Major League Baseball (MLB) is further solidifying its control over local broadcasts, announcing on Tuesday that it will produce and distribute games for the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins starting in the 2025 season. This move comes as Diamond Sports Group, the nation’s largest owner of regional sports networks, continues to navigate bankruptcy proceedings.
The Guardians, Brewers, and Twins all had contracts with Diamond Sports Group that expired at the end of the 2024 season. The Texas Rangers, whose deal also expired, have similarly announced they will not be renewing with Diamond and are exploring alternative options for next season.
With this, Twins TV is launched, something we reported was in the works a few months ago.
With these additions, MLB will be handling the production and distribution of games for at least six teams in 2025. MLB already took over broadcasts for the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023 and the Colorado Rockies in 2024.
“With the media landscape continuing to evolve, Major League Baseball is committed to serving our fans by ensuring they can see their favorite Clubs, removing blackouts where we can, and ultimately growing the reach of our games,” said Noah Garden, MLB’s Deputy Commissioner for Business and Media.
By taking over these broadcasts, MLB aims to significantly increase the market reach of these teams. For example, Cleveland Guardians games, previously available in approximately 1.45 million households, are expected to reach 4.86 million households under MLB’s distribution, a 235% increase.
This trend of MLB assuming control of local broadcasts is likely to continue as Diamond Sports Group restructures under bankruptcy. Diamond’s reorganization plan, presented in court last week, includes voiding contracts with the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays and renegotiating deals with five other teams.
Diamond Sports Group, which operates the Bally Sports regional networks, acquired the networks from Disney in 2019 for nearly $10 billion. However, the company has faced financial challenges due to cord-cutting and rising rights fees.
MLB’s takeover of local broadcasts represents a significant shift in the sports media landscape. By controlling production and distribution, MLB can ensure wider access to games for fans, potentially through a combination of local cable systems, satellite providers, and direct-to-consumer streaming services.
This development could have broader implications for the future of regional sports networks and how fans consume local sports content. As MLB expands its reach and explores new distribution models, it is likely to reshape the relationship between leagues, teams, and viewers.