Diamond Sports Group, the bankrupt operator of Bally Sports channels, said it will stop broadcasting games in 2025 for 11 of the 12 Major League Baseball teams it currently televises.
Diamond announced the decision Wednesday in court, saying it would continue carrying Atlanta Braves games next season.
Seven of the remaining 11 teams — the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays — were under contract with Diamond for 2025. Those teams will have to either negotiate a new deal with Diamond or find a different operator.
The other four teams carried by Diamond this season — the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers — had deals with Diamond that expired after the 2024 season.
The Angels, Reds, Cardinals, Royals and Marlins are on joint-venture agreements, which would trigger legal action if Diamond drops its agreements.
MLB lawyer James Bromley said in court that the league was «blindsided» by the development, a point Diamond's attorney refuted.
«We have no information about what is being done,» Bromley said at the court hearing, according to The Athletic. «We've had no opportunity to review, and now we're in front of the court and being asked to make our comments.»
A source with Diamond told ESPN's Alden Gonzalez that the company is still hopeful of agreeing to new terms with the 11 other teams and has previously submitted proposals to each of them. MLB, however, has consistently called Diamond's viability into question and has not shown a willingness to negotiate new rights deals since the company went into Chapter 11 reorganization nearly 19 months ago.
A confirmation date has been set for Nov. 14 and
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