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All 30 MLB have reached local broadcasting agreements


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https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/diamond-sports-group-in-agreement-with-rangers-twins-guardians-for-2024.html

Pending 2/9 bankruptcy court approval, Cleveland, Minnesota and Texas will receive at least 85% of their current deal 2023 payments (Texas $111M; Cleveland $55M, Minnesota's deal which expired after 2023 was for $54M).

Altitude Sports and Entertainment owns the rights to the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets. However, with the Rockies broadcasts with approximately 15,000 viewers per game, or 1/2 their in game attendance, they said hard pass to picking up rights to the Rockies. Therefore, MLB Media is making arrangements to take over Rockies broadcasts, similar to the Arizona and San Diego broadcast arrangements. Last year, MLB guaranteed 80% of previous rights fees, with losses eaten by MLB as a whole. This guarantee will no longer exist for all three clubs in 2024.

Who owns what at this point?

Online Streaming Rights:

  • 22 Teams - Owned by MLB and each organization - Incumbered by current MLB blackout rules.
  • 3 Teams - Owned by MLB and Cleveland, Minnesota and Texas, but teams are prohibited via the Diamond group to exercise these rights in 2024.
  • 5 Teams - Amazon to acquire the rights to Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, Milwaukee and Tampa streaming rights pending court approvals over the next two months.

Local Broadcast Networks:

4 MLB Teams or their parent companies which own their RSN without any non-MLB partners:

  • MASN Baltimore Orioles (77% ownership) and Washington Nationals (23% ownership) - Split subject to change with pending Baltimore Orioles sale.
  • Root Sports Northwest (100% Seattle Mariners - This network also broadcasts the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Kraken).
  • Sportsnet One (100% Rodgers Sports & Media, owner of the Toronto Blue Jays). - Note National French Canadian Broadcast rights are owned by TVA Sports for the less than 80 games broadcast each season.

14 MLB Teams which own a split their RSN with other non MLB organizations:

  • Bally's Sports Midwest (30% Saint Louis Cardinals + 70% Diamond Sports Group).
  • Bally Sports Ohio (50% Cincinnati Reds + 50% Diamond Sports Group).
  • Bally Sports Southwest (10% Texas Rangers + 90% Diamond Sports Group - Also broadcasts the Dallas Stars throughout all four broadcast markets exclusively, plus limited rights to Dallas Mavericks (Dallas-Fort Worth & Arkansas); San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio) plus Arkansas Rights for the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.
  • Bally Sports West (25% Los Angeles Angels + 75% Diamond Sports Group).
    • A portion of the schedule is broadcast OTA via Fox 11 Plus (KCOP Channel 13).
  • Marquee Network (50% Chicago Cubs; 50% Sinclair Broadcast Group - Owner of Diamond Sports Group).
  • NBC Sports Bay Area (50% San Francisco Giants + 50% NBC Sports Group). Select games are broadcast OTA via KNTV Channel 11.
  • NBC Sports Chicago (25% Chicago White Sox + 25% each Chicago Bulls; Chicago NHL Team & NBC Sports Group) - Future beyond October 2024 TBD
  • NBC Sports Philadelphia (25% Philadelphia Phillies + 75% NBC Sports Group). Select games broadcast OTA via WCAU Channel 10 and WPHL-TV Channel 17.
  • NESN (80% Fenway Sports Group owner of the Boston Red Sox) + 20% Delaware North (Boston Bruins and Boston Garden II)
  • SNY (65% Sterling Equities owner of the New York Mets + 27% Charter Communications + 8% NBC Sports Group). 28 Games are Broadcast OTA via PIX 11.
  • Space City Home Network (50% Houston Astros + 50% Houston Rockets)
  • Spectrum SportsNet LA (50% Guggenheim Partners - Owners of Guggenheim Baseball Management + 50% Charter Communications)
  • Sports Net Pittsburgh (20% Pittsburgh Pirates + 80% Fenway Sports Group / Pittsburgh Penguins)
  • YES Network (26% Yankee Global Enterprises; 20% Diamond Sports Group; 15% Amazon; 13% Each for The Blackstone Group; Mubadala Investment Co. & RedBird Capital). 21 Games are Broadcast on Amazon Prime Network, a platform separate from Amazon's ownership of the YES Network).

