Main Street Sports Sues Comcast, Charter Over Alleged Underpaid Licensing Fees

Main Street Sports, the former operator of a collection of regional sports networks, has initiated legal action against major cable providers Comcast and Charter Communications. The company is pursuing separate lawsuits, accusing both distributors of failing to pay adequate licensing fees.

According to the lawsuits, which were reviewed by CNBC, Main Street Sports contends that Comcast and Charter, the two largest pay-TV providers in the United States, violated their contractual obligations. The alleged underpayments occurred in early 2026 when Main Street's networks were still broadcasting NBA and NHL games to local audiences nationwide.

The legal complaints were lodged in Delaware Superior Court on Monday. Representatives for both Comcast and Charter have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Main Street Sports, which originally began as the Fox Sports networks, has undergone multiple ownership changes and name alterations since 2019. The company emerged from bankruptcy in early 2025, rebranding its channels as FanDuel Sports Network. At its peak, it operated approximately 15 channels and, following its bankruptcy exit, broadcast games for around 30 professional teams across Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Despite reporting subscriber growth as recently as the spring, Main Street continued to experience financial difficulties, particularly when MLB licensing fees were due, as previously reported by CNBC. The company had been burdened by a substantial debt load.

These ongoing challenges ultimately led to the company's decision to wind down its operations. While its final local MLB broadcasts concluded in 2025, Main Street aired the full NBA regular season and the entire NHL regular season, including the first round of playoffs, this year.

The regional sports network sector as a whole has been facing significant headwinds due to the ongoing decline in traditional pay-TV subscriptions.

Regional sports networks were once a highly profitable business for teams and leagues, commanding substantial fees for local game broadcasts which contributed to team payrolls. However, the increasing trend of "cord-cutting" has compelled many pay-TV distributors to renegotiate their agreements with these channels.

Even the direct-to-consumer streaming services offered by these networks have seen shifts. In the preceding month, two independently owned regional sports networks in New York transitioned from their proprietary streaming apps to a distribution deal with the streaming platform DAZN.