MLB Is Pushing Diamond Sports to Release Teams From Contracts as Quickly as Possible
Reps for Diamond and MLB are discussing the possibility of expediting the separation of clubs from their respective RSNs.
It may be hard to fathom with the 2024 MLB playoffs still ongoing, but the 2025 regular season isn’t all that far away. League executives are obviously well aware and therefore are not feeling especially patient with Diamond Sports Group as a result. Diamond was back in bankruptcy court this week, and as part of the proceedings, it talked about a plan to release MLB teams sooner than Dec. 31 in order to allow them to seek new broadcast arrangements for the 2025 season.
Key Details:
- Diamond said it planned to release all MLB teams except the Braves from their contracts by Dec. 31.
- As of now, those teams will not be able to seek new deals until that date.
- Diamond has a confirmation hearing for its reorganization plan set for Nov. 14.
Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) broadcast games from 12 MLB teams in 2024, four of those — the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers — saw their contracts with Diamond end at the conclusion of the season. The Guardians, Brewers, and Twins have already decided to allow MLB to broadcast their games next year.
The Atlanta Braves are another team that partnered with Bally Sports last year and is currently the only baseball club that Diamond intends to maintain its current contract with, although it is open to negotiating new deals with other clubs. The RSN broadcaster informed MLB last week that it planned to drop the rights of the other seven teams who were on a Bally Sports network in 2024 and still under contract for 2025.
On Wednesday, MLB attorney James Bromley told Judge Christopher Lopez that the league had been in discussions with Diamond about releasing those teams on an expedited schedule in order to allow them to make new broadcasting plans for next season. As things now stand, the clubs would not be allowed to seek a new broadcasting deal until Dec. 31, just weeks before spring training is set to begin.
“We have been in conversation [with DSG counsel] about those clubs that will not be going forward … to find a way to terminate, end, or reject [their contracts], as appropriate, prior to the [Nov. 14] confirmation hearing, so that we can open up the opportunity for those clubs to make alternative arrangements,” Bromley said at Wednesday’s status conference.
As referenced, Diamond has a confirmation hearing for its bankruptcy reorganization plan slated for Nov. 14. If it does not win the approval it seeks for that plan, it must surrender the Braves’ broadcast rights by Dec. 31, and the NBA and NHL teams it partners with will be free to move on after their 2024-25 seasons.
Even an earlier release from their obligations to Diamond doesn’t necessarily preclude the seven teams from resigning with Diamond at a later date. There is a chance that at least some will do just that, as they may feel that they can make more money even with reduced contracts with Diamond as opposed to allowing MLB to broadcast their games or seeking an over-the-air (OTA) partner.
The seven teams whose contracts Diamond allegedly plans to reject include the are the Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers. Five of these clubs also stream on the Bally Sports+ streaming service and several share ownership of their respective Bally Sports RSNs with Diamond.
Bally Sports+
Bally Sports+ is a direct-to-consumer streaming service that offers live games for those who want access to your local Bally Sports RSN without subscribing to a cable or satellite package.