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Comcast Drops Yankees (YES) Network

Comcast has dropped the YES Network, home of the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets, after the two sides couldn't reach a new carriage agreement. According to Comcast, the money 21st Century Fox was asking for the channel was "not acceptable given the network’s minimal viewership." According to Comcast, 90% of the roughly 900,000 Comcast subscribers who receive the YES Network "didn’t watch the equivalent of even one quarter” of the 130 games broadcast last season.

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In a statement posted to its website, the YES network said Comcast backed away from negotiations and severed the channel with "no advance notice to its subscribers," urging users to find another cable operator that carriers that channel.

"Comcast's reputation for poor customer satisfaction is well known, but this surprise development represents a new low," claims the channel.

The standoff is only the latest fight over fees between programmers and cable operators, who have started dropping lower rated channels in order to save costs (savings generally not passed on to consumers).

There's some additional user conversation about the standoff between YES and Comcast in our Comcast forum.

Most recommended from 38 comments



spewak
R.I.P Dadkins
Premium Member
join:2001-08-07
Elk Grove, CA

18 recommendations

spewak

Premium Member

Important to note

It's an important fact: the savings of the dropping of channels is never passed on to consumers.
cabletech411
join:2015-11-18
Wilmington, NC

10 recommendations

cabletech411

Member

Not surprised

I support Comcast here, and consumers should to. The networks that do this stuff generally raise their costs by almost 1,000% which is ridiculous. There were similar negotiations a few years back with ABC/ESPN and cable providers. Someone has to pay those athletes their ridiculous salaries, especially when attendance is low in the arenas. However, this is bad business and the consumer shouldn't get the brunt of it, but they do.
nfotiu
join:2009-01-25

9 recommendations

nfotiu

Member

Good

I thought YES would be smarter than to let their agreement expire in November. Who is going to care for the next 4-5 months? The 7 die hard Nets fans?

I will always support the cable companies in these fights. Expensive sports channels should absolutely be a la carte like the premium channels they are. Between this and the Dodger's fight, the RSN bubble may finally be starting to burst. It would be nice to see Comcast just let the 10% who watch games go elsewhere. Although, Comcast really should be forced to give back wholesale cost of the channels off air while they are off air. With all the class action suits out there these days, I'm surprised no one has jumped on this kind of thing.
mikesco8
join:2006-02-17
Southwick, MA

6 recommendations

mikesco8

Member

One of the few times I support Comcast

I am sure the YES channel was looking at the Dodgers deal and trying to get a lot more money out of Comcast. I think I figured based on ratings and what Time Warner paid, it was costing conservatively the equivalent of $14 per person / per game for those who actually watched. Yet all customers where forced to split the cost.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

4 recommendations

ISurfTooMuch

Member

A perfect solution

YES should go OTT. Then they can reach anyone they want, and the rest of us don't get stuck paying for them.

Oh wait, YES actually wants all of us to be stuck paying for them, since they know that, if those who actually watch have to bear the full cost, their revenue would plummet as people balk at the high price.

Jim Gurd
Premium Member
join:2000-07-08
Livonia, MI

3 recommendations

Jim Gurd

Premium Member

Comcast Drops Yankees (YES) Network

Looks like Comcast just said NO.

imanogre
join:2005-11-29
Smyrna, GA

2 recommendations

imanogre

Member

If Only

Maybe eventually Comcast will drop all channels.

It's hard to be the most hated company in America.... Keep it up Comcast. I have faith you can continue to win that award.