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

[TheLegend]

This is the 2015-2016 map I have. Is this it? (Utah, half of NM)

That’s pre-VGK.

Can’t remember off hand what area Vegas was given when they came on…

Found this map on Reddit though. Includes VGK and SEA. Not going to vouch for the accuracy.

 

[mouser]

This is the 2015-2016 map I have. Is this it? (Utah, half of NM)

No, I have an older official NHL map of AZ’s broadcast territory, includes all of New Mexico for example.

 

[MAHJ71]

So Yotes fans options to watch are in person, over the air via antenna in SD, or on COX (I'm assuming a cable provider?)

Sounds like a crappy situation for people who want to watch.

 

[jkrdevil]

So Yotes fans options to watch are in person, over the air via antenna in SD, or on COX (I'm assuming a cable provider?)

Sounds like a crappy situation for people who want to watch.

It sounds like they are going to launch a streaming package similar to Vegas (who also did a similar deal with Scripps).

 

[TheLegend]

Sounds like a crappy situation for people who want to watch.

The reach will actually be much larger. Word is the OTA channel will get an HD upgrade. Up until now it hasn’t been necessary because virtually all it’s content was from the analog days.

Before, Bally’s was only available through Cox or streaming via their app (if you had a Cox account). That was inherited from Fox Sports when both Direct and Dish dropped them.

 

[Spydey629]

Not surprising, With the Suns and Diamondbacks gone it wasn’t worth it for Diamond to run an Arizona RSN with only the Coyotes.

Watching this whole saga unfold, it seems you really need a MLB team for a RSN to survive - which makes sense, since you have up to 200 days of games covered, if you count Spring Training. San Diego is probably more of an exception than the rule, since they were the only team in town, and getting paid an exorbitant amount because of it. The San Diego colleges don't have enough interest to add filler program over the winter, since USD is a smaller school and SDSU is covered by the Mountain West's agreements.

I watch all of this with curious interest, to see what the Pirates do - if the partner with the Penguins/FSG on SportsNet Pittsburgh, or if they take the "easy" road, and the 80% rates from MLB.

 

[TheLegend]

One of the side notes I caught when the Coyotes announced their new agreement with Scripps Sports is the idea Scripps is going to build out a national network

Going to be interesting to watch this if they pick up any more of Bally’s assets.

 

[LadyStanley]

NHL Faces Complex Local Broadcast Terrain As Season Begins

The NHL season opens this week as several teams brace for further regional sports network model disruption.

frontofficesports.com

Paradigm shift in progress

 

[rsteen]

However, one industry insider told FOS teams forced to go out alone are unlikely to reach the guaranteed broadcast money they had become accustomed to through RSN deals.

“You don’t get immediate carriage from the Comcast and the DirecTVs unless it’s either free or some minimal amount of money,” said the source, who was granted anonymity because the industry veteran is not authorized to speak publicly. “Some of these deals are revenue shares with a minimal rights fee.”

I see where the owners are going to cry poor in the next CBA negotiations.

 

[joelef]

The sport that really going to get screwed is boxing

 

[mouser]

The sport that really going to get screwed is boxing

 

[Spydey629]

The sport that really going to get screwed is boxing

Boxing got screwed by greed decades ago. There are a slew of articles out there discussing how moving all the top bouts to PPV lost an entire generation to the sport.

There was a time when boxing was the #2 sport in the US, trailing only baseball. Those days are long gone, a time when Mohammed Ali fought his championship fights in the middle of the afternoon on the Wide World of Sports.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The sport that really going to get screwed is boxing

It was over decades ago, when left national coverage for PPV.

 

[SirJW]

A little up date.

Exclusive | Sinclair Broadcasting wants to scoop up bankrupt RSN giant Diamond Sports: sources

Sinclair Broadcasting Group wants to pay pennies on the dollar to regain control of a nationwide chain of regional sports networks — which it had paid $10.6 billion to acquire four years ago …

nypost.com

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

The NBA and Diamond Sports Group have reached a tentative agreement that will allow the Diamond-owned Bally Sports RSNs to continue broadcasting NBA games through the end of the current 2023-24 season, after which point those rights will revert back to the league. The news was disclosed in a Sunday court filing.

The league has also won the right to let each Diamond-affiliated team shop up to 10 regular season games to an over-the-air broadcast partner. Diamond Sports intends to strike a similar deal with the NHL that would return the rights of 11 franchises to the league following the 2023-24 season, but no such agreement is imminent with MLB, per a Diamond court filing.

The NBA will now be able to include local rights to at least half of its teams in its national media rights negotiation, as multiple reports indicated was its preference.

 

[Tryamw]

Seems like a good deal for certainty for both sides..

 

[LadyStanley]

Friedman reports one year deal with Ballys for NBA games, etc., with 16% rollback.

 

[Shwan]

YouTube TV is going to drop Phoenix Channel 3TV most likely due to Gray attempting to raise carriage fees because they carry the Phoenix Suns now (emphasis mine).

We are disappointed that YouTube TV has come to this decision, as we have done everything in our power to reach a market-based agreement.

This inevitable strategy was echoed not too long ago by the President of Scripps Sports* who picked up the Coyotes and Knights.

Lawlor said the move of local sports to broadcast is going to continue and distributors have to get on board.

“Fans are going to demand that they have access to their sports,” he said. “They need to get on board.”

Of course, Scripps isn’t giving away those stations for free. “We’re not looking to break the bank, but we’re paying for the rights. We deserve to be compensated for those rights.”

Definitely going to be interesting to see how this shakes out in the next few years especially as there's several local market streaming strategies (MLB.tv* lifting blackouts with team subscriptions, NHL making in-market streaming the clubs' responsibility etc.)

 

[Spydey629]

The Pirates apparently have a Thanksgiving deadline to decide what they’re doing for TV…

 

[Negan4Coach]

This whole situation was created by low-IQ charlatans in suits and their continuous game of "three card monty" they play with "the shareholders" in order to live and die by the quarter, and quite frankly I'm tired of it. Just put goddamned cameras in the arenas and send them shits out over the airwaves. Enough already.

 

[dj4aces]

That’s pre-VGK.

Can’t remember off hand what area Vegas was given when they came on…

Found this map on Reddit though. Includes VGK and SEA. Not going to vouch for the accuracy.
View attachment 749604

I realize this is an older post, but Georgia receives broadcasts from both the Predators and the Hurricanes. When both teams extended their coverage range after the Thrashers were moved, the Preds were orginially on Fox Sports South, while the Canes were on Fox Sports Southeast. I'm not sure if that naming scheme still exists under Bally.

 

[Spydey629]

I realize this is an older post, but Georgia receives broadcasts from both the Predators and the Hurricanes. When both teams extended their coverage range after the Thrashers were moved, the Preds were orginially on Fox Sports South, while the Canes were on Fox Sports Southeast. I'm not sure if that naming scheme still exists under Bally.

I’d have to look at the renamed region map, but aren’t they after the states?

Bally’s Tennessee and Bally’s Carolinas?

 

[NSH615]

I’d have to look at the renamed region map, but aren’t they after the states?

Bally’s Tennessee and Bally’s Carolinas?

They folded the Tennessee branding when renamed as Bally. It's all just on Bally's Sports South for both teams now. I'm not sure which gets priority in Georgia.

 

[dj4aces]

They folded the Tennessee branding when renamed as Bally. It's all just on Bally's Sports South for both teams now. I'm not sure which gets priority in Georgia.

If I were to subscribe to Bally's streaming service, I get access to both Preds and Canes. Both appear to be bundled under Bally Sports South now.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

If they eventually do end the blackout rules on games available with your RSN, I think the package will be a lot more expensive than most people think. Last time I had center-ice for example it was $150 (now get it with ESPN+). Would probably be easily $350 if they didn't include blackouts of the Rangers, Isles,Devils. More if it didn't include national games.

A bargain, IMO.