Dish customers lose FOX, FS1 amid carriage dispute as NFL, MLB seasons heat up

Dish customers can’t watch FOX, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network and Fox Deporte because of a carriage dispute.

Dish subscribers will miss critical sporting events as the satellite and streaming service blacked out FOX amid a carriage dispute.

FOX-owned cable channels FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes are also dark for Dish customers. FOX launched a website dedicated to informing viewers on the blackout that impacts 17 markets across 23 states plus Washington D.C.

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“DISH is at it again, choosing to drop leading programming as a negotiating tactic regardless of the impact on its own customers. DISH elected to drop FOX networks in an effort to coerce us to agree to outrageous demands. While we regret this is DISH's preferred approach to negotiating, we remind our loyal viewers that the FOX services are widely available through every other major television provider,” FOX wrote on the site.

Dish issued a press release outlining its side of the story and urging FOX to focus on “reaching a fair deal.”

The blackout comes at an unfortunate time for viewers, as FOX heads into a weekend filled with marquee college football games, pivotal Major League Baseball games and Week 4 of the NFL season.

FOX’s Week 4 NFL games include the Washington Redskins at New York Giants, Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams.

NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs visit the Detroit Lions Sunday on FOX. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Customers will continue to miss major live sporting events if the blackout continues past the weekend, as a doubleheader of Major League Baseball playoff games is scheduled for Oct. 4 on a FS1.

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FS1 and FOX will continue to carry MLB playoff games for the duration of the month, ending with exclusive coverage of the World Series.

The Rams visit the Seattle Seahawks on FOX’s “Thursday Night Football” and WWE’s highly anticipated “Friday Night SmackDown” also debuts on FOX next week.

The Detroit News noted that “Michigan and Michigan State football fans who are Dish Network subscribers might have to find alternative viewing options” for Saturday’s games that will both air on Big Ten Network.

“Dish is the second-largest satellite TV provider in the country with 12 million households. This carriage dispute also affects Dish/Sling subscribers,” reporter Angelique S. Chengelis wrote. "Michigan’s noon game Saturday against Rutgers is scheduled to air on BTN, followed by Michigan State’s game at 3:30 p.m. against Indiana."

In addition to the live events, Dish customers will miss hit shows such as “The Masked Singer,” “Fox News Sunday,” “Empire,” “9-1-1,” “The Simpsons” and “The Resident.”

Neither Fox News Channel nor Fox Business Network is impacted by the blackout.