12 MLB Teams which do not own any stake in their RSN:

  • (1 Primary / 2 Secondary) Bally Sports South & Southeast: Several States including all of Georgia for Atlanta Baseball.
    • This entity also owns select North Carolina and Tennessee Markets for Cincinnati Reds Broadcasts; and three limited markets (Western Kentucky, Northern Mississippi and Memphis & Jackson Tennessee) for the Saint Louis Cardinals Broadcasts.
  • (7) Diamond Sports Group: Cleveland Guardians; Detroit Tigers; Kansas City Royals; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; Minnesota Twins; Tampa Bay Rays
  • (3) MLB Local Media: Arizona Diamondbacks; Colorado Rockies; San Diego Padres
  • (1) NBC Sports California: Oakland Athletics

 

National Television Broadcast Rights (All times CDT) - Along with MLB.Com and Media Properties, each of the 30 teams received $103M in 2023 for the aforementioned rights and for the National Telecasts identified below. The 2024 Split is TBA or TBD:

Pay Channel Broadcasts

Regular Season

  • Apple TV: Friday Night Baseball - Apple TV or Direct TV (simulcast of Apple TV games) required. Schedule TBA
  • ESPN / ESPN 2: Thirty exclusive Sunday Night Baseball Games (April - mid June schedule linked) + Opening Day Telecasts; plus the MLB World Tour (3/20-3/21 in Seoul) and Two MLB Mexico Series (4/14 & 4/28 Mexico City) games and One London Series Game (6/9 10 AM Philadelphia vs. New York Mets).
  • FS1: Exclusive Rights to 40 Games, 37 identified plus 3 TBD
    • 4/22 6:30 PM Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins
    • 4/29 6:30 PM Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox
    • 6/15 9:00 PM Chicago White Sox at Arizona Diamondbacks
    • 7/27 6:00 PM Seattle Mariners at Chicago White Sox
  • MLB: 26 non exclusive live games. Schedule TBA
  • TBS: 26 Tuesday Night Baseball Games (Schedule through June linked)

Postseason

  • ESPN; Wild Card Series
  • FS1: Majority of NLDS and NLCS Series
  • TBS: ALDS and ALCS

National Over The Air Broadcasts

Regular Season

  • Fox:
    • 19 Saturdays 1 of 2 identified games
      • 8/10 6:00 PM Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox
      • 9/7 6:00 PM Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox
    • 2 Saturdays (6/1 & 8/3) 1 of 3 identified games
    • 2 September Thursday (9/12 & 9/19) and 1 September Saturday Evening (9/28) Games TBD
    • 6/8 1:00 PM London Series Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets
    • 6/20 6:00 PM Rickwood Field (Birmingham, Alabama) Negro Leagues Tribute (San Francisco Giants vs. Saint Louis Cardinals)

Exhibition Game + Post Season

  • ABC: Select Wild Card Games
  • Fox:
    • 7/16 All Star Game 7 PM (Arlington, Texas)
    • Select NLDS and NLCS Games
    • Entire 2024 World Series
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Spend spend spend Rangers...at least take Montgomery out of the running or give Adolis Garcia an extension.

 

Twins' fans have to hope and pray their team starts to spend again to build on 2023 playoff progress, with the loss of Sonny Gray the biggest hit.

Edited by caulfield12
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"But the Minnesota's oft-stated plan to offer a streaming option to non-BSN subscribers will wait, under the new contract, until at least 2025.

Financial terms were not revealed, but the deal is expected to include a sharp cut in the $54 million that BSN paid the team last season.

The agreement gives the Twins assurances that fans can access their games this year, an urgent need with Opening Day now less than two months away. But it does not include the ability for fans to stream BSN's broadcasts without subscribing to a cable or satellite carrier. A direct-to-consumer streaming option, which the Twins had said they were determined to create this year, is specifically prohibited in the new contract."

startribune.com/sports

For 2024, 85% or more of existing $54 million deal would be around let's say $10-11 million in lost revenues.

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https://m.startribune.com/twins-television-bally-sports-north-diamond-streaming-cable-satellite/600340621/

Read all the comments at the bottom.

Makes SoxTalk sound absolutely optimistic in comparison.  They hate the Poh llads even more than Chicago is disenchanted with Reinsdorf.

Coming off a playoff appearance and dramatically-charged series win for the first time in almost two decades.

Baseball is still getting rich for the time being, but essentially killing off Gen Z and Millennials, or at least until they get the streaming and no black out situations fixed once and for good.

 

This next year is simply just a temporary patch or Band-Aid.

