After a few polite brush-offs, Comcast finally got the message from 21st Century Fox: We’re just not that into you.  

Comcast’s decision, confirmed July 19, to abandon its pursuit of major Fox assets, came as the cable giant realized the untenable cost of participating in a bidding war when Rupert Murdoch was already more than halfway down the aisle with Disney.  

Comcast has turned its focus to competing for control of Sky, the European satellite provider that has been caught up in the larger Disney-Comcast battle for Fox. Both Comcast and Disney want Sky because they hope it can be a vital link in a global streaming distribution platform; it offers ready-made subscriber relationships in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Italy and other Euro markets.