Local sports team to remain on Bally Sports during the 2024-25 season while the future of another remains uncertain.
As Diamond Sports Group continues to navigate bankruptcy proceedings, it appears the struggling broadcaster has received a lifeline from several of its NBA and NHL teams.
Thirteen NBA teams, including the Cavswill once again have their games broadcast on Bally Sports. They also include: Detroit PistonsTHE Milwaukee BucksTHE Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, The Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte HornetsOklahoma Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers And Orlando Magic.
On the NHL side, the Columbus Blue Jackets are included.
According to reports, the deal will cover broadcast and streaming rights, but will likely also include a reduction in fees paid to teams.
But what about the Guardians and Major League Baseball, where 12 teams have contracts with Diamond through the end of this season?
No news has been announced regarding any new upcoming agreements. The Guardians’ pact with Diamond ends after this season. These teams also include: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers.
And if court documents are anything to go by, MLB has little confidence in regional sports networks’ ability to move forward.
The broadcaster and one of its major distributors, Comcast, have been engaged in a long-running dispute that saw regional sports networks briefly disappear from the MLB landscape in May. Further complicating those scenarios, Amazon pulled a $115 million investment in Diamond.
The only things that are clear in these scenarios are that nothing is clear. As usual, fasten your seatbelts and stay tuned.
This article was originally published in the Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians’ TV future remains uncertain with Bally
