Editor’s note: This story has been updated from an earlier version to clarify the number of teams Diamond Sports Group is dropping from its portfolio.
As Diamond Sports Group continues its bankruptcy case, it said in court Wednesday that it intends to stop broadcasting 11 of the 12 MLB teams it televises under its Bally Sports networks.
The lone holdout, Diamond said, would be the Braves. Diamond said it would continue to carry Braves games in the 2025 season. Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast operate out of Atlanta and carry Braves games.
However, Diamond currently has broadcast agreements with only three of those 12 MLB teams it claims part of the bankruptcy case. They are the Braves, Tigers and Rays. Diamond dropped the Tigers and Rays from its portfolio. Those two teams are free to renegotiate with Diamond or find another carrier.
Four teams had one-year deals with Diamond that expired at the end of this season and no longer are part of the bankruptcy case. They are the Guardians, Brewers, Twins and Rangers. They, too, can renegotiate with Diamond or find another carrier.
The remaining five teams are joint-venture regional sports networks and therefore not part of the bankruptcy case. They are the Reds, Royals, Angels, Mariners and Cardinals. The Padres were also a joint-venture team that got their broadcast rights back in 2023 when Diamond declined to continue to pay the franchise in the middle of that season.
MLB was surprised by Diamond’s decision. It declined to comment on the case Wednesday. However, MLB lawyer Jim Bromley said in court: “We have no information about what is being done. We’ve had no opportunity to review and now we’re in front of the court and being asked to make our comments.”
In a statement, a Diamond Sports Group spokesperson said. “Today marks an important step forward for Diamond with the filing of a baseline plan to enable us to emerge from bankruptcy as a viable, go-forward business before year-end. We have delivered proposals to and remain in discussions with our MLB team partners around go-forward plans. We firmly believe that through our linear and digital offerings we have created the best economic and fan-friendly engine for all of our team partners.”
A spokesperson for the Braves declined to comment.
Diamond Sports Group filed for bankruptcy in 2023. The case has another hearing schedule for next Wednesday of next week.
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