirecTV, Spectrum and Fubo, along with a couple other providers. See options here.
The Blazers released a statement Wednesday morning about Xfinity and Root Sports.
"We were just made aware that Xfinity has moved ROOT SPORTS to a different package, and are exploring solutions to help ease the transition and impact on our fans," the statement read in part. "We encourage fans to visit rootsports.com to check all providers in their area and to contact Xfinity to ensure their package includes ROOT SPORTS."
But sports columnist John Canzano places the blame for the last minute viewership issue not on Comcast, but on the Portland Trail Blazers.
"You ultimately have to hold the Blazers accountable for this because you've seen some NBA teams in other markets, particularly in Phoenix and Salt Lake City, go out of their way to put the games over the air and everyone can watch them ... I think there are kids in the Portland metropolitan area who are going to grow up having not regularly watched the Blazers — and guess who that hurts? That hurts the Blazers," said Canzano.
Tuesday's development is yet another chapter in the decade-plus saga of Portland Trail Blazers fans' struggle to watch games on TV.
Comcast Sports Northwest, which later became NBC Sports Northwest, was the media partner of the Blazers for 14 years. Part of their deal with the Blazers stipulated that Portland's games be removed from KGW, which for years had carried anywhere from 16 to 26 games per year over the local airwaves.
Fans were also frustrated by the deal with NBC Sports Northwest because subscribers to DirecTV or Dish Network couldn't watch the games because NBCSNW was unable to reach an agreement on national distribution rights for the channel with either of the major satellite TV channels.
Things were supposed to get better when the Blazers left NBC Sports Northwest and signed a four-year deal with Root Sports in 2021. The deal was hyped as a move that would bring the Blazers broadcast into more homes. While that was technically true, fans with Dish Network still couldn't watch games, the channel wasn't carried on YouTube TV and Hulu, and there were very few streaming options.
RELATED: Blazers agree to broadcast deal with Root Sports, end partnership with NBC Sports Northwest (2021)
And now, for Comcast Xfinity customers, many of whom may subscribe for the sole purpose of watching Blazers, Kraken or Mariners games, they're being forced to dig into their wallets and pay more to see the games on TV, find another provider or stop watching.
The Blazers' contract with Root Sports runs through the end of the 2024-25 season.