Collapse of Regional Sports Networks (Diamond Sports Group files bankruptcy, Warner-Discovery looking to leave business, Xfinity drops Bally)

[BigBadBruins7708]

wrong..... who owns FSG, John Henry Headshot..... the same ownership owns both Boston and NESN..... FSG only bought Pittsburgh because Delaware North, Based in Buffalo, btw, said the Bruins weren't for sale....DN is a minority owner in NESN.... which is why Boston is split 80/20, hence the creation of NESN + when both seasons overlap otherwise, Bruins has no TV Network nor does NESN have programming once the Sox are out of season;

DN is now solely in the hands of the Jacobs family.... it's Charlie Jacobs who now is the prominent member of said family visible to run the Bruins....

as to Buffalo being added to MSG, that was a result of John Rigas.... and the collapse of Adelphia Communications.... which is why Time Warner acquired most of those assets.... as did Charter aka Spectrum does currently in New England

Dude, showing a team on a network shows zero ownership interest and gives zero ownership to the network. Unless you think ESPN has part ownership of every team in every sport.

There is no conflict with NESN broadcasting Penguins games. The only potential one would be Jacobs profiting from the games, which is a simple fix where you write into the contract that all profits from Penguins broadcasts go to FSG and no cross promotion of Penguins/Bruins.

Or worst cast, as mentioned above FSG spins off "NESN Pittsburgh" with them having 100% ownership

 

[patnyrnyg]

ATT Sportsnet is set to shut down in 2 days and still crickets from the Penguins. Really interesting.

Now that MLB has started, are the Pirates being broadcast on their usual network with the same name?

 

[Lt Dan]

https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/sinclair-unveils-company-reorganization-broadcast-division-subsidiary

 

[Spydey629]

Now that MLB has started, are the Pirates being broadcast on their usual network with the same name?

Yes, Bucs and Pens are still on AT&T SportsNet. The broadcasts are rolling and cross promoting each other like nothing is going on.

 

[LadyStanley]

MLB files emergency motion in Diamond Sports bankruptcy

MLB is seeking an order by April 13 that would force Diamond to either pay the Twins and Guardians, or terminate the contracts.

theathletic.com

MLB files emergency motion in bankruptcy court demanding payment to Twins and Guardians.

 

[eddygee]

MLB files emergency motion in Diamond Sports bankruptcy

MLB is seeking an order by April 13 that would force Diamond to either pay the Twins and Guardians, or terminate the contracts.

theathletic.com

MLB files emergency motion in bankruptcy court demanding payment to Twins and Guardians.

Well I mean good luck to them with that. Diamond legally has cover to do just what they're doing under bankruptcy laws. This is more MLB negotiating through the public with pressure tactics on Dismond. I don't see and judge worth their salt going against bankruptcy law protections. Especially since it appears Diamond is operating in good faith by paying on 80% of their contracts. Another reason the hardworking pays off becoming a lawyer you're getting paid no matter what

 

[Spydey629]

The Boys of Summer are good for the year. The Boys of Winter are TBD:

Warner Bros. Discovery, MLB nearing deal to keep RSNs running through 2023 season

The end for the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned AT&T SportsNet RSNs was supposed to come on March 31st. Two weeks later, the RSNs remain operational, broadcasting games as usual. The company still plans to exit the RSN space, but per the Sports Business Journal, the timeframe for WBD’s departure...

awfulannouncing.com

 

[MMC]

 

[LadyStanley]

Psst, MLB stuff thread in BoS subforum

 

[TheLegend]

Coyotes CEO Xavier Gutierrez confirmed yesterday that the Coyotes (and Suns) were already paid for their contracts when this went down. Only the Diamondbacks are still in the middle of legal proceedings.

He went on the say that both they and the Suns are currently in separate negotiations with Bally's for next season.

 

[KevFu]

Psst, MLB stuff thread in BoS subforum

Due respect, but what effect the DSG situation has on the NHL and hockey business is going to be decided by the developments that happen to MLB teams first, and MLB's response.

Especially when you consider the NHL's previous relationship with MLB. MLB Advanced Media made NHLtv (and made hundreds of millions of dollars for the NHL).

MLB is going to get there first, simply because of timing. And how MLB goes with this, the NHL is likely to follow because the NHL sees eye to eye with MLB based on MLBAM.

I'd highly recommend non-baseball fans check out the other thread.

 

[Lt Dan]

Due respect, but what effect the DSG situation has on the NHL and hockey business is going to be decided by the developments that happen to MLB teams first, and MLB's response.

