The Dallas Mavericks are considering the official end of their stay at Bally Sports Southwest.
Diamond Sports Group, which carries Bally’s regional sports channels, is ending its contracts with the Mavs and New Orleans Pelicans, pending approval, a league spokesperson confirmed Friday night. The announcement comes amid Diamond’s bankruptcy saga that began in March 2023.
It’s not yet clear how fans will be able to watch Mavericks games next season, even though they will appear on national television 30 times in 2024-25. The team forwarded its inquiries to the league on Friday.
“We have reached a new agreement with Diamond Sports Group for the 2024-25 season during which Diamond RSNs will broadcast the local games of 13 NBA teams,” an NBA spokesperson said. “The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans have declined to continue broadcasting their games on Diamond RSNs and will share more details soon on how to watch the upcoming season’s games in their respective markets. This new agreement is subject to approval by the bankruptcy court.”
The Athletic reported that the hearing is scheduled for September 3.
Diamond’s deal with the NBA means Diamond is opting out of his contracts with the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. (The Pelicans reportedly have a deal elsewhere.) pic.twitter.com/nUy0LjGFto
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) August 23, 2024
The Pelicans already have a deal in sight elsewhere, according to various media reports.
Minority shareholder Mark Cuban said at an event earlier this month: according to WFAA-TVthat if Bally does not renew his contract with the Mavericks, the franchise will do what it can to maximize distribution.
One option could be a partnership with the Stars, who ended their rights deal with Bally and will launch a direct-to-consumer streaming app, Victory+which will allow fans in the market to watch games for free this season.
Reporter Brad Townsend contributed to this report.
Find more Mavericks coverage in The Dallas Morning News here.
