MLB Agrees to Framework of a Deal with Bally Sports Channels for 2024 Season

Major League Baseball is looking to the future, but its 2024 broadcasting arrangements may keep it rooted in the past for at least one more year. Numerous reports indicate that the league is closing in on a deal with the bankrupt Diamond Sports Group (DSG), the channel-owner that holds the broadcasting rights to show local games of 11 MLB teams on Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs).

• The framework of a deal between MLB and Bally Sports channels would keep live games on those channels for the 2024 season.
• The deal is not yet complete and could see one more team leave Bally Sports channels.
• A hearing to potentially finalize the deal is scheduled for Jan. 10.

Are MLB Games Staying on Bally Sports in 2024?

There’s still a possibility that talks between MLB officials and Diamond Sports could sour — relations between the two have been tepid at best, and combative at worst over the past year. But from the sound of things, MLB and Diamond could be on the verge of completing a deal that will keep MLB games on Bally Sports channels during next year’s season.

“We are in a position to believe that we have a framework to move forward,” MLB lawyer James Bromley said during a federal bankruptcy hearing in Houston. “We have a lot of conditions and issues that we still need to work through.”

Last Friday was supposed to be a day of confrontation, but a productive mediation session on Thursday gave the two sides reason to think that they could work out a deal by Jan. 10. That’s when the next bankruptcy court hearing has been scheduled, though filings indicate that yet another team’s broadcast rights might be given up before the agreement is finalized.

What Would a New Deal Between MLB and Diamond Look Like?

According to lawyers from Diamond, there are “three teams who are currently not contemplated to be in the fold.” The Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers have both had trouble securing payments from DSG in the past, because their contracts are unprofitable for rights-holder. Those are likely two of the three teams; the third is unknown as of now.

It’s almost a guarantee that any deal between MLB and Diamond will stipulate that all of the league’s broadcast rights revert back to their respective teams at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Diamond has recently agreed to similar deals with the NBA and NHL that will see their broadcast rights sent back to those leagues after the current season ends. An offer to surrender MLB’s rights following the 2024 season has been on the table from Diamond for more than a month, but this is the first indication that MLB is amenable to any such deal.

Throughout the past year, MLB has made it clear in bankruptcy court proceedings that it wanted to be released from its obligations to Diamond immediately. However, the deal that currently appears to be on the table is something of a best-case scenario, which would give the league proper time to determine what it will do with the local rights to the 11 teams currently on Bally Sports channels in 2025 when it regains the rights.

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 and Detroit Tigers are the 11 teams whose rights are still held by Diamond and Bally Sports. The Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, and Minnesota Twins are the three clubs who left Bally Sports channels during or immediately following the 2023 season.

If your favorite MLB team is on that list, circle the calendar on Jan. 10. That’s the date that users will finally have clarity on where they’ll be able to watch that team’s locally broadcast games in 2024, and as of now, it looks as if they’ll be staying on Bally Sports RSNs.