Sports streaming is big business — which is why video streamer Deltatre is in negotiations with Sinclair Broadcast Group to be the digital provider for its 21 regional sports networks, reports Bloomberg.
Deltatre acts as a tech partner for various TV companies, both in the U.S. and abroad. Its partners include Fox Sports, NFL, FIFA, BBC Sports and Sky Italia. The company says it enhances live streams with “dynamic highlights, multi-angle, 360-degree support and real-time data visualizations.”
Sinclair purchased the RSNs last year from Disney for $9.6 billion. Disney divested its sports assets as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
The RSN portfolio includes exclusive local rights to 42 professional teams, including 14 MLB teams, 16 NBA teams and 12 NHL teams. It counts an estimated 74 million subscribers and generated $3.8 billion in revenue in 2018.
If the Sinclair deal is realized, it would greatly boost Deltatre’s value. Bloomberg News noted last December that Bruin Sports Capital, Deltatre’s owner, could be exploring a possible sale. Deltatre has been valued at $1 billion.
Sinclair also purchased a 29 percent stake in the YES Network, the New York Yankees’ RSN. In addition, it is launching The Marquee Sports Network, which will run on Hulu. (Neither is part of the Deltatre deal.)