On SportsBusinessJournal.com, there's an article that seems to indicate that Fox has sold its stake in CSN Bay Area (recently renamed FSN Bay Area) and it indicates that Comcast bought the stake in exchange for carriage of the Big Ten Network on its systems. Anyone here anything else regarding this change?
Fox sells its stake in CSN Bay Area?
- Thread starter mattsarz
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 1
- Views 1K
I have not found anything other than what was set forth in the article, which isn't much new information. In fact, the article was self-contradictory with sources saying different things. For example, the lead-in quotes sources as saying that the sale of Fox's interest in CSN Bay Area was part of the BTN negotiations:
"San Francisco is hardly Big Ten country, but a deal between Comcast and Fox in the Bay Area last week could be the impetus for the cable operator to finally launch the Big Ten Network, according to sources with knowledge of the talks."
Later on in the article, other sources say it was not:
"Several executives with both Comcast and Fox were adamant last week that the Bay Area deal has no connection with Comcast’s negotiations with the Big Ten Network, which has been fighting to gain carriage on the country’s biggest cable operator since its launch last August.
But the deal comes at a time when relations between the two companies have thawed, particularly with regard to BTN, and Comcast and BTN sources say Fox has made these deals with the understanding that Comcast will agree to carry BTN before next football season."
I also find it interesting that the BTN's website changed its FAQ last week regarding reaching an agreement with Comcast:
"Q: Are you going to make a deal with Comcast?
A: We continue to negotiate with Comcast and we continue to make progress."
Previously, the BTN's website said that they do not expect any carriage agreement with Comcast in the near future.
* * *
Is is also interesting to note that when Dish Network changed its carriage tier for the BTN in March from AT 100 to AT 100 Plus in-region and Sports Pack out-of-region, that if you type in a Philadelphia address it is considered out-of-region. I am fairly confident the Dish Network in-region vs. out-of-region distinction is based upon the BTN's agreement in principle with Comcast.
Overall, it sounds like negotiations between the BTN and Comcast are advancing and I would be surprised if a deal was not reached in the next 1-2 months. I predict that either John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal or Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune will be the first to break the story as those two are the most connected with the negotiations.
Last edited:
