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

[TheLegend]

Dallas - Bally's officially part ways.

Stars launching trailblazing streaming app to replace Bally Sports with free broadcasts

The Dallas Stars announced a new direct-to-consumer streaming platform called Victory+ on Monday, offering their games to in-market fans for free and...

www.dallasnews.com

The Stars began working with A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC) to develop their new app. On Monday, the team announced a seven-year agreement with APMC, which had also partnered with Dude Perfect, a sports and comedy group headquartered in Frisco, to create a similar platform that it replicated for the Stars.

 

[dj4aces]

Wow. So Stars games only available on that app from what I am gathering. Not even available on any kind of TV station (aside from the national TNT, ESPN and ABC games).

I have to think that they're working on providing local TV coverage. I don't know if this is a Stars thing, or if they have to broker an agreement with a local TV station, or what has to happen.

Then again, I'm also pretty sure most folks aren't using old school TVs anymore, so if this new streaming option provides apps that work with Smart TVs, Amazon Fire sticks, and other similar options, the overwhelming majority of folks won't be affected.

 

[ElGuapo]

Wow. So Stars games only available on that app from what I am gathering. Not even available on any kind of TV station (aside from the national TNT, ESPN and ABC games).

I'm a Stars fan and don't care anything about it being on a TV station since I don't have cable or watch anything live other than sports. I have no words for how excited and happy I am about this. It's been almost impossible to watch regular season games for the last several years without a lot of hassle since Bally isn't available on much in Texas and I wasn't going to pay them $20/month for their app.

 

[rojac]

Are these new deals less money, than old deals
Could affect how much cap rises

My guess would be that they are considerably less but I also wouldn't be surprised if they involved an advertising split between the team and the broadcaster. For example, the team and the broadcaster each get 50% (or some other split) of the ad sales.

 

[TheOrganist]

I have it on very good authority that many small to mid-market teams will be moving to A-Parent Media starting in 2025-26 after Bally’s hands back the rights to the NHL. Somehow they are coming up with a lot of money to get close to what Bally’s has been paying most of these teams.

 

[Lt Dan]

Does anyone know when this Amazon distribution deal starts?

I need to plan my streaming for this upcoming season

 

[Golden_Jet]

Does anyone know when this Amazon distribution deal starts?

I need to plan my streaming for this upcoming season

Mondays this season, in Canada I believe.

 

[Lt Dan]

Mondays this season, in Canada I believe.

Sorry. I was referring to the US and the reports of Amazon buying part of Ballys and making it available via Prime video

 

[Golden_Jet]

Sorry. I was referring to the US and the reports of Amazon buying part of Ballys and making it available via Prime video

Ya that’s why added the Canada part.
I don’t think anything confirmed, yet for US

 

[jkrdevil]

Sorry. I was referring to the US and the reports of Amazon buying part of Ballys and making it available via Prime video

I think the that is still held up in court.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818022735315865603

 

[GreenHornet]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818022735315865603

Confirmed.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I'm a Stars fan and don't care anything about it being on a TV station since I don't have cable or watch anything live other than sports. I have no words for how excited and happy I am about this. It's been almost impossible to watch regular season games for the last several years without a lot of hassle since Bally isn't available on much in Texas and I wasn't going to pay them $20/month for their app.

Ok, there are plenty of people out there that prefer the traditional tv format.

 

[ElGuapo]

Ok, there are plenty of people out there that prefer the traditional tv format.

Ya don't say? That's how it's been though and a huge chunk of people couldn't watch because of permanent disputes with Bally and cable/satellite/streaming providers.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Ya don't say? That's how it's been though and a huge chunk of people couldn't watch because of permanent disputes with Bally and cable/satellite/streaming providers.

Ok? I'm just merely commenting on the fact that you had to bring up you were a Stars fan. Not everyone is in the same boat as you are with the free option. And with this free option, I don't believe it's going to be available on local TV(Spectrum, whatever service you might have) as far as everything I've read. So isn't that the same issue as Bally's not being available on cable/satellite, regardless of if you have to pay for it or it's free(the streaming option)?

 

[Demon Eyes]

I have it on very good authority that many small to mid-market teams will be moving to A-Parent Media starting in 2025-26 after Bally’s hands back the rights to the NHL. Somehow they are coming up with a lot of money to get close to what Bally’s has been paying most of these teams.

Calgary based company owned by private equity. They probably have some people tossing money at them.

