Washington, D.C. (December 26, 2007) -- The New England Patriots this Saturday will attempt to become the first NFL team in 35 years to go undefeated for the entire season.

However, the Patriots' season-closing game against the New York Giants, which will be broadcast in SD and HD by the NFL Network, may not be available to millions of cable TV viewers.

Time Warner, Cablevision and Charter have refused to carry the NFL Network, charging the network with demanding unreasonable terms. (Cox and Comcast do carry the SD and high-def signals.)


Will cable pass on Tom Brady and the Pats?

Bloomberg News reports that the cable operators and the NFL Network are still talking, but it's unclear if a deal will be reached before Saturday.

`There's still time. This is an easy deal to work out,'' NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky told the wire service. "Wednesday-Thursday we'll have a better idea of which cable operators will take up the offer.''

Bloomberg reports that the dispute could leave more than 20 million cable homes without the game, although affected cable viewers in the Boston and New York areas will be able to watch it on broadcast stations.

Time Warner, the nation's second largest cable operator, last week rejected the NFL Network's request to allow an arbitrator decide the dispute. And Bloomberg writes that Time Warner and the network haven't spoken since December 20.

The NFL Network is demanding that cable operators include the channel in a basic programming package which would reach more people and generate higher programming fees.

However, Time Warner wants to include the NFL Network in an exclusive sports package that would require the cable operator to pay less money to the network.

Satellite TV subscribers will be able to see Saturday's game with both DIRECTV and EchoStar's Dish Network carrying the SD and HD versions of the NFL Network.

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