https://awfulannouncing.com/local-networks/milwaukee-brewers-return-fanduel-sports-network-2025.html

https://awfulannouncing.com/local-networks/reds-reverse-course-ink-deal-with-fanduel-sports-network.html

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/texas-rangers-launch-network-produce-distribute-local-games.html

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/minnesota-twins-broadcast-rights-streaming-price.html

Major League Baseball could reportedly “walk away” from ESPN in the event the network opts out of its current rights deal after next season.  Andrew Marchand and Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported Thursday that MLB would be “unlikely” to reach a new deal with ESPN should it opt out of its contract, a move that the network has long been expected to make. The thought has been that ESPN would opt out and reach a new deal with MLB that would potentially include a lower rights fee or some local rights.

 

Both ESPN and MLB are able to opt out of the deal next month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday, though there is no expectation that MLB would be the one to pull the trigger. Manfred said the sides are in talks.

ESPN currently owns rights to Sunday Night Baseball, a handful of other exclusive regular season windows (including Opening Day), the Home Run Derby and the entire Wild Card round of playoffs. Its rights fee of $550 million/year is actually a reduction from its previous contract ($700m/year), which included considerably more regular season coverage.

John Ourand of Puck reported last year that ESPN was irked about the minuscule rights fees streamers have paid for their MLB packages. ESPN’s inventory is not dramatically different than that of Apple, which pays just $85 million/year for exclusive Friday night doubleheaders. (Apple of course does not have marquee events like Opening Day, the Derby or the Wild Card round, but even those ESPN properties would surely not make up a $465 million/year gap.)

 

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/02/mlb-espn-contract-talks-opt-out/

MLB has held early discussions with Netflix, Amazon and Comcast about its media rights, John Ourand of Puck reported Thursday, but those talks have not focused specifically on the ESPN package that expires after this season. Instead, discussions are said to have focused just as much on 2028, when all of the MLB media rights will be available.

Amazon’s Prime Video service currently offers locally-produced MLB games by way of partnerships with Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports) — operator of the FanDuel Sports Network RSNs — and a separate agreement with YES Network. Comcast owns a handful of RSNs that carry MLB games and previously owned a $30 million/year Sunday morning package of MLB games from 2022-23 that it elected not to renew. Netflix, which is growing a burgeoning sports operation, has never carried MLB.

 

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/02/mlb-media-rights-talks-amazon-nbc-netflix-espn-2028/

 

Per Ourand, Fox Sports has expressed interest in one piece of the ESPN package, the annual Home Run Derby. ESPN is also said to “expect to reengage” with MLB, as the company’s decision to opt-out of its contract was always believed to be a step toward a renegotiation, rather than a full split.

Amazon’s Prime Video service currently offers locally-produced MLB games by way of partnerships with Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports) — operator of the FanDuel Sports Network RSNs — and a separate agreement with YES Network. Comcast owns a handful of RSNs that carry MLB games and previously owned a $30 million/year Sunday morning package of MLB games from 2022-23 that it elected not to renew. Netflix, which is growing a burgeoning sports operation, has never carried MLB.

Edited February 28, 20251 yr by caulfield12

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2025/3/1/24375277/marquee-sports-network-comcast-xfinity-higher-tier&ved=2ahUKEwic97y6mf6LAxWzOTQIHWNNDN4QrAIoAHoECDkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1Af6MWQm6b6gfnwdUCYnTm

 

Marquee Sports Network likely moving to higher tier with Comcast/Xfinity

It may soon be possible to bundle ESPN and local RSNs in the same streaming package, but do not expect those networks to be part of any ESPN service in the near future.

ESPN and Main Street Sports Group — operator of the FanDuel-branded regional sports networks — have discussed bundling their streaming offerings, but have not discussed the possibility of ESPN including the FanDuel RSNs as an add-on to ESPN+ and its upcoming direct-to-subscriber service, John Ourand of Puck reported Thursday.