 

[ElGuapo]

Ok? I'm just merely commenting on the fact that you had to bring up you were a Stars fan. Not everyone is in the same boat as you are with the free option. And with this free option, I don't believe it's going to be available on local TV(Spectrum, whatever service you might have) as far as everything I've read. So isn't that the same issue as Bally's not being available on cable/satellite, regardless of if you have to pay for it or it's free(the streaming option)?

I think they may end up with a local TV affiliate deal or one with stations around the state. That said, streaming IS TV also. Cable, OTA, streaming... All different types of TV program delivery.

No it's not the same at all because before for many there was NO legal way to watch in the Stars territory outside of preposterous $20/month for a Bally app that sometimes didn't work. Now there is a way for everyone that has internet to watch in Stars territory, and it's free. You don't need to pay for an app, you don't need to pay for cable.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I think they may end up with a local TV affiliate deal or one with stations around the state. That said, streaming IS TV also. Cable, OTA, streaming... All different types of TV program delivery.

No it's not the same at all because before for many there was NO legal way to watch in the Stars territory outside of preposterous $20/month for a Bally app that sometimes didn't work. Now there is a way for everyone that has internet to watch in Stars territory, and it's free. You don't need to pay for an app, you don't need to pay for cable.

There are plenty of people that don't have the ability to stream, or simply don't know how to.

And no, it is the same thing. Just because it's free, doesn't mean it wasn't an option before. You HAD the option to pay for the Bally app, you just chose not to. That's a personal decision, and doesn't deny the fact that you did have the same access to Stars games. They were available, you just didn't want to pay for it. Same can be said for MLB games on Apple TV, or NFL games on Peacock, or Netflix, or Amazon Prime. The availability is there, it's just a difference of how it's being delivered.

 

[varsaku]

There are plenty of people that don't have the ability to stream, or simply don't know how to.

And no, it is the same thing. Just because it's free, doesn't mean it wasn't an option before. You HAD the option to pay for the Bally app, you just chose not to. That's a personal decision, and doesn't deny the fact that you did have the same access to Stars games. They were available, you just didn't want to pay for it. Same can be said for MLB games on Apple TV, or NFL games on Peacock, or Netflix, or Amazon Prime. The availability is there, it's just a difference of how it's being delivered.

Id much rather take streaming versus cable. It still works out much cheaper plus you get a lot of other content. I can cancel and join when ever i want easily without needing additional equipment.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[ElGuapo]

There are plenty of people that don't have the ability to stream, or simply don't know how to.

And no, it is the same thing. Just because it's free, doesn't mean it wasn't an option before. You HAD the option to pay for the Bally app, you just chose not to. That's a personal decision, and doesn't deny the fact that you did have the same access to Stars games. They were available, you just didn't want to pay for it. Same can be said for MLB games on Apple TV, or NFL games on Peacock, or Netflix, or Amazon Prime. The availability is there, it's just a difference of how it's being delivered.

I didn't have access for years until the app was actually made available without a cable subscription (and it wasn't on cable anyway so wouldn't have worked back then). And yes I could have subbed to the app after that and did for a bit, but it was terrible and the price was exorbitant in the extreme. The biggest reason I wasn't willing is that often the streams didn't work (nothing to do with consumer's bandwidth, it wouldn't work period), and they don't give you a refund on anything. All that said there are probably a lot more people who don't have cable/have it but don't have Bally then don't stream. Garbage service, garbage channel that was fine permanently being off cable and satellite due to carriage disputes.

Bottom line is something 100% legally free is amazing. There's always going to be a platform that people prefer over the other whether cable, streaming, whatever. But free streaming is the best way to make it easiest and most available for most people. The only good argument I hear to have it on cable is for people who like to quickly switch between games, which is obviously harder when streaming especially on different apps. I'd be happy with that, but irrelevant for the Stars games since a huge chunk of people didn't have access to it on cable.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Id much rather take streaming versus cable. It still works out much cheaper plus you get a lot of other content. I can cancel and join when ever i want easily without needing additional equipment.

Won’t be much cheaper for long, when you need to subscribe to 5 different services to get all the games.
You can also cancel cable whenever you feel like it.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[joelef]

Won’t be much cheaper for long, when you need to subscribe to 5 different services to get all the games.
You can also cancel cable whenever you feel like it.

You don’t have all the streaming services either

 

[BigGoalBrad]

I just cut the cord and went to directv stream. Wonder how ridiculous it will cost after the 3 month promotion period.

Fubu are thieves they are the only other one with NESN but charge an extra $15/mo regional sports fee.