Fox Networks Group Chair & CEO Peter Rice addressed the ongoing YES/Comcast dispute during Day 1 of the '16 CAA World Congress of Sports, saying there could be “other mitigating factors” as to why Comcast is not carrying the Yankees’ channel. Rice said, “Comcast last season paid a rate that we agreed upon for the entire season and then the day after the season ended, they decided it was too much to pay.” He added, “With Comcast, there are lots of other moving pieces going on. I don’t think it’s specifically about the price of the Yankees in that market. It wasn’t last season.” FNG President & COO Randy Freer also addressed the ongoing carriage disputes with the Dodgers and Astros in their respective markets. He said, “The Dodgers did an economic deal that allowed them to shield themselves from the risk of dollars. But ultimately they created other risks with other distributors and other consumers. The price value didn’t work for whatever reason.” He added of the Astros’ distribution issues with Root Sports Southwest, “Houston was a situation where the team had a history-long relationship and full distribution, and ultimately thought they could repeat that on their own. But distribution is harder than it looks.”
