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With the Los Angeles Dodgers set to open the 2014 season at 1 a.m. in Los Angeles, the reality that plenty of fans throughout Southern California will be unable to watch the game is beginning to sink in. Heading into Friday, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks were the only providers who carried SportsNet LA.

That has since changed however, as Champion Broadband has joined the group and its customers in Arcadia and Monrovia will also be able to watch the Opening Series:

If you have Champion Broadband in Monrovia and Arcadia, you’ll have @SportsNetLA starting today — Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) March 21, 2014



Though the added availability is only in two cities, it’s another step in the right direction for TWC and their efforts to convince the likes of AT&T U-verse, Charter, DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS to agree to terms that would land them the pay-TV network. While the situation could change, Dish Network’s vice president David Shull stated their customers aren’t interested in SportsNet LA. Dish took a similar stance with the Los Angeles Lakers and have yet to add their network, Time Warner Cable SportsNet, to its lineup of channels offered.

Dodgers president Stan Kasten expressed optimism on Monday that deals would eventually be agreed upon because of the large draw the Dodgers have. TWC CEO Rob Marcus also is on record as believing SportsNet LA will become more widely available, but added negotiations could go down to the wire. With the regular season set to begin, additional pressure has been placed on the cable providers to come to terms.

The Dodgers will play three exhibition games with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from March 27-29 and resume their regular season schedule in San Diego on March 30. ESPN will broadcast the Sunday game, which is the Padres’ season opener, but fans will once again be in the dark for the next two games of that series on April 1 and April 2. An important date to keep an eye on is the Dodgers’ home opener on April 4, when they play the San Francisco Giants. Should SportsNet LA still be limited to its three current providers, fans may then resort to switching providers.

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