Bill Text: NJ SR51 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Comcast to resolve dispute with YES Network.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-05-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [SR51 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-SR51-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Comcast to resolve dispute with YES Network.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A senate Resolution urging Comcast to resolve its carriage renewal agreement dispute with the YES Network.
Whereas, The YES Network (YES) has been the exclusive New York Yankees regional sports network since 2002; and
Whereas, YES also broadcasts coverage of Brooklyn Nets basketball games and New York FC soccer matches; and
Whereas, YES is carried by Comcast Cable (Comcast) and can be viewed by approximately 900,000 Comcast customers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania; and
Whereas, Since November of 2015, YES has been blacked out by Comcast due to a carriage renewal agreement dispute, preventing Comcast customers from accessing the channel; and
Whereas, On April 4th, 2016, the New York Yankees will play their first game of the 2016 Major League Baseball season, yet thousands of their fans across the region who are Comcast customers will be prevented from celebrating their favorite team due to the ongoing black out; and
Whereas, In 2015, YES aired 130 of the New York Yankees's 162 games and a similar broadcast schedule was anticipated for the 2016 baseball season; and
Whereas, Sports games are one of the few types of television broadcasts that viewers must watch live to enjoy the experience;
Whereas, Sports are often the reason customers subscribe to cable providers such as Comcast and pay high rates for receiving sports channels; and
Whereas, The New York Yankees are one of the oldest and most popular professional sports franchises in the country and serve as a cultural bond that stretches across all generations and all socio-economic groups; and
Whereas, Comcast is also urged to reimburse on a pro rata basis its customers who receive YES for each day of the black out; and
Whereas, Comcast is urged to resolve the carriage renewal dispute with YES and to discontinue the black out of the network, which is preventing 900,000 Comcast customers from enjoying broadcasts of New York Yankees games; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges Comcast Cable to resolve the carriage renewal dispute with the YES Network and to discontinue the black out of the YES Network so that 900,000 Comcast customers may view broadcasts of New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and New York FC games and matches.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Chief Executive Office of Comcast Cable and to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the YES Network.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Comcast Cable (Comcast) to resolve its carriage renewal agreement dispute with the YES Network (YES). YES has been the exclusive New York Yankees regional sports network since 2002. YES also broadcasts coverage of Brooklyn Nets basketball games and New York FC soccer matches.
YES is carried by Comcast and can be viewed by approximately 900,000 Comcast customers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Since November of 2015, YES has been blacked out by Comcast due to a carriage renewal agreement dispute, preventing Comcast customers from accessing the channel.
On April 4th, 2016, the New York Yankees will play their first game of the 2016 Major League Baseball season, yet thousands of their fans across the region who are Comcast customers will be prevented from celebrating their favorite team due to the ongoing black out. In 2015, YES aired 130 of the New York Yankees's 162 games and a similar broadcast schedule was anticipated for the 2016 baseball season. Sports games are one of the few types of television broadcasts that viewers must watch live to enjoy the experience. Sports are often the reason customers subscribe to cable providers such as Comcast and pay higher rates for receiving sports channels.
In addition to resolving its dispute with YES, Comcast is urged reimburse on a pro rata basis its customers who receive YES for each day of the black out.
