MSU at Michigan Unavailable to Lansing-Area DirecTV, AT&T Viewers

The biggest football game of the year played between teams from the state of Michigan is this weekend, and many fans in and around the state's capital won't be able to watch it on their TVs thanks to the greed and bickering of anonymous suits in corporate boardrooms thousands of miles away.

Mission Broadcasting, which owns and operates WLAJ Channel 53 in Lansing, removed more than two dozen of its stations from DirecTV and AT&T's U-Verse this past weekend, TheDesk.net reports. WLAJ is a local affiliate of ABC, which is carrying this Saturday's MSU at Michigan game at 7:30 p.m.

The change also affects viewers subscribed to DirecTV's streaming service, DirecTV Stream, from which Mission Broadcasting has also removed those stations.

So what's the root of this issue? You guessed it — money:

The dispute is centered around the fees DirecTV must pay to carry the Mission Broadcasting stations on its satellite service, streaming service DirecTV Stream and AT&T U-Verse. A Mission Broadcasting spokesperson says it is seeking a fair rate in exchange for carriage of the channels, but nearly all disputes start when a programmer like Mission Broadcasting asks for more money in exchange for the right to carry stations on pay TV systems.
The disputes are usually quickly resolved, but some can take weeks — even months — before the end. Typically, a dispute ends with the channels restored and distributors agreeing to more in fees; those fees are then passed on to customers in the form of higher bills.

Lansing-area viewers caught in the middle of this corporate gluttony-fueled conflict have options to see MSU at Michigan this weekend, although it will cost money. The cheapest solution would be to purchase a digital antenna, which gives your TV access to local channels and can be purchased for as low as $30.

Alternatively, you could purchase a subscription to any number of streaming services to gain access to this weekend's games. One such option is YouTube TV, which costs $65 per month — however, a 60-day free trial is available to those who have never signed up for the service.

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