Diamond drops Mavs, Pels, but agrees to air NBA, NHL for '24-25 seasons - ESPN

Diamond Sports Group, the bankrupt operator of Bally Sports channels, has reached new deals with the NBA and the NHL and has ensured that it will broadcast games for teams under its portfolio at least through their upcoming 2024-25 seasons.

As part of its agreement, which includes modifications to linear and direct-to-consumer rights, Diamond has also dropped the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans, leaving the company with 13 NBA teams and nine NHL teams.

Diamond's confirmation hearing, which will essentially determine whether the company will emerge from bankruptcy, was initially pushed back from June 18 to the end of July. But it has since asked for more time in the wake of a surprise agreement with Comcast that ended a three-month-long dispute which had taken MLB teams off the air.

With the NBA and NHL deals now set, Diamond will focus on crafting a reorganization plan that will hope to address serious concerns about its economic viability moving forward. A new confirmation date has not been set, but the process is now expected to drag on long enough to cut into the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons and bleed into MLB's offseason. If Diamond does not emerge from bankruptcy, the new deals — still pending a judge's approval — will end at the conclusion of the leagues' 2024-25 seasons.

Diamond is scheduled to present its new deals to a bankruptcy judge on Sept. 3.

«We are appreciative of the ongoing collaboration and long-term partnerships with the NBA and NHL,» Diamond CEO David Preschlack wrote in a statement. «These new agreements that cover NBA and NHL linear and DTC [direct-to-consumer] rights are another major milestone and continue Diamond's momentum toward emergence, which will enable us to provide value