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When Forbes reports their numbers or when people talk about revenue, the only revenue owners and Forbes considers are the following earned within the stadium:

2022 Gross MLB Revenue $11 Billion vs. $10.5 Billion with Breakout used below

  • $3.2B - Tickets Sales
  • $3.1B - National Revenue including TV Contracts and MLB.com / MLB Media
  • $2.2B - Local TV and Radio Media Rights Paid To Teams (Does not include RSN net revenue owned by the 18 clubs which own RSN in part or in whole)
  • $1.1B - Sponsorship Rights
  • $0.9B - Stadium Concessions (Food, drinks and merchandise purchased within the stadium*)

The growing portion of revenue for most owners includes real estate owned and operated beyond stadiums, RSN revenues beyond the media rights paid directly to clubs, and other substantial revenues including *I believe parking (not positive about parking).

I broke out ownership in the initial post to break out which team ownership groups earn substantially more than what people say are "on the books". This and the real estate empires certain teams like the Braves and Cubs have built are creating vast revenue and net income differences between organizations, much ore so than what occurs within baseball stadiums.

RSN Ownership by Division:

  • American League East
    • Baltimore Orioles 77% of MASN (Also includes Washington Nationals & various collegiate sports broadcasts).
    • Boston Red Sox 80% of NESN (Also includes Boston Bruins and several minor league teams and collegiate sports broadcasts).
    • New York Yankees 26% of YES Network (Also includes Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty and NYC FC broadcasts).
    • Tampa Bay Rays 0%
    • Toronto Blue Jays 100% of Sportsnet (Also includes English Language Broadcasting throughout Canada for the NHL including rights for three teams in addition to Hockey Night In Canada and all NHL playoff games), the Olympics, All Blue Jays, national MLB games, all Fox and TBS Playoff Games, Toronto Raptors, English Football and other various additional broadcasts).
  • American League Central
    • Chicago White Sox 25% of NBC Sports Chicago (Also includes Chicago Bulls and Chicago NHL Broadcasts)
    • Cleveland Guardians 0%
    • Detroit Tigers 0%
    • Kansas City Royals 0%
    • Minnesota Twins 0%
  • American League West
    • Houston Astros 50% of Space City Home Network (Also includes Houston Rockets and various collegiate and minor league broadcasts).
    • Los Angeles Angels 25% of Bally Sports West (Also includes Los Angeles Kings and collegiate sports broadcasts).
    • Oakland Athletics 0%
    • Seattle Mariners 100% of Root Sports Northwest (Also includes Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Kraken broadcasts).
    • Texas Rangers 10% of Bally's Sports Southwest (Also includes Dallas Stars and local broadcast rights of Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Arkansas rights to the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder).
  • National League East
    • Atlanta 0% 
    • Miami Marlins 0%
    • New York Mets 65% of SNY (Also includes various collegiate sports broadcasts).
    • Philadelphia Phillies 25% of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Also includes Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Flyers and various collegiate and minor league teams).
    • Washington Nationals 23% of MASN (Also includes Baltimore Orioles & various collegiate sports broadcasts).
  • National League Central
    • Chicago Cubs 50% of Marquee Sports Network (Also includes various minor league, collegiate and high school broadcasts).
    • Cincinnati Reds 50% of Bally Sports Ohio (Also includes Columbus Blue Jackets, Cleveland Cavilers and various collegiate and minor league broadcasts).
    • Milwaukee Brewers 0%
    • Pittsburgh Pirates 20% of SportsNet Pittsburgh (Also includes Pittsburgh Penguins and various minor league, collegiate, high school broadcasts).
    • Saint Louis Cardinals 30% of Bally Sports Midwest (Also includes primary Saint Louis Blues broadcasts, plus limited Kansas City Royals, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder broadcast rights).
  • National League West
    • Arizona Diamondbacks 0% 
    • Colorado Rockies 0%
    • Los Angeles Dodgers 50% of Spectrum SportsNet LA (No other teams or sports are aired on this channel).
    • San Diego Padres 0%.
    • San Francisco Giants 50% of NBC Sports Bay Area (Also includes Golden State Warriors & various collegiate and high school sports broadcasts).
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Currently Washington is limited to 23% ownership of their broadcasting rights, increasing 1% per year since they relocated, and Baltimore owning the rest.

