In a first, the Mets and Yankees could be playing on the same over-the-air TV channel this year, sources said.
The YES Network is expected to abandon Fox-owned WWOR, the Yanks’ home for the last decade, for Tribune-owned WPIX, sources said.
YES, which owns TV rights to the Bronx Bombers, couldn’t reach an agreement on a new deal with WWOR — even though both are controlled by 21st Century Fox.
YES, which is 80 percent owned by Fox, is reportedly close to a deal to bring 21 Yankees games to WPIX this season, sources said.
The talks broke down after it refused to match WPIX’s offer of $11 million to $13 million a year, according to SportsBusiness Daily, which first reported on the possible WPIX deal.
The New York City-based WPIX has broadcast roughly 25 Mets games a season since 1999.
Neither Tribune nor WPIX commented Tuesday.
WWOR had been the longtime home of the Mets — from the team’s start in 1962, through 1998.
WPIX carried the Yanks from 1952 to 1998, after which the team moved to a Fox affiliate and then a CBS affiliate before settling at WWOR.
YES airs a majority of Yankees’ games and SportsNet New York airs most Mets games.
WWOR’s hesitancy to re-up with YES may reflect the overall ratings downturn for America’s pastime, sources suggested.
Even if YES wanted to re-up with WWOR for a lesser fee — just to keep the Yanks on the same spot on the dial for consistency’s sake — the regional sports network’s outside ownership of 20 percent would have the final say.
“Fox has a fiduciary responsibility to YES’s other owners, so it had to take the highest offer,” the expert said.