The YES Network and Comcast are currently attempting to work out a carriage agreement for the home of the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets ahead of tonight’s midnight deadline. This is a new deadline that was agreed to by both parties in an effort to finalize a deal before the first weekend of Yankees baseball on the network.
Meanwhile, YES CEO Jon Litner joined the Yankees television booth of Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill during Sunday’s telecast between the Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers to explain the situation from the YES Network’s perspective.
“I just want to come on and explain to our great fans who watch the Yankees on Comcast/Xfinity what Comcast has told us will happen to the YES Network tomorrow night at midnight,” Litner began. “Despite our attempts to negotiate a new carriage agreement with them, Comcast has refused to negotiate. Instead, they have informed us that they will drop the YES Network from their programming lineup Monday night at midnight.”
If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, the channel on Comcast will go dark. The main issue at hand is that Comcast wants the YES Network to move to a higher-priced digital package for consumers, while the YES Network prefers to remain on an expanded basic cable tier for Comcast customers.
Clarifying further, Litner stated, “So what is happening right now with Comcast, based on their unwillingness to carry YES in the same package as their own network, SNY, is this. They are demanding that YES move to a more expensive, digital package that will cost you, its loyal customers, $20 more per month. At the same time, Comcast continues to give their own networks, including SNY, preferential treatment by keeping them in the less-costly package. And this is exactly the bullying tactic Comcast used against MSG Networks a few years ago, which resulted in MSG being dropped by Comcast.”
Additionally, Litner emphasized that the network had successfully reached agreements with “all of our largest distributors” to keep YES Network on their respective platforms.
Meanwhile, FCC chairman Brendan Carr weighed in on the matter, posting a statement on X on Sunday night urging both sides to reach a resolution that best serves consumers.
“I would encourage a quick and favorable resolution for the benefit of everyone,” Carr said in part. “The FCC does have authority to step in and address claims of discriminatory conduct.”
Shortly after Litner’s comments, Comcast responded with a statement to Awful Announcing, shifting the blame back to the YES Network.
“We have offered to distribute YES Network in the same package that has been accepted by 20 RSNs in over 100 DMAs across the country 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,” said a Comcast representative to Awful Announcing. “YES Network has insisted we pay higher fees when nearly 90% of customers watched fewer than 5 of the ~130 Yankees games it aired last season. If we lose the rights to carry YES, we will credit our customers between $7-$10 a month. Xfinity customers can also subscribe directly to the Gotham Sports App to watch the games.”
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