MLB confirms interest in Fox RSNs
Details
Michelle Clancy
| 20 December 2018

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has confirmed that the sport’s pro leagues are interested in the 22 Fox regional sports networks that are up for grabs in the wake of the 21st Century Fox-Disney transaction.

He told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo that the networks are valuable properties.

“Yes, we're interested in the regionals,” Manfred said. “You know, in 12 markets baseball on the regional sports network is the number one programming throughout the summer. In 24 of 25 markets that we operate in, we're the number one programming on cable. So these regional sport networks are really valuable, valuable assets and we think that the combination of that traditional mode of delivery and the digital rights that we control is an opportunity for the game.”

The 22 regional sports networks (RSNs) are being divested as part of Disney’s deal to buy the Fox media assets. Disney must spin off the networks to complete the $71B media-asset buy.

The crown jewel is the YES Network, home of the New York Yankees, which is considered to be worth more than $4 billion. The other RSNs are valued by Guggenheim at an average of $860 million each.