Comcast Cable drops Scripps stations in contract dispute, cutting off Florida Panthers broadcast
comcast cable customers in South Florida were abruptly unable to watch Tuesday night’s Florida Panthers game against the Ottawa Senators as a contract dispute triggered a station drop. The disruption unfolded Tuesday shortly after the start of the game and hit viewers in Miami-Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach. The Panthers said the broadcast would not be available on Comcast in those counties, urging fans to use alternate viewing options.
What viewers saw Tuesday night in South Florida
Fans attempting to tune in on Comcast in South Florida were met with an immediate blackout of the Panthers’ local broadcast. The interruption stemmed from a contract dispute that led Comcast to drop coverage of Scripps TV stations, which include the channels carrying Panthers games in the region.
posted on social media Tuesday shortly after the game began, the Florida Panthers said: “As a result, tonight’s Panthers game will not be broadcast on Comcast in Miami Dade, Broward and West Palm Beach. ” The team added that games in those counties can be found “over the air, on other cable and satellite providers and on the Panthers Plus app. ”
The Panthers also directed affected viewers to contact Comcast customer service. “If you are experiencing this blackout, please contact Comcast at 1-800-934-6489 and ask them to return your Panthers programming, ” the statement said.
Comcast Cable and Scripps distribution dispute: what’s confirmed
The confirmed cause of the blackout is a contract dispute over distribution, with Comcast dropping Scripps TV stations during negotiations. A separate station statement describing the broader mechanics of these talks emphasized that Congress requires TV station owners and cable and satellite companies to negotiate distribution contracts. It also described the core issue as a fee-based arrangement: when customers pay a monthly fee for programming, Comcast pays each channel a fee to include that channel in its service, and that negotiation is “currently happening. ”
That same station statement said Scripps uses these dollars “to invest in local sports, news and weather coverage at each station, ” while noting viewers can still access programming in other ways when it is unavailable on Comcast.
For Panthers viewers, the practical impact was immediate: the local broadcast tied to Scripps stations was no longer accessible on Comcast in the affected counties during the dispute.
Immediate reactions and alternatives for fans right now
The Florida Panthers’ public message was direct and time-sensitive, centering on where games could still be watched despite the blackout. The team listed three pathways for viewers in Miami-Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach: over-the-air reception, other cable and satellite providers, and the Panthers Plus app.
The Panthers also reiterated which local affiliates carry their games following the team’s shift in local broadcast arrangements ahead of the 2024-25 season. The team moved its local broadcast for games to Scripps Sports from Bally Sports Florida ahead of the 2024-25 season. In Miami-Dade and Broward, those games are on WSFL-Channel 39. The Panthers’ other TV affiliates will be WHDT-9 in Palm Beach/Treasure Coast and WFTX-Channel 36. 3 in Fort Myers/Naples.
Quick context: how the blackout connects to recent TV carriage fights
This dispute is part of a broader set of distribution negotiations that can remove local stations from a cable lineup when an agreement is not in place. In this case, the drop of Scripps TV stations on comcast cable directly affected access to local sports programming tied to those channels.
What’s next: what viewers should watch for
The immediate next development is whether Comcast and Scripps reach a new agreement that restores the dropped stations for affected customers. Until that happens, Panthers fans in the impacted South Florida counties will need to rely on over-the-air access, alternative providers, or the Panthers Plus app to avoid missing games while comcast cable and Scripps remain in a contract dispute.
