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The YES Network is currently in a carriage dispute with Comcast with the future between the pair uncertain. CEO Jon Litner joined the New York Yankees broadcast on Sunday to break the situation down for viewers.
That breakdown was more of an evisceration as Litner blasted Comcast for its unwillingness to negotiate in good faith. He accused the company of bullying YES Network while only looking out for its own brands.
The two sides have been in talks about how to move forward with their partnership for some time. YES was previously expected to go “dark” on Comcast cable at midnight on March 27th. A short-term extension moved that date to midnight on March 31st.
That allowed viewers to catch opening weekend, which was one full of headlines for the Bronx Bombers. New York swept the Brewers while smashing 15 home runs in three games. Those YES Network viewers might not be able to catch much more of the season on Comcast, though.
It’s been reported that this is “at least the 10th [extension] in this ongoing negotiation.” A resolution has still not been found.
A large-scale philosophical divide remains, however, between YES Network and Comcast, particularly as the distributor continues its efforts to place RSNs on more expensive premium tiers. Nearly two dozen such channels have already been tiered on Comcast systems.
The YES Network insists it has a unique status as one of the most-watched RSNs in the country, operating as the only such channel in the No. 1 U.S. media market with top-tier live sports all year and with the revered brand of the Yankees.
-Front Office Sports
The extension would seem to signal good news, but neither side seems willing to budge. YES Network will be blacked out on Comcast on Tuesday morning barring any last-second negotiations in the carriage dispute.
Jon Litner, the CEO of YES Network, joined the Yankees’ booth on Sunday. He took the moment to blast his counterpart for its stubbornness.
YES Network CEO Jon Litner joins the Yankees broadcast to throw Comcast under the bus amid a carriage dispute. ⚾️📺🎙️ #MLB https://t.co/d98E2WII3a pic.twitter.com/77JwY6gOGl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 30, 2025
The cause of the issue is Comcast’s desire to bump YES into a more expensive tier. The network, however, wants to remain in a basic package.
YES Network isn’t the first regional channel to run into the issue. Still, it believes that its status with the Yankees and its positioning in New York City deserve preferential treatment.
Comcast issued a statement on the situation after the fact.
“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. 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.”
-Comcast
At this point in time, blackouts seem imminent. The dispute continues even after the numerous extensions. YES Network management had no problem flaying Comcast for the part it’s played.