Especially when you consider the NHL's previous relationship with MLB. MLB Advanced Media made NHLtv (and made hundreds of millions of dollars for the NHL).

MLB is going to get there first, simply because of timing. And how MLB goes with this, the NHL is likely to follow because the NHL sees eye to eye with MLB based on MLBAM.

I'd highly recommend non-baseball fans check out the other thread.

KevFu with a roundhouse of truth right there

 

[Llama19]

Phoenix Suns, Mercury leaving Bally Sports Arizona for Gray Television, Inc.

To quote:

"The Phoenix Suns will have their games televised and streamed “with or without a pay TV subscription,” by those companies starting next season while the Phoenix Mercury will air on them starting this season. The WNBA’s Mercury open the 2023 regular season on May 19 at the Los Angeles Sparks.

KTVK (Arizona’s Family 3TV), KPHO (Arizona’s Family CBS5), the statewide KPHE (AZ Family Sports Network) and Kiswe are part of the partnership with Gray Television. KPHE serves the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma media markets. Kiswe is an interactive video company.

“I’ve said from day one that our focus is our fans, our community, and every member of our organization and this deal checks every box,” said Suns and Mercury team owner Mat Ishbia in a news release."

Source: www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/04/28/suns-mercury-leaving-bally-sports-arizona-for-gray-television-inc/70160393007/

 

[Llama19]

Diamond Sports Group accuses Phoenix Suns of breach of contract in leaving Bally Sports Arizona

To quote:

"Diamond Sports Group is accusing the Phoenix Suns of a breach of contract as the NBA team is leaving Bally Sports Arizona for Gray Television, Inc., and Kiswe.

“The Phoenix Suns breached our contract and violated bankruptcy law, and Diamond Sports Group will pursue all remedies against any parties that attempt to exercise control over our property interests while we reorganize. This is an improper effort by the Suns to change their broadcasting partner without permitting Diamond to exercise our contractual rights.”

Suns and Phoenix Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein issued a statement in response to Diamond Sports Group’s claims.

“Diamond’s position is totally inaccurate. We are moving forward with this deal and could not be more excited about what it means for our fans and our future.” "

Source: www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/04/28/suns-say-diamond-sports-group-totally-inaccurate-on-breach-of-contract-claims/70162949007/

 

[TheLegend]

Due respect, but what effect the DSG situation has on the NHL and hockey business is going to be decided by the developments that happen to MLB teams first, and MLB's response.

Especially when you consider the NHL's previous relationship with MLB. MLB Advanced Media made NHLtv (and made hundreds of millions of dollars for the NHL).

MLB is going to get there first, simply because of timing. And how MLB goes with this, the NHL is likely to follow because the NHL sees eye to eye with MLB based on MLBAM.

I'd highly recommend non-baseball fans check out the other thread.

Now that the Suns are moving on from Bally’s (Llama’s posts above) it can put the Coyotes into a different position with their talks as the Suns always had priority to the main channel on Cox with both teams played at the same time.

 

[KevFu]

I'm not sure how it isn't breach of contract to do another TV deal when you have one.

But I'm also not sure how it isn't breach of contract on Bally's already.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

WBD should sell their RSNs to NBCUniversal, which would return the Houston network to that company for the first time since 2014. It would also put NBCUniversal in the Pacific Northwest for the first time since they shut down NBC Sports Northwest.

 

[GKJ]

I'm not sure how it isn't breach of contract to do another TV deal when you have one.

But I'm also not sure how it isn't breach of contract on Bally's already.

If you’re Bally’s, and you’re going bankrupt because of the RSN’s, are you able to fight it if you wanted to.

WBD should sell their RSNs to NBCUniversal, which would return the Houston network to that company for the first time since 2014. It would also put NBCUniversal in the Pacific Northwest for the first time since they shut down NBC Sports Northwest.

I don’t know if you’ve picked up on it, but everyone’s trying to get out of the RSN’s, not in it. NBC ditched their national sports network that people were saying was doing better than ESPN2. It’s obviously a bad investment right now.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

The decline of the former Fox RSNs under Sinclair has me extremely concerned about how The CW will do under Nexstar. It would have been better for it to remain a Paramount/WBD joint venture but the NFL just had to renew with Fox despite the existence of Fox News.

 

[mouser]

I'm not sure how it isn't breach of contract to do another TV deal when you have one.

But I'm also not sure how it isn't breach of contract on Bally's already.