This may change per comments from Manfred yesterday. It appears the Nationals sale might be being held up due to their lack of their own rights, with a proposed solution that Baltimore may either sell the MASN or the Nationals' rights within the network before the Baltimore sale is approved. Per Manfred, he would like to see the Baltimore sale formally approved over the next two months.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/report-mlb-can-make-orioles-relinquish-nationals-tv-rights-as-condition-of-sale.html

 

Possible solution to the Orioles / MASN / Nationals situation

Quote

Ted Leonsis, who already owns the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics, has been seen as a favorite to purchase the Nationals. He also owns Monumental Sports Network, which broadcasts those three clubs. Purchasing the Nationals and adding them to Monumental’s lineup would seemingly be a business decision that would make sense for him, but the fact that the Nats don’t own their own rights complicates things. Rubenstein’s group is also acquiring a controlling stake of MASN in purchasing the Orioles and it was reported last week that Rubenstein could sell the Orioles’ share of MASN to Leonsis.

 

Timing of approving the Orioles Sale

Quote

There are many elements at play but it seems the league is motivated to approve the sale of the Orioles fairly quickly. “I’d like to get it done,” Manfred said. “I’ve never been comfortable with protracted approval processes. Once it’s public that there’s going to be a sale, I think it leaves both the departing group — [John Angelos is] not really departing but — the one who’s no longer going to be the control person and the one who’s about to become it, it leaves them both in an awkward spot. So, we just want to get it done as quickly as possible.” The pace of the process will depend upon the paperwork done by Angelos and Rubenstein, Weyrich reports, with a possibility for it to be completed as soon as six weeks from now.

 

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Fans for 18 of 30 MLB teams could possibly stream in market games in 2025, though neither Chicago team would be on that list at this juncture.

Hope Jerry doesn't kill this for local Sox fans. My understanding is there still are no final plans in terms of what happens with NBC Sports Chicago after September.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/rob-manfred-discusses-rsn-situation-expansion-timeline.html

Quote

If Diamond were to collapse after next season, that’d revert the broadcasting rights for those 12 teams back to MLB. In addition to the three it already possesses and the potential to negotiate with Seattle, Houston, and Pittsburgh, the league could shop around two-thirds of its teams on an in-market streaming bundle by next year. MLB would likely have a harder time negotiating in-market streaming rights back from franchises like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Cubs that are on stabler footing and handle distribution of their games on RSNs owned at least in part by the team.

 

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15 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It makes more sense to air all games on over the air free TV, like Phoenix, Vegas and a few other NBA/NHL teams did under similar circumstances (losing AT&T channel).

They will get more fan revenue from the free daily promotion of their product than stream only broadcasts.

Their cable TV ratings were 15,000 fans last season. Fans didn’t have to do anything special to find games beyond their current cable or satellite subscriptions. They are only going to convert a fraction of these people plus new non cable customers. 

Even if they converted 100% of those viewers, you’re talking $1.5M in revenue at $99 / year. Should be able to clear that easily, even on a station like The U in Chicago, with advertising less expenses over 162 games.

Edited by South Side Hit Men
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  • 1 month later...

Someone tell me if this could work:

MLB creates their own group of RSNs. Essentially MLB network but showing local games and with local studio shows supplemented by MLB Network national games and programming.

Teams would have the option to sell any or all of their games to a local OTA station and black out the game from the RSN in the area covered by that station (but ONLY the area covered by that station).

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13 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

Someone tell me if this could work:

MLB creates their own group of RSNs. Essentially MLB network but showing local games and with local studio shows supplemented by MLB Network national games and programming.

Teams would have the option to sell any or all of their games to a local OTA station and black out the game from the RSN in the area covered by that station (but ONLY the area covered by that station).

In 1994 MLB thanks to Eddie Einhorn tried something like what you proposed called The Baseball Network. It didn't go over very well from an advertising standpoint. 

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11 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

In 1994 MLB thanks to Eddie Einhorn tried something like what you proposed called The Baseball Network. It didn't go over very well from an advertising standpoint. 

Neither did Sportsvision in the 80's, yet here we are in 2024 with exactly that in place in every single baseball market.

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2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Neither did Sportsvision in the 80's, yet here we are in 2024 with exactly that in place in every single baseball market.

Did a detailed history of SportsVision which will be included in Dr. Fletcher's next book on the Sox which comes out next year.

Regarding The Baseball Network when it came out regional sports networks were already well established along with Superstations but the concept just didn't go over and it was abolished after the 1995 season, it just didn't work. The focus on "national telecasts" at the expense of "local/regional" games (which were blacked out) was part of the reason. And of course the labor impasse didn't help matters.

ABC Sports president Dennis Swanson, in announcing the dissolution of The Baseball Network, said:

The fact of the matter is, Major League Baseball seems incapable at this point in time, of living with any long term relationships, whether it's with fans, with players, with the political community in Washington, with the advertising community here in Manhattan, or with its TV partners.

Edited by Lip Man 1
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  • 2 weeks later...

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