Bally Sports Regional Networks were taken off Comcast’s systems on April 30 when their existing distribution agreement expired and Diamond Sports Group was unable to reach a new agreement with Comcast.
“We have been very flexible with Diamond Sports Group for months as they work through their bankruptcy proceedings, providing them with an extension on the Bally Sports Regional Networks last fall and a unilateral right to extend the term for another year, which they opted to not exercise," Comcast said in a released statement Tuesday. "We’d like to continue carrying their networks, but they have declined multiple offers and now we no longer have the rights to this programming. We will proactively credit our customers for the costs associated with them – most will automatically receive $8 to 10 per month in credits.”
The blackout impacts such teams as the Minnesota Twins, the Detroit Tigers, the Atlanta Braves, and others. Overall, Comcast carried 15 of Diamond's RSNs before the blackout according to Sportico.
Diamond Sports Group complained in a statement that “It’s disappointing that Comcast rejected a proposed extension that would have kept our channels on the air and that Comcast indicated that it intends to pull the signals, preventing fans from watching their favorite local teams. Comcast has refused to engage in substantive discussions despite Diamond offering terms similar to those reached with much larger distributors of ours.”
Diamond also noted that the networks continue to be available on Fubo, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, or through its direct-to-consumer offering, Bally Sports Plus, for the teams for which Diamond retains DTC rights.
The failure to reach an agreement is a blow to Diamond's efforts to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization where it needs to show creditors that it has distribution for its ongoing businesses.
