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In NBCU Deal, Sports Is Potential Battleground

  • Reuters, Friday, February 5, 2010 12:16 AM
Sports programing, a must-run for U.S. cable operators, could be a battle between Comcast, NBC Universal and the companies' critics as regulators assess the joint venture's impact on consumers. Smaller cable companies fear that Comcast will jack up the fees for its sports channels; they want the same carriage fees Comcast-owned channels, Versus and Golf, get.

The worry is costs could rise if professional and college sports played Comcast's Versus off against ESPN in negotiations. The joint venture must be approved by the FCC and the Justice Department's antitrust division. Under the terms of the deal, Comcast would get 51% of a new joint venture that includes NBC Universal, valued at $30 billion.

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