On July 29-30, a bankruptcy judge “could determine” whether Diamond Sports Group will “move forward as a business or shut down entirely” -- a decision that will “have a major impact on MLB's strongly held desire to place media rights under a national umbrella,” according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. As MLB looks at national umbrella options, sources said that before “enticing a partner” like Amazon, Netflix, Hulu or ESPN+, the league “needs the rights -- blackout free, without the territorial exclusivity tied to traditional RSN deals -- for somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 teams.” And that is “only possible if Diamond doesn't emerge from bankruptcy.” Comcast customers who reside in the markets where each of Diamond Sports Group’s 12 baseball teams play have been “shut out” for nearly two months and it seems they will “likely continue to be all season.” Comcast “won't move off its demands,” and “exclusivity provisions won't allow MLB to offer a streaming option for local fans.” Gonzalez wrote between the MLB, NHL and NBA, “none of the leagues” seem to believe Diamond can “remain a sustainable business without Comcast.” Diamond has “defended its viability by noting it has secured long-term deals with 10 of its 12 biggest distributors.” It has also reportedly agreed to terms on a new naming rights deal with FanDuel, one that would “allow the online gambling giant to operate Diamond's direct-to-consumer platform on its website.” Gonzalez wrote if Diamond emerges from bankruptcy, MLB teams “would simply maintain their preexisting RSN deals” -- some of which “extend into the 2030s and pay as much as nine figures on an annual basis.” That is the “ideal scenario, but one the league seemingly no longer considers feasible” (ESPN.com, 6/22).
