Suits Dropped; Ducks to Stay on FSW 2 in ’97

ANAHEIM — The Mighty Ducks games will continue to be broadcast on the Fox Sports West 2 through the 1997-98 season, under a settlement of four lawsuits announced Friday.

The Walt Disney Co., which owns the Ducks, sued Fox when it switched the games from Fox Sports West to the fledgling cable channel. At the time, no Orange County cable company carried the new channel, and many Ducks fans were enraged.

Disney’s lawsuit accused Fox of “attempting to use the Mighty Ducks and fans to do what [it] would otherwise have to try to do: persuade cable operators to carry an unproven, expensive start-up service.” The lawsuit also said Fox was hoping that angry cable subscribers would pressure their cable operators to carry the channel.

Fox countered with an antitrust lawsuit, accusing Disney, ESPN and the Ducks of conspiring to lock Fox out of the local cable market. A total of four lawsuits were filed by the time both sides settled the issue.

Under the agreement, the lawsuits will be dropped and the Ducks will continue to be aired on Fox Sports West 2 through next season’s playoffs.

Disney plans to start a regional sports network that may include telecast of both the Duck and the Angel games.

Most area cable providers initially protested the switch to Fox Sports West 2, saying they couldn’t afford the cost of adding another sports channel. Fox then offered lower prices and in some cases, free trial services.

At least two, Cox Communications and Media One, have since added the channel to their programming. Cox has the franchise for the area approximately from Irvine to the south end of Orange County, and Media One provides cable services in cities including Costa Mesa and Tustin. Others are negotiating to do the same.

Don Weddle, a Time-Warner cable spokesman, said the company is in negotiations with Fox to carry Fox Sports West 2.

“Let’s just say enough people have called so that this issue remains an item of significant importance to us,” Weddle said.