Yankees Sports Network Files Carriage Complaint Against Comcast
Comcast wants to send the New York Yankees' regional sports network "to the Siberia of a tier and overcharge fans for it," while it carries its own SportsNet New York (SNY) in its expanded basic package, the Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network said Monday in a carriage complaint (docket 12-1). YES said Comcast's "my-way-or-the-highway demand" -- coming atop Comcast's previous dropping of MSG Networks -- looks to be part of a plot "designed to elevate the least popular of the three New York area regional sports networks into prime position." YES said Comcast is offering carriage only on its higher-priced, less-penetrated digital basic tier.
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Separately, YES requested a temporary injunction preserving the terms of the current Comcast/YES carriage agreement, which expired at 11:59 p.m. Monday. YES said that would "avert irreparable injury" to sports fan viewers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania during the 10-day profiling notification period for a program carriage complaint and while the FCC evaluates the complaint. YES carries the MLB's New York Yankees and NBA's Brooklyn Nets, while SNY carries the MLB's New York Mets.
Comcast emailed that it has offered to distribute YES "in the same package that has been accepted" by 20 regional sports networks in more than 100 designated market areas around the U.S. "in order to provide fans with access to YES programming and a choice for consumers who do not want to pay the additional fees for the games." YES "has insisted we pay higher fees when nearly 90% of customers watched fewer than 5 of the ~130 Yankees games it aired last season," it said. "If we lose the rights to carry YES, we will credit our customers and most will receive between $7-$10 a month," Comcast added. "Xfinity customers can also subscribe directly to the Gotham Sports App to watch the games.”
In a post Monday on X, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urged "a quick and favorable resolution" of a potential YES blackout (see 2503250050) "for the benefit of everyone." He said the FCC "does have authority to step in and address claims of discriminatory conduct."