Koster
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced on Tuesday that he has contacted Dish Network about discontinuing advertising that it is the "official TV sponsor of the St. Louis Blues," as it has not provided games for almost a month.
Currently, Dish and Fox are locked into heavy negotiations and Missouri consumers are feeling the brunt of their multimillion dollar dispute with a loss of programming.
"Dish continues to advertise to potential customers that by signing up with the company they will be able to watch the St. Louis Blues games," Koster said. "In fact, Dish customers are not able to watch the Blues games, and have no assurance that they will be able to do so in the future. Such advertisements mislead consumers and should be attended to by Dish Network."
In his letter, Koster asks Dish to notify subscribers that they may cancel their service without paying a cancellation fee, which could be as much as $425, and asks that customers be given a credit in the same proportion that the company's cost of providing service has decreased.
"Our job is to protect consumers from unfair business practices, and that is why we are asking that Dish Network address how they are treating current customers and how they are advertising to Missouri citizens," Koster said. "As the blackout of Fox Sports Midwest and other channels continues, Missouri subscribers should not be the ones left holding the bag."
The letter also asks that Dish Network address its ongoing advertisements in the state promoting Fox Sports programming and explain the steps they are taking to remove these ads.
Koster has given Dish until Nov. 3 to respond to his demands.