News Corp. said Tuesday it was acquiring a 49 percent stake in the YES Network, the New York Yankees' regional cable sports channel.

Yankee Global Enterprises, Goldman Sachs and other investors will reduce their ownership as part of the transaction, and the team will receive a payment of $500 million for agreeing to the transaction.

"The Steinbrenner family expects to have a continuing, long-term ownership stake in the YES Network and we will continue our yearly commitment of fielding a championship caliber team for decades to come," Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement.

The agreement values the YES Network at $3 billion now and $3.8 billion when News Corp. decides in three years whether to increase its stake. The Yankees also committed to stay on YES Network through 2042, subject to approval of the deal from Major League Baseball. The Yankees' existing agreement with YES runs through 2021 and the network has three five-year options.

News Corp., which owns Fox, may acquire an additional stake in the YES Network after three years that could bring its ownership to 80 percent. Yankee Global Enterprises would retain a significant minority stake.

Fox will make a $500 million payment to the Yankees for extending their broadcast rights, of which $300 million will be paid when the deal with News Corp. closes and $200 million in about three years, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because some details of the pact had not been made public.

YES currently is owned by the Yankees, Goldman Sachs, Providence Equity and NJ Holdings, the company controlled by former Nets owners Louis Katz and Ray Chambers. By closing the deal this year, they would avoid any possible increase in capital gains taxes in 2013.

- Associated Press