• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

DSG Takes Steps Toward Recovery, But Rights Questions Remain

  • A bankruptcy court approves the RSN operator’s refinancing plan and settlement of a legal dispute.
  • More work needs to be done on the post-bankruptcy plan with Amazon.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The bankrupt Diamond Sports Group received court approval for two of the three main components of its attempted reorganization. But perhaps the most impactful part of the company’s rebuilding plan remains incomplete and could still present big changes for sports fans. 

The Bally Sports parent, which has spent nearly a year in Chapter 11 protection, gained clearance from a U.S. bankruptcy court in Texas for $450 million in debtor-in-possession financing, certifying a restructuring that was first proposed in mid-January. 

Judge Christopher Lopez also signaled his intent to sign off on a legal settlement in which DSG will resolve a $1.5 billion fraud claim against its parent company, Sinclair Inc. That deal will see Sinclair pay DSG $495 million—a figure projected to be a net cost of about $250 million to $325 million after subtracting tax benefits and other management services payments paid by DSG back to Sinclair.

The refinancing and legal settlement represents a big turning point toward a recovery for DSG after many months of increasing expectations of a potential shutdown of the company, and it also signals that the debtor-in-possession financing will yield a greater return than a liquidation of assets. 

To that end, the developments prompted Lopez to remark at the end of a Monday hearing that it was “a good day, a really good day, for Diamond Sports. … This is another huge step forward in the debtors emerging from Chapter 11.”

About That Amazon Deal 

The last major—and still not finalized—part of DSG’s restructuring is $115 million in bankruptcy exit financing from Amazon, which will receive a 15% equity stake in the regional sports network operator. That deal also allows Amazon to invest an additional $50 million within the first nine months after bankruptcy and receive status as DSG’s “primary partner” to access the RSNs on a direct-to-consumer basis through Amazon Prime Video.

The Amazon agreement, however, is predicated in part on undoing prior deals DSG struck with the NBA and NHL that would return local media rights to those leagues after the 2023–24 season—pacts based on a previous assumption that DSG would be ceasing operations. It’s not yet certain what those leagues, or MLB, intend to do over the long term with their in-market rights currently held by DSG. As a result, how robust Amazon’s slate of live, in-market sports will ultimately be is also still very much an open question. 

While all that has unfolded, DSG recently reached one-year rights deals with MLB’s Guardians, Rangers, and Twins.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Amazon Plans to Stream NFL Black Friday Game Globally—for Free

The Bears-Eagles contest will be shown in more than 240 countries and territories.

The AWS Outage Wreaked Havoc in Sports

Ticketmaster, FanDuel, DraftKings, and Strava all had problems.

Amazon Adds Golf to Its Packed Black Friday Sports Lineup With NFL,..

On Nov. 28, The Skins Game will return for the first time since 2008.

Elimination Day: MLB’s Dramatic Wild-Card Tripleheader Hits ESPN

A day of drama ends with Red Sox–Yankees in prime time.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
YouTube/ Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) shakes hands with New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) after the top of the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
October 23, 2025

Mets, Yankees, and the Nielsen Debate That Won’t Go Away

Weeks after the end of the MLB regular season, viewership issues remain.
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) keeps the ball away from Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second half at Paycom Center
October 23, 2025

NBA’s NBC Return Draws 5.9M Viewers, Best Opener Since 2010

Thunder vs. Rockets peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
Brian Windhorst
October 23, 2025

Brian Windhorst Details Emergency Landing on Omaha–L.A. Flight

The pilots and flight attendants had a communication issue.
October 22, 2025

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
Candace Parker
October 22, 2025

Candace Parker Wants NFL-Style Coverage From NBA Media

Amazon will stream its first NBA doubleheader Friday.
Netflix
October 21, 2025

Netflix Staying on the Sidelines As TNT Sports Parent Seeks Buyer

The streaming giant shows little interest in acquisition possibilities.