Local Dish Network dealers are caught in the middle of a bitter battle between Fox Sports and the satellite company.
Dish Network customers no longer have Fox Sports, along with FX and National Geographic, and it all comes down to money.
Across MidMichigan, there wasn't much buzz from Dish Network subscribers losing Fox Sports October 1 since the Detroit Tigers didn't make the playoffs.
Patrick Nord, owner of Nord's Satellite Service in Flint says, "Soon as hockey started, that's where the calls started with for the Red Wings."
Nord is a Dish Network dealer and feels caught in the middle of the bitter battle. His phone starting riniging with upset customers.
So far, none of his customers have cancelled, however they're not the only ones affected.
"When a customer cancels early, it does affect dealers like myself. We'll get a charge-back from their sales commission and the installation. It's pro-rated on the number of months they stayed hooked up, so it does affect the bottom line."
Pat also has to take the dish from the customer for free.
Luckily, he's also a Direct TV dealer and can provide another satellite option.
"Some of the other dealers in the area that do consignment work for Dish Network, their installations have dropped off dramatically."
Fox Sports says it wants to be fairly compensated by Dish Network for the value it's programming gives the satellite company.
However, Dish Network says the price is too high and that customers would have to pay more for its service.
Nord says, customers shouldn't be pushed around. "They do need to take a stand and a lot of people have gone back to just regular off air antennas because they can't afford to pay for TV."
Antenna installations have provided Nord more business than the satellite side lately.
Dish Network says it has around 14-million customers.
Beginning November 1, local Fox stations could be pulled if both companies can't come to an agreement.
