Davis Polk is advising the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group on the creation of American Media Productions, LLC, a new regional sports network called SportsNet LA, which will be the home for the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning with the 2014 Major League Baseball season. Time Warner Cable Inc. has agreed to be SportsNet LA’s charter distributor, and will carry the new network for its customers throughout Southern California and Hawaii under a long-term affiliation deal. Time Warner Cable also will be the exclusive advertising and affiliate sales agent for the new network and will have certain branding and programing rights with respect to the network. Time Warner Cable will also provide certain non-game production and technical services to the network. The agreement with Time Warner Cable is subject to certain closing conditions.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are Los Angeles, California’s National League Major League Baseball franchise. American Media Productions, LLC was created by the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group in December 2012 and will own and operate SportsNet LA. Time Warner Cable is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services in the United States, connecting more than 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other.
The Davis Polk corporate team includes partner John H. Butler and associates Matthew J. Bacal, Pritesh P. Shah, Brian Wolfe, Livingston A. Miller and law clerk Daniel Brass. Partners Neil Barr and associate Ethan R. Goldman are providing tax advice. Other members of the Davis Polk team include partners Lawrence Portnoy and Bjorn Bjerke. All members of the Davis Polk team are based in the New York office.
