PITTSBURGH – ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement responding to the April 28 letters sent by N.Y. State Attorney General Letitia James to major multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) regarding her desire to see consumer bills reduced to reflect the absence of live TV sports during the COVID-19 pandemic:

"ACA Connects understands the concerns of N.Y. State Attorney General Letitia James about sport programming costs and the impact on consumers. ACA Connects has long highlighted the problem for consumers: Sports programmers and sports leagues leverage MVPDs to extract unconscionable fees and terms that cable operators must pass through to their subscribers, including those who have no interest in such programming.

"Attorney General James is right to question why consumers are paying for expensive sports programming not being aired because of the COVID-19 emergency, but she has taken aim at the wrong target.

"If Attorney General James truly wishes to address consumers' concerns about sports programming, we recommend she focus on the root cause of the problem and investigate sports programmers, broadcast networks and sports leagues. The members of ACA Connects, their customers, and other MVPDs have been caught in the middle of these sports and media titans for far too long."

Read the full announcement here.

ACA Connects