Three MLB teams that “potentially were not going to be carried” by Diamond Sports in 2024 -- the Guardians, Twins and Rangers -- are “expected to remain with Diamond this season on one-year deals,” according to a source cited by Evan Drellich of THE ATHLETIC. The deals are “highly unlikely to include any streaming rights for those teams,” which Diamond did not carry before either. The Guardians and Rangers were under contract with Diamond for 2024, but Diamond was “threatening to drop them unless they re-negotiated their rights fees.” The Twins’ deal with Diamond expired after 2023, so they have been working on a new deal. With those three teams “expected to be in the fold,” Diamond would be carrying 12 MLB clubs in 2024. It is “unclear” just how much the Guardians and Rangers will have their 2024 rights fees reduced, but a source said that it would be “15 percent or less” (THE ATHLETIC, 1/31).
WHAT’S NEXT? In Dallas, Evan Grant cited sources as saying that MLB and Diamond “continue to inch down a path that would see the Rangers (and others) taking discounted linear TV rights for 2024 with no firm answers on wider direct-to-consumer streaming availability and no real long-term guarantees on Diamond’s viability.” Dallas-Fort Worth consumers would “likely have status quo on the broadcasting front.” Grant noted if fans were able to watch Rangers games in 2023, they “almost certainly will be able to watch in 2024.” If they were not, Grant wrote to not “expect a resolution for this season either.” Grant: “Amazon Prime is likely not walking through your door (or your HDMI cable). Not this year.” While streaming games through Prime could “happen for five smaller-market teams,” the Rangers’ streaming rights, “along with those of seven other teams currently under the Bally/Diamond umbrella, are not.” At least “not at the moment” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/1).