The arrangement would solely constitute a bundle of the separate streaming services, akin to the existing bundle of Disney+, Max and Hulu.

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/03/espn-main-street-fanduel-rsns-discuss-bundling-services/

Edited March 10, 20251 yr by caulfield12

On 3/9/2025 at 6:54 PM, caulfield12 said:

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2025/3/1/24375277/marquee-sports-network-comcast-xfinity-higher-tier&ved=2ahUKEwic97y6mf6LAxWzOTQIHWNNDN4QrAIoAHoECDkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1Af6MWQm6b6gfnwdUCYnTm

 

Marquee Sports Network likely moving to higher tier with Comcast/Xfinity

Cuba can’t risk the loss of that sweet sweet tv money. They gotta pay off those biblical losses!

7 minutes ago, ewokpelts said:

Cuba can’t risk the loss of that sweet sweet tv money. They gotta pay off those biblical losses!

Marquee will cost more, however, on Xfinity’s higher tier, which in some markets is called “Ultimate TV.” At this time I don’t know what that higher price will be, though the Sun-Times article says in some other markets it’s been $20 a month. Comcast recently moved the Giants channel NBC Sports Bay Area onto its higher tier in that market, and I don’t know the extra cost there either. The Agrest article notes:

When Comcast moved Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, home of the Nationals and Orioles, a year ago, it offered the Ultimate tier for free for three months followed by $10 per month for the next three months before charging full price. It’s unknown whether such a promotion will be available in the Chicago market.

It’s a risk for Comcast. They could wind up with more cord-cutters than people who want to pay the premium, and lose money in the balance.

I keep thinking that the feds were wrong to force Disney to sell the Fox RSNs. 
ESPN could have easily absorbed the stations and even cut costs without dumping teams. 

Elsewhere in the TV right world, things are very much in flux. For fans, however, 2025 presents a refreshing, encouraging new era of ballwatching. Fans of 27 teams (all but Houston, Baltimore and Washington) can watch their favorite clubs in-market on MLB.TV, without the infuriating blackouts that for so long frustrated fans across the country. That, amid all the confusion around local TV carriers, bankruptcies and the ESPN situation, is unequivocally a good thing.

yahoo.com sports

Edited March 27, 20251 yr by caulfield12

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians-announce-plans-local-tv.html

11 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Elsewhere in the TV right world, things are very much in flux. For fans, however, 2025 presents a refreshing, encouraging new era of ballwatching. Fans of 27 teams (all but Houston, Baltimore and Washington) can watch their favorite clubs in-market on MLB.TV, without the infuriating blackouts that for so long frustrated fans across the country. That, amid all the confusion around local TV carriers, bankruptcies and the ESPN situation, is unequivocally a good thing.

yahoo.com sports

Wait, we can get mlb.tv in market now??  I just bought an antenna and dvr device for it for $100!

On 3/9/2025 at 7:54 PM, caulfield12 said:

Marquee Sports Network likely moving to higher tier with Comcast/Xfinity

With Comcast moving Marquee to a higher tier and Sinclair looking to exit as the Cubs' partner, Marquee's future is looking shaky. Wonder if a merger with CHSN is in the cards. A combined channel probably wouldn't be a huge money maker like RSNs used to be, but at least it would get the four Chicago teams on Comcast (albeit on a higher tier) and allow them to share production expenses.

13 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Elsewhere in the TV right world, things are very much in flux. For fans, however, 2025 presents a refreshing, encouraging new era of ballwatching. Fans of 27 teams (all but Houston, Baltimore and Washington) can watch their favorite clubs in-market on MLB.TV, without the infuriating blackouts that for so long frustrated fans across the country. That, amid all the confusion around local TV carriers, bankruptcies and the ESPN situation, is unequivocally a good thing.

yahoo.com sports

I hope that reads like I think it reads...although I am not sure I believe it!

