They retroactively cut last year's monthly subscriber fee from $2.12 a month to $1.85.

Viacom said that subscriber fees were up 8 percent.

And this deal proves there is considerable value in that customer base beyond subscriber fees.

When the network plan was hatched last year, it featured a $1.35 monthly subscriber fee, based on only Yankee games.

In the future, he said, most of the company's revenues will continue to be from subscriber fees.

To support themselves, some cable channels charge "subscriber fees" in addition to airing commercials.

For most cable channels, especially new ones, subscriber fees provide far more revenue than advertising dollars.

Indeed, many cable systems now all but demand equity offers in channels before they agree to open the change purse of the subscriber fees.

It would also receive lower subscriber fees from cable operators.

They make money on subscriber fees from cable systems.