Bankruptcy courts are weird beasts. We’ll learn more about how this all plays out soon.

 

[KevFu]

I don’t know if you’ve picked up on it, but everyone’s trying to get out of the RSN’s, not in it. NBC ditched their national sports network that people were saying was doing better than ESPN2. It’s obviously a bad investment right now.

The RSN and NBC Sports situations aren't really related.

It's "so bad" on the national level because they all ceded the market to ESPN so long ago that recovering and closing that gap is a massive investment they're not willing to make. ESPN has basically been Coke with no Pepsi in the marketplace; and then everyone's surprised that their sports networks that started 30 years after ESPN are "only" RC Cola.

The investment it would take to compete with ESPN COULD be done, but it's a massive financial commitment....

Like Netflix. Netflix knew that once their streaming service "Worked," it wouldn't take long before each studio and TV network (most of whom were already partnered up) would realize they could just launch their OWN services, retain the rights to their properties from their studios.

Inventory of programming for Netflix would DRY UP -- I.E. The Office moving to Peacock -- so Netflix spent TENS OF BILLIONS becoming their own studio, creating their own inventory, so they would have their own inventory.

The "Drying Up" of syndicated, studio-produced programming is the REAL reason NBC Sports "shut down."

It wasn't a failure of the sports network, as damned near EVERYTHING that was LIVE SPORTS EVENTS from NBC Sports just MOVED to USA. The content from OTHER STUDIOS that was no longer available to USA Network -- as Peacock, Paramount, and HBO Max launched and those studios horded their content -- was replaced by NBC Sports content.

IT REALLY WAS A MERGER OF USA NETWORK AND NBC SPORTS (but the hybrid channel couldn't be called NBC Sports when it's got non-sports studio TV, so it had to keep the USA name). And I can't believe it took me this long to put 2-and-2 together.

 

[KevFu]

Bankruptcy courts are weird beasts. We’ll learn more about how this all plays out soon.

Right, I realized when I said that I was opening myself up to "Well, how bankruptcy courts WORK is..." replies...

and expected to respond with "Yeah, I get that; I'm just saying 'That's (Messed) Up.'"

 

[GKJ]

The RSN and NBC Sports situations aren't really related.

It's "so bad" on the national level because they all ceded the market to ESPN so long ago that recovering and closing that gap is a massive investment they're not willing to make. ESPN has basically been Coke with no Pepsi in the marketplace; and then everyone's surprised that their sports networks that started 30 years after ESPN are "only" RC Cola.

The investment it would take to compete with ESPN COULD be done, but it's a massive financial commitment....

Like Netflix. Netflix knew that once their streaming service "Worked," it wouldn't take long before each studio and TV network (most of whom were already partnered up) would realize they could just launch their OWN services, retain the rights to their properties from their studios.

Inventory of programming for Netflix would DRY UP -- I.E. The Office moving to Peacock -- so Netflix spent TENS OF BILLIONS becoming their own studio, creating their own inventory, so they would have their own inventory.

The "Drying Up" of syndicated, studio-produced programming is the REAL reason NBC Sports "shut down."

It wasn't a failure of the sports network, as damned near EVERYTHING that was LIVE SPORTS EVENTS from NBC Sports just MOVED to USA. The content from OTHER STUDIOS that was no longer available to USA Network -- as Peacock, Paramount, and HBO Max launched and those studios horded their content -- was replaced by NBC Sports content.

IT REALLY WAS A MERGER OF USA NETWORK AND NBC SPORTS (but the hybrid channel couldn't be called NBC Sports when it's got non-sports studio TV, so it had to keep the USA name). And I can't believe it took me this long to put 2-and-2 together.

They’re basically turning it into TNT, but it was also a situation where they ditched a model they wasn’t not working even though they were ended up scaling back on sports content. But it’s only a matter of time before they give up or sell off their RSN’s like Bally’s is having to and AT&T eventually do.

 

[Spydey629]

They’re basically turning it into TNT, but it was also a situation where they ditched a model they wasn’t not working even though they were ended up scaling back on sports content. But it’s only a matter of time before they give up or sell off their RSN’s like Bally’s is having to and AT&T eventually do.

But isn’t that what is already going on? Or is NBC Sports DC being bought by Leonsis just being looked at as a separate incident (for now)?

 

[GKJ]

But isn’t that what is already going on? Or is NBC Sports DC being bought by Leonsis just being looked at as a separate incident (for now)?

That would be the first one I think.

The Phoenix Suns are going to local network TV.

Weird how this is all going back to the 90’s