In December, station group owner Scripps announced the launch of a new division Scripps Sports. After the announcement, the Clippers renewed a multiyear agreement with Bally Sports. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has been trying to expand to a bigger fan base by reaching a mass audience. Previously, Clippers games aired on from 1985 to 19 to 2009. Clippers games were also aired on the Nexstar owned KSWB (San Diego), KGET (Bakersfield) and KSEE(Fresno). The games aired exclusively on the Nexstar owned broadcast station KTLA. Last September the NBAs Los Angeles Clippers announced they were televising 11 regular games for the 2022-23 season. On the other hand, broadcast stations which had been a primary source for local sports before the emergence of RSNs over forty years ago are expressing renewed interest in live sports. Discovery WBD, citing the well-known challenges the entire RSN industry is facing, announced plans to discontinue their operations. In February, AT&T SportsNet, owned by Warner Bros. We are moving forward with this deal and could not be more excited about what it means for our fans and our future.”īally Sports is not the only RSN facing financial difficulty. Josh Bartlestein, Suns and Mercury CEO, says, “Diamond’s position is totally inaccurate. Although no financial terms with Gray Television was disclosed, the agreement will cover Phoenix Mercury games for the next two seasons and Phoenix Suns for the next five seasons. Sports Business Journal reports contractually Bally Sports has the right to match any financial offer the clubs receive. The RSN also televises NHLs Arizona Coyotes.ĭespite a missed payment Bally Sports continues to televise MLB games, a bankruptcy court ordered Diamond Sports to pay half of the money owed to the baseball clubs. Gray Television said the new deal would enable it to broadcast at least 70 regular-season games in future seasons.In response, the Diamond Sports Group, which owns the Bally Sports RSNs says, the agreement with Gray Television violates bankruptcy law commenting, “This is an improper effort by the Suns to change their broadcasting partner without permitting Diamond to exercise our contractual rights.” Last month, Bally Sports missed scheduled payments to five MLB teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Suns and Mercury did not disclose financial terms of the new broadcast deal or the terms of the current Diamond Sports contract. It focused its objection on the Suns' contract, but Diamond also broadcasts Mercury games, which will feature Brittney Griner, who has rejoined the team after her recent release from Russia in a prisoner swap with the U.S.ĭiamond said at the start of its bankruptcy that it had good relationships with the NBA and its teams, pointing to MLB as the primary obstacle to its effort to pivot to streaming games online. Diamond has said it will continue to broadcast all games under its existing contracts and make all required payments to NBA teams during its bankruptcy.ĭiamond, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI.O), televises games for nearly half of all teams in the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League under the Bally Sports brand.ĭiamond filed for Chapter 11 protection in March with a proposal to cut $8 billion in debt.

bankruptcy law protects debtors from having their contracts modified or terminated without their consent. 'The Phoenix Suns breached our contract and violated bankruptcy law, and Diamond Sports Group will pursue all remedies against any parties that attempt to exercise control over our property interests while we reorganize,' Diamond Sports said in a statement. The Phoenix Suns current television broadcast partner Diamond Sports Group said it would oppose the deal. 'Cord cutters, cable subscribers, fans with an antenna – everyone will be able to watch Suns and Mercury games,' Ishbia said in a statement. The deal would increase the teams' ability to reach customers who had cut their cable subscriptions, potentially allowing it to reach three times as many fans for each game, Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia said.

The Suns and Mercury in a statement from the teams' owner said they would deliver all locally broadcast games to television and online streaming through a partnership with Gray Television Inc (GTN.N) and video technology startup Kiswe. sports broadcaster that currently televises Suns regular-season games. April 28 (Reuters) - The NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury announced a new television and streaming rights deal for their basketball games on Friday, over the objection of the bankrupt U.S.

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