Thousands of people who subscribe to Dish Network might not be able to watch Sunday's Daytona 500.
Dish and the owners of the local Fox affiliate can't come to terms on a new contract.
For now, some NASCAR fans may have to travel to bars to watch the Daytona 500.
Fox 21/27's parent company, Grant Communications, knew its agreement with Dish Network was up.
Grant claims it thought it had worked out an extension of the current deal and an agreement on a new deal beginning January of next year.
Grant says Dish changed its mind, screens went black, and faces turned red.
Fox 21/27 isn't afraid to point the finger. Whether by radio, on its television station, or even while on hold at its local office, they're pointing fingers.
“We have given them two new proposals, two old proposals, another proposal all this week, and every single one of them they've declined and they have never come back to us with a counter proposal,” Fox 21/27 Creative Services Director Debbie Reardon said.
Fox 21/27's biggest reason for frustration; 85,000 Dish subscribers won't be able to see NASCAR's biggest race this weekend, the Daytona 500.
“This is a racing market, and we know they love their NASCAR. I love my NASCAR,” Reardon said.
Considering the race typically brings in 135,000 viewers in the Roanoke-Lynchburg TV market alone, Fox 21/27 is hopeful something gets done soon.
Dish released a statement Friday saying Grant had "unreasonable demands" when discussing the costs.
A Fox executive spoken with on Friday said in the past week alone she's received 500 calls and e-mails about the race specifically. She said it's out of her hands, and she hopes the people in charge just make a decision soon.