1 hour ago, kba said:

With Comcast moving Marquee to a higher tier and Sinclair looking to exit as the Cubs' partner, Marquee's future is looking shaky. Wonder if a merger with CHSN is in the cards. A combined channel probably wouldn't be a huge money maker like RSNs used to be, but at least it would get the four Chicago teams on Comcast (albeit on a higher tier) and allow them to share production expenses.

The funniest thing about this is that this is where they all were, five years ago, and the cubs couldn’t wait to get out and do their own thing.  And here we are, all four teams needing the exact same thing that was broken up 

36 minutes ago, BrittBurnsFan said:

I hope that reads like I think it reads...although I am not sure I believe it!

Yeah...I clicked on the games for all of the teams the state of Iowa is blacked-out from...and each link provided on MLB.TV said those games are blacked-out!  So still no White Sox, Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Royals or Cardinal games for those living in Iowa via MLB.TV...UGH!  Wonder that that article was intending because the way I read it made it sound as though only 3 teams will be blacked out on MLB.TV.  

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/chicago-white-sox-remain-blacked-153000554.html

White Sox remain blacked out on Comcast

4 hours ago, BrittBurnsFan said:

Yeah...I clicked on the games for all of the teams the state of Iowa is blacked-out from...and each link provided on MLB.TV said those games are blacked-out!  So still no White Sox, Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Royals or Cardinal games for those living in Iowa via MLB.TV...UGH!  Wonder that that article was intending because the way I read it made it sound as though only 3 teams will be blacked out on MLB.TV.  

In-market...which is definitely not Iowa, having grown up in the QC.

So local/Chicagoland metro area viewers shouldn't be blacked out.

20 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Elsewhere in the TV right world, things are very much in flux. For fans, however, 2025 presents a refreshing, encouraging new era of ballwatching. Fans of 27 teams (all but Houston, Baltimore and Washington) can watch their favorite clubs in-market on MLB.TV, without the infuriating blackouts that for so long frustrated fans across the country. That, amid all the confusion around local TV carriers, bankruptcies and the ESPN situation, is unequivocally a good thing.

yahoo.com sports

I don't think this is accurate? Blackouts are still a reality for in market outside of just those 3 teams

7 minutes ago, Ducksnort said:

I don't think this is accurate? Blackouts are still a reality for in market outside of just those 3 teams

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/help-center/blackouts-national

Many baseball fans took to social media Thursday to report issues streaming Opening Day games on MLB.TV. Fans shared various accounts on X of encountering error messages while trying to watch games, with the issue lasting at least an hour during the early slate.

The league said it experienced a technical issue earlier in the day, and as of Thursday afternoon, the service was back up.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6236619/2025/03/27/mlb-tv-outage-opening-day-2025/

3 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/chicago-white-sox-remain-blacked-153000554.html

"CHSN has agreed to move to the Ultimate tier and has essentially come to terms on the carriage fee, but Comcast is looking to first complete a new deal with Marquee, according to sources familiar with the negotiations."

If this is true, Comcast is being ridiculous.

13 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

In-market...which is definitely not Iowa, having grown up in the QC.

So local/Chicagoland metro area viewers shouldn't be blacked out.

I agree with what you are stating...but if Iowa is all 6 of those organizations "territories"...then they should be considered their "in-market".  Sure that is just my opinion...but all 6 organizations claim Iowa as home markets...what is the difference between living in Dubuque, Iowa and Naperville?  Both communities are in White Sox "territory"...these "black-outs" suck!  That said...I have access to the games via free antenna so I watched yesterday...but it sucks to live in Iowa in regards to MLB.TV (and sucks for some other reasons as well...but won't go there in this forum)!  

According to the Awful Announcing web site, Twins fans yesterday saw the Cleveland-Kansas City broadcast for the first few minutes on their regional network/ options instead of their game and MLB.TV had technical issues all over the place yesterday.