Bally Sports RSNs Are Reportedly Preparing For Bankruptcy

[Bruce]

The games don't exist via magic for broadcast. If Bally isn't producing the game coverage, the game coverage would need to be produced by others.

Better answer, I missed this when it was announced-

In February, commissioner Rob Manfred said he hoped to launch a national, in-market streaming package in 2025 with about half of the league’s teams. Bringing that to fruition would be a huge deal. Not because it would make a lot of money at the outset, or any money.

Manfred said in February he’d need at least 14 clubs to get it off the ground, a figure that still might leave sales lacking. But if Diamond is still in operation, he probably would have a maximum of only nine.

There are the three teams whose games MLB itself is producing this season: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres.

For now, MLB's streaming plans hinge on Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy case

If Diamond and its Bally brands survive bankruptcy — and that looks likely — MLB won’t have enough team rights to launch streaming in 2025.

theathletic.com

 

[Bruce]

Also, June 18 is the big Bankruptcy Hearing, so a little over the month to make a deal with Comcast, without them, losing a lot of revenue-

According to Sportico, the three MVPDs (Comcast, Spectrum, DirecTV) account for 81% of total affiliate revenue and collectively, reach 38 million household subscribers. In addition, the three MVPDs account for about 69% of total traditional pay-TV households.

Diamond Sports Negotiating Distribution Agreements As They Reorganize

Diamond Sports, has been busy with retransmission renewal negotiations and a plan to successfully emerge from bankruptcy including a streaming strategy. with Amazon.

www.forbes.com

 

[savarese04]

And around and around we go.....

MLB: Bankruptcy Court Needs to Finally Stop Diamond From Continuing to 'Stumble Through the Restructuring Process' After Its 'Failure' to Secure Comcast Distribution Deal

Loss of Comcast revenue renders Bally Sports RSN operator's restructuring plan 'unconfirmable,' league lawyers say in Tuesday court motion

www.nexttv.com

 

[Bruce]

And around and around we go.....

MLB: Bankruptcy Court Needs to Finally Stop Diamond From Continuing to 'Stumble Through the Restructuring Process' After Its 'Failure' to Secure Comcast Distribution Deal

Loss of Comcast revenue renders Bally Sports RSN operator's restructuring plan 'unconfirmable,' league lawyers say in Tuesday court motion

www.nexttv.com

This link has a little more information, primarily this-

The Amazon investment is “still dependent on, among other things: (1) the Debtors reaching satisfactory go forward arrangements with each of their three largest distributors—Comcast, DirecTV LLC (“DirecTV”) and Charter Communications (“Charter” and together with DirecTV and Comcast, the “Key Distributors”) and (2) the Debtors renewing their telecast rights agreements with NBA and NHL clubs to align with the economics they have assumed in the revenue forecasts underlying the Plan,” MLB wrote.

MLB warns Diamond Sports Group’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan is unfeasible

Major League Baseball warned Diamond Sports Group’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan, scheduled to go to a vote next month, is unfeasible given the regional sports channel company’s May 1 loss of coverage on Comcast systems. Diamond owns the Bally Sports Regional Networks, which televises 12 MLB...

awfulannouncing.com