The New York Yankees have expressed interested in re-acquiring the 80% of the YES Network controlled by 21st Century Fox (FOXA), if FOXA is to proceed with the sale of its film and TV assets (including 22 RSNs). The team reportedly holds a buyback option in the event the network (the most valued/viewed RSN among FOXA lot) goes up for sale. Last week, we wrote that Comcast (CMCSA) had submitted a $65 billion all-cash offer for 21st Century Fox’s (FOXA) assets that trumped the $52.4 billion all-stock offer that The Walt Disney Company (DIS) placed in December; DIS is expected to submit a counter bid. Yankee Global Enterprises, the holding company that owns the baseball club and NYCFC, controls the remaining 20% of YES.
Howie Long-Short: FOXA initially purchased a 49% stake in the YES Network for $1.862 billion in 2012. In 2014, the company acquired an additional 31% at roughly the same $3.8 billion valuation. The 1st place Yankees are drawing the network’s highest ratings since ‘12 and YES also controls the rights to broadcast both Brooklyn Nets and NYCFC games, so it’s certainly not unreasonable to expect FOXA to sell the asset at a valuation north of $4 billion. This means the team would be re-acquiring the network at a loss. That may not be of concern for the franchise though, as they likely value the ability to own/distribute their content with the recent proliferation of direct to consumer platforms/services.
According to Moody’s Investor Service, if Comcast were to acquire FOXA assets the combined entity would carry +/- $170 billion in pro-forma debt; more than every company in the world not named AT&T/Time Warner (which just completed a $85 billion merger).
Fan Marino: Back in April, Forbes released its rankings of the most valuable Major League Baseball teams. The Yankees topped the list with a $4 billion valuation, making them the 2nd most valuable team in all of sports; behind only the Dallas Cowboys ($4.2 billion). The team generated $619 million in revenue last year, 96.5% more than the league average ($315 million). Forbes has the NYY valued at +/- 6.5x revenue, slightly higher than what the Houston Rockets sold for in 2017; for comparison purposes, the Carolina Panthers recently sold for less than 6x revenue. I continue to maintain that David Tepper got a good deal.
The Yankees have signed the PBP voice of the YES Network (for Yankee games) to a 3-year extension (network option for 2 more years) worth more than $1 million/year. The deal makes Michael Kay the highest paid local broadcaster in MLB. Kay takes home a higher annual salary than some of the team’s biggest stars; Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge will make $604K, $620K and $622K respectively this season.
Fun Fact: The value of the NYY has compounded 15% annually since George Steinbrenner group bought the team for $8.8 million in 1973.
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