The Big Lead

After 12 years without trial, Astros' $615 million legal battle ends in one day

The 12-year-old lawsuit surrounding the collapse of Comcast SportsNet Houston lasted in trial for one day.

By J.P. Hoornstra

Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane (left) watches a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park on July 7, 2010.
Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane (left) watches a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park on July 7, 2010. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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A long, regional (sports network) nightmare is over.

Former Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane and current owner Jim Crane settled their 12-year-old legal case Friday, one day after a trial began in Harris County District Court.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Crane's ownership group had been seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from McLane after Comcast SportsNet Houston went bankrupt in 2013. The legal case saw many twists and turns in the intervening years.

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The dispute was set in motion in 2011, when Crane  purchased the Astros from McLane. The sale included McLane’s stake in the newly formed Comcast SportsNet Houston (CSN Houston), the regional cable home of the Astros and Houston Rockets. Crane argued he was decieved into paying too much ($615 million) for the team and the RSN. 

CSN Houston launched in 2012 but ultimately failed due to its limited carriage. The RSN was never picked up by DirecTV and Dish Network, reaching only about 40 percent of Houston households before filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Crane filed suit against McLane and Comcast/NBCUniversal, alleging fraud, breach of contract, misrepresentation, and conspiracy.

McLane filed a countersuit in 2019, arguing that Crane's ownership group intentionally “tanked” the Astros.

The cases bounced between state and federal courts, tied up by Comcast’s bankruptcy filings and jurisdictional challenges. Finally, jury selection began this week and opening statements were delivered Thursday. Only then did the two parties decide to settle.

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