More major news for sports on streaming TV. Sounds like Amazon has stepped in to save Bally Sports and take over their streaming service. Sounds like Bally Sports will still be on cable and Amazon won't have local streaming rights for all the Bally MLB teams but the Royals will be one of them. Haven't said how much it'll cost. I imagine this is the first step in a future where local MLB, NBA, NHL games, etc. are all streaming too.
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Today, Diamond Sports, the parent company of Bally Sports RSNs, announced a deal that will allow it to exit bankruptcy. With this deal, Amazon will become a minority investor in Diamond Sports, the owner of Bally Sports. This deal will see Amazon become the new home of Bally Sports streaming for direct-to-consumer packages.
“We are thrilled to have reached a comprehensive restructuring agreement that provides a detailed framework for a reorganization plan and substantial new financing that will enable Diamond to operate and thrive beyond 2024. We are grateful for the support from Amazon and a group of our largest creditors who clearly believe in the value-creating potential of this business. Diamond’s near-term focus will be on implementing the RSA and emerging from bankruptcy as a going concern for the benefit of our investors, our employees, our team, league and distribution partners, and the millions of fans who will continue to enjoy our broadcasts.” Said David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond Sports.
This deal with Amazon will let Americans buy live access to MLB, NBA, and NHL games through Amazon’s Prime Video channels. This offer is only good for customers who live inside the markets these teams play with.
Also, with this deal, Sinclair agrees to pay Diamond Sports $495 million and continue to provide ongoing management and transitional services. This will end the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies.
With this deal, Diamond Sports has also reached a deal over the Bally Sports naming rights. Per the deal Bally Sports can continue to use its current name through the 2024 MLB season at no cost. After the end of the 2024 MLB season, its naming rights deal will end with Bally ending the partnership to name the RSNs Bally Sports.
What’s not clear is if you have access to Prime and pay the membership fee will automatically get to watch them all or would their be an additional monthly fee to stream your team of choice? [Reply]
What’s not clear is if you have access to Prime and pay the membership fee will automatically get to watch them all or would their be an additional monthly fee to stream your team of choice?
I'll be shocked if there isn't an additional fee. Hopefully it's cheaper and more functional than the Bally garbage. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ptlyon:
Thanks, but looking at the original article, the map only shows those teams in those markets.
So my question is that showed twins for North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. So would they only show twins games in that market, KC games in the KC market, Missouri, Iowa, etc?
Reason I ask is I've got a number of friends here that are twins fans, so being in Iowa would they stream twins games here, or just KC, and when they play the twins, etc.
Does that make sense? Or do we even know.
Iowa is the most confusing MLB state in the country. It is considered a home market for the Royals, Cardinals, Twins, Cubs, White Sox and Brewers. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry:
Iowa is the most confusing MLB state in the country. It is considered a home market for the Royals, Cardinals, Twins, Cubs, White Sox and Brewers.
I'm outside the KC market so have gotten mlb.tv each year to watch Royals games. It will be interesting to see how Prime competes with MLB.tv. I can't imagine MLB will allow Prime subscribers get this for no additional costs and erode that subscriber base. [Reply]
Diamond Sports Group appears poised to grant one of Major League Baseball’s fondest wishes. MLB has been adamant that it needs more clarity from Diamond regarding plans to continue broadcasting baseball clubs in the 2025 season and beyond, and on Wednesday that clarity was granted. A new report indicates that Diamond has informed the court in which its bankruptcy proceedings are playing out that it intends to drop all MLB contracts but one in its attempts to reorganize and emerge from Chapter 11 protections. [Reply]
