The Big Lead

MLB encounters more team broadcast chaos with Diamond Sports Group

By Joe Lago

Sep 1, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Marlins in-game reporter Craig Minervini holds a microphone with a Bally sports mic flag before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Sep 1, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Marlins in-game reporter Craig Minervini holds a microphone with a Bally sports mic flag before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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Major League Baseball's ongoing saga with Diamond Sports Group took another turn Wednesday, potentially leaving baseball fans frustrated over where they can find their teams' games in 2025.

The troubled broadcaster mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy informed MLB that it could stop airing games for 11 of its 12 team partners next year, according to The Athletic's Evan Dreilich.

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Diamond is only retaining the contract of the Atlanta Braves for 2025. The other 11 teams will either have to renegotiate new contracts with Diamond or seek other broadcasting options.

Drelich reported that Diamond formally dropped the contracts of the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers and that five teams — Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals — have their 2025 broadcast plans up in the air.

Diamond did not formally reject its deals with the five clubs in its latest bankruptcy proceedings, but the teams are now in the "same classification" that led to the San Diego Padres' departure from Diamond in 2023.

Four MLB franchises let their one-year Diamond deals expire after the regular season — Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. Last week, Sports Business Journal reported that the Rangers will handle their game broadcasts.

As it stands, Diamond could lose broadcast rights for 11 of its 12 partners from the 2024 MLB season. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported that the company is still hopeful of reaching an agreement with the 11 clubs despite MLB's recurring doubts about Diamond.

“We have no information about what is being done,” MLB attorney Jim Bromley told 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.”

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