On Monday night, YES Network and Comcast reached an eleventh-hour agreement to keep the New York-area regional sports network available on Xfinity, but it’s important to note that this deal does not represent a new long-term carriage agreement. Instead, sources indicate it’s a continuation of the previous arrangement between the two companies.
Shortly before YES Network was set to disappear from Comcast’s cable systems, the parties issued a joint statement confirming the agreement for continued distribution. However, this “continued distribution” is not a long-term solution, but rather a temporary fix, delaying a more permanent agreement for an unspecified period. Speculations suggest the ongoing carriage dispute could be influenced by impending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) involvement. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had expressed on social media that he would advocate for a swift resolution beneficial to all parties and mentioned that the FCC has the authority to intervene in cases of discriminatory conduct.
I’m aware that the YES Network could soon get dropped from Comcast systems.
I would encourage a quick and favorable resolution for the benefit of everyone.
The FCC does have authority to step in and address claims of discriminatory conduct. pic.twitter.com/QtuqS5fGTp
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) March 30, 2025
Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal alongside NBC News and the MSNBC cable channel that often criticizes the Trump administration, has already been scrutinized by the new administration’s FCC. Over the weekend, President Trump labeled Comcast CEO Brian Roberts a “pathetic loser” in a social media post, raising concerns over potential executive actions against the company. Amidst this volatile atmosphere, YES Network has reportedly consulted with the FCC regarding its carriage dispute, according to Puck’s John Ourand.
Comcast has consistently aimed to elevate regional sports networks to a more costly digital tier on its Xfinity systems, having already moved some of its owned NBC Sports regional networks to that tier earlier this year. This strategy likely remains unchanged because YES Network is one of the largest regional sports networks in the nation and focuses on America’s favorite baseball team. However, the political landscape seems to have shifted Comcast’s approach, leading them to prolong the old deal for now in an attempt to avoid conflict with the current administration, with hopes that future political dynamics might allow for a more favorable renegotiation for YES Network’s placement on digital tiers along with other regional sports networks that have recently restructured their deals.
