MLB to Object to Resumption of Deal Between Atlanta Braves and DSG
MLB to Object to Resumption of Deal Between Atlanta Braves and DSG
Braves team officials say they’ll be ready for next season no matter what happens between themselves and Diamond Sports Group.
At long last, Diamond Sports Group’s big day in court is approaching. The company is due in bankruptcy court for a confirmation vote on its bankruptcy reorganization plan on Nov. 14, but it still has to contend with potential disruptions from Major League Baseball. Sportico reports that MLB plans to object to the resumption of the broadcast deal between the Atlanta Braves and Diamond Sports Group, which has long aired games from the team on the channels now known as FanDuel Sports Network South and FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.
Key Details:
- MLB must file a formal objection to the continuance of the Braves’ deal with Diamond by Thursday.
- Braves executives say they’ll be prepared to broadcast games next season no matter the outcome.
- Diamond announced intentions to drop all contracts except that of the Braves in early October.
Outside council which has been representing MLB through Diamond’s bankruptcy proceedings says that the league is going to make a formal objection to the ongoing deal between the Braves and Diamond Sports by the deadline at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 7.
The Braves were the only team whose rights were intended to be kept by Diamond next season. In early October, the company announced its plans to drop all of its MLB contracts other than the Braves’, though a few weeks later, the Miami Marlins re-upped with Diamond for another season as well.
If MLB’s objection leads to the discontinuance of the relationship between the Braves and DSG, the team will still be ready to bring its contests to TVs in the Atlanta area in the 2025 season. Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller talked about those possibilities in a call with investors on Wednesday.
“We’re not just waiting for bankruptcy to be defining what might happen, but also studying what are the potential opportunities for us,” he said. “We’re going to be prepared for any eventual outcome. No matter what happens, we think we’re in a very enviable position.”
He also noted the huge size of the Atlanta TV market, and said the team would “capitalize even further on that territory should those rights come back to us.” That could include sending the team’s rights to local broadcast channels to increase their audience, crafting a direct-to-consumer streaming app to allow in-market fans to watch Braves games, or both.
There is also the possibility that nothing changes between the Braves and Diamond, despite MLB’s plans to object to their continued relationship. The next couple of weeks will be critical for Diamond in its efforts to emerge from bankruptcy as a going concern.
FanDuel Sports Network
FanDuel Sports Network is a direct-to-consumer streaming service that offers live games for those who want access to your local FanDuel Sports Network RSN without subscribing to a cable or satellite package. It was most recently known as Bally Sports, and prior to that, Fox Sports Network.