ROOT SPORTS RETURNING TO BENDBROADBAND LINEUP

ROOT SPORTS RETURNING TO BENDBROADBAND LINEUP

BendBroadband Subscribers Will Receive Live Sports Programming Beginning This March

 

BEND, Ore.  — BendBroadband and ROOT SPORTS™ announced today that the regional sports network will re-launch to BendBroadband customers on March 1, 2015. The network will be part of the Essentials and Preferred packages.

The popular sports network brings an extensive line-up of regional sports programming including more than 350 LIVE event telecasts of the Seattle Mariners, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Big Sky Conference, Mountain West and high school coverage, as well as magazine shows and much more.

“Our team partners have some of the most passionate fans in all of sports,” said Mark Jorgensen, ROOT SPORTS Senior Vice President and General Manager. “We are pleased to be partnering with BendBroadband in bringing their favorite teams back to Central Oregon.”

Mariners Executive Vice President of Business Operations, Bob Aylward, said, “The Mariners are excited that fans in Central Oregon will be able to follow our team on ROOT SPORTS, beginning with 16 spring training games. The American League West race promises to be a great one from Opening Day through the final game of the season.”

BendBroadband previously carried ROOT SPORTS until the two were unable to agree to terms in late 2012.

“Every year we make tough choices about which networks to carry, and how we can make it affordable for our customers,” said Britt Wehrman, vice president of Marketing & Product Development for BendBroadband. “Our customers made it clear they wanted ROOT SPORTS back, and we wanted to deliver.”

BendBroadband subscribers can find ROOT SPORTS on channel 620 (HD) and 20 (SD).

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For more information contact: Krista Ledbetter, Associate Manager-Public Relations / TDS Telecom. / 608-664-2518 / krista.ledbetter@tdstelecom.com

About BendBroadband, a TDS Company
BendBroadband, a wholly owned subsidiary of TDS, employs nearly 300 people. Serving Central Oregon for more than 50 years, the company began offering local cable TV service in 1955. Today, BendBroadband offers broadband, fiber connectivity, cable television, and telephone services for commercial and residential customers. Through its Zolo Media division, the company operates KBNZ-TV CBS affiliate, KOHD-TV ABC affiliate, COTV11 and offers multiple video advertising, local advertising and viewing options for Central Oregonians. Visit BendBroadband.com.
TDS Telecom, headquartered in Madison, Wis., operates BendBroadband, OneNeck® IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Baja Broadband LLC. Combined, the company employs 3,300 people. Visit tdstelecom.com.
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) [NYSE: TDS], a Fortune 1000™ company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately 5.9 million customers nationwide through its subsidiaries TDS Telecom and U.S. Cellular®. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employs 10,400 people. Visit tdsinc.com.
ROOT SPORTS is the home of the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Big Sky Conference and Mountain West. The network reaches 3.4 million households across five states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, and delivers more than 350 live events each year – all of which are available in high definition.
ROOT SPORTS regional sports networks are operated by DIRECTV Sports Networks LLC in the Northwest, Pittsburgh, Rocky Mountain, and Southwest regions. The four networks combined reach 13 million households across 22 states and own exclusive programming and distribution partnerships with more than 25 teams and conferences. DIRECTV Sports Networks is a subsidiary of DIRECTV, the world’s most popular television service.