Throughout Disney and Comcast's bidding war for most of 21st Century Fox' assets, Comcast "appears to have been on the outside looking in," and a big reason is Comcast Chair & CEO BRIAN ROBERT's "strained relationships" with Fox Exec Chair RUPERT MURDOCH and Disney Chair & CEO BOB IGER, according Ramachandran & Hagey of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. At one point last fall, Roberts and other top Comcast execs "thought they were near the deal of a lifetime" to buy Fox' assets. Then "everything went quiet," and weeks later Fox announced a deal with Disney. Roberts "took the outcome personally." A source said, “Rupert loves Bob Iger, though their politics are completely different. He doesn’t want Brian Roberts.”
LET'S DISCUSS OUR FEELINGS: Comcast has a "reputation as the industry boogeyman. Sources said that the Murdochs believe Roberts and Comcast "didn’t always deal in good faith." For the Murdochs, a "stinging episode came three years ago when Comcast dropped" carriage of Fox-owned YES Net. Meanwhile, a source said that Iger and Roberts "have at times been friendly, sharing a love for sailing." But sources said that Roberts’ continuing pursuit of Fox' assets has "upset" Iger and "churned up old feelings of resentment stemming from Comcast’s 2004 hostile attempt to buy Disney." Liberty Media Chair JOHN MALONE said of the three men, “Generally speaking, they bang into each other. There is respect but there is also rivalry.” To Roberts, the fact Murdoch "would rather take Disney’s stock over his -- with such a large gap in their offer amounts -- was an insult." Sources said that Comcast also "entertained discussions" with Amazon to "see whether carving up the Fox assets could offer a smoother regulatory path." The question now is "how far Comcast will go to match Disney" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/22).
