Diamond Sports Group Agrees to Deals with 3 MLB Teams for 2024 Season; No Streaming Rights Included

It’s starting to appear doubtful that Diamond Sports Group (DSG) will make it to a full year in bankruptcy court. The sports broadcasting company that owns 18 Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) seems to have a viable plan for exiting bankruptcy after beginning proceedings in March 2023. DSG took another step toward that goal over the weekend when it reached deals with the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers to broadcast their games during the 2024 season.

• Diamond has been working with MLB on a deal that will see Diamond’s MLB rights revert back to their respective clubs after this season.
• The Twins had already parted ways with their Bally Sports partner but did not find a viable alternative.
• Diamond’s broadcast deals with the NBA and NHL also expire after the current season.

What Are the Details of New Deal Between Diamond Sports and 3 MLB Teams?

The new agreement made between MLB’s Guardians, Rangers Twins and Diamond Sports Group will see the channel owner pay each team less than their previous rights deal stipulated to broadcast their games. In return, each team gets flexibility; the Rangers had a deal with Diamond running through 2034, but now their association ends after this season. Similarly, the Guardians’ former pact with DSG stretched through 2027 but now ends following the conclusion of the 2024 campaign. The Guardians will play on Bally Sports Great Lakes in 2024, while Rangers games will be found on Bally Sports Southwest.

The Twins technically did not have an existing contract with Diamond, or any other broadcaster for the upcoming season, as its deal with Bally Sports North ended following the 2023 season. The Twins searched for another broadcast partner, but reports arose in December that they had reengaged talks with Diamond about coming back together for one more year. None of the three teams involved in the new agreement will send their streaming rights to Bally Sports+; Major League Baseball has long held out against selling more streaming rights to Diamond.

MLB agreed to the framework of a deal with Diamond in December that would encompass all teams currently signed up with DSG. However, because Diamond was losing money on its former deals with the Guardians and Rangers, and because its deal with the Twins had already expired, more time was needed to iron out the details. The league will get back the broadcast rights for every team airing games on Bally Sports channels after this season, wrapping up a relationship that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has been eager to back away from for more than a year. Bally Sports channels will offer games from the Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins in 2024.

What Is Diamond Sports Group’s Future?

Diamond is settling a lawsuit with Sinclair Broadcasting Group, and has now agreed in principle with all the leagues whose games it broadcasts, including the NBA and NHL. It also has a deal with Amazon that will see a sizeable investment in Diamond from the tech company, and will also allow Bally Sports content to be distributed via Prime Video Channels.

It’s hard to know what will become of Diamond following the conclusion of the 2024 MLB season. As things currently stand, it won’t have any broadcast rights to any major league sports teams in any league at that time, as its current NBA and NHL deals also expire after the current season. However, the increased distribution via Prime Video could convince the NBA and NHL to make new deals with Diamond in the future.

Judging from the oft-contentious relationship between MLB and Diamond throughout the company’s bankruptcy proceedings, it seems difficult to imagine that the league will make any more long-term arrangements with DSG after the 2024 season. But much of that will depend on how healthy Diamond can become post-bankruptcy, and how well the 12 MLB teams — including the Guardians, Rangers, and Twins — do ratings-wise on their respective Bally Sports channels this season.