• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Front Office Sports Honors winners are here! View the 2025 winners

DSG’s Future Hangs on Bankruptcy Hearing As MLB Objects to Plan

 A nearly two-year reorganization process is coming to a dramatic climax in a court hearing beginning Thursday.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After nearly two years of turbulence and many pronouncements of its impending demise, this is the week when Diamond Sports Group finally learns whether it will become a viable company once again. 

The regional sports network operator is scheduled to go before a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in a hearing starting Thursday to determine whether its reorganization plan can be confirmed. If the plan is approved, the FanDuel Sports Network parent will have a new lease on life, marking a major turnaround after first filing for bankruptcy in March 2023.

If not, a wind-down of the company that has been expected in some corners for an even longer period of time will almost certainly accelerate. 

There have been several key building blocks in DSG’s slow but steady reorganization. Among them are reworked rights deals with both the NBA and NHL, a restructuring of its debt and resolution of legal claims against parent company Sinclair Inc., a new naming rights deal with FanDuel for the RSNs, and a pending streaming distribution pact with Amazon

The MLB Question

There has been one significant obstacle throughout the reorganization process, however: Major League Baseball. The league has been upset with DSG ever since it abruptly dropped its Padres broadcasts early in the 2023 season, and has been regularly critical of the company’s conduct, both in form and function, since then. 

On Friday, MLB filed an expected objection to the reorganization plan, saying “there is a substantial likelihood that the debtors will find themselves in financial distress and/or bankruptcy court in the near future.”

That sentiment highlights a period of significant turbulence for the 12 MLB clubs that DSG televised in 2024. That group has since splintered in several directions, and most are grappling with at least a short-term hit in a critical revenue source—and possibly a longer-term one. The involved clubs’ paths include:

  • Angels: The club is finalizing a return to DSG, something that’s been in negotiations for several weeks.
  • Braves: This is the one team that has not seen any reduced rights fees to date from DSG, but the company’s assumption of Atlanta’s rights for 2025 was the foundation of MLB’s recent objection in bankruptcy court.
  • Brewers, Guardians, and Twins: The trio last month struck separate pacts to have MLB produce and distribute their local games. The Twins, however, are also now up for sale. This group will join the Diamondbacks, Padres, and Rockies in the league-operated model.
  • Cardinals: The venerable franchise renewed last week with DSG in a new, multiyear deal that reduces its rights fee by more than 20%.
  • Marlins: Like St. Louis, Miami has renewed its ties with DSG. 
  • Rangers: The 2023 World Series champions have cut ties with DSG, and Texas is considering starting its own RSN, not unlike the new Victory+ that shows the neighboring Stars of the NHL. Completing a new-look local sports media situation in Dallas, the NBA’s Mavericks also are no longer with DSG and stream their games through MavsTV while broadcasting them over the air on Tegna stations throughout the region. 
  • Rays: This is still undetermined, but the local-media situation is hardly the largest of its current issues as the club also has both short-term and long-term facility problems
  • Reds: Cincinnati’s future landing spot is undetermined, but it also won’t be DSG as late Friday, the club finalized a pact to sell its equity in FanDuel Sports Network Ohio for just $1. 
  • Royals and Tigers: These clubs are in a similar, undetermined situation as the Rays. Any return to DSG would require a revised rights deal. 

“We remain in discussions with our other MLB team partners on go-forward plans, and we are confident that our linear and digital framework drives maximum value,” DSG CEO David Preschlack said last week. 

So while baseball’s hot-stove season focuses on players like Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki, there is yet another big piece of offseason drama due to unfold in the coming days. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban Wishes He Had Put Mavs on Open Market

Cuban also thinks private equity has shifted the NBA’s priorities. 
exclusive

Cam Newton to Expand ESPN ‘First Take’ Role After Shannon Sharpe Exit

The former NFL MVP will take on a bigger role on “First Take.”
Oregon State Beavers quarterback Gevani McCoy (4) scrambles out of the pocket during an NCAA football game against UNLV at Reser Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Corvallis, Ore.

Pac-12 Strikes New Football, Basketball Deal With The CW

The latest step in its resurrection after being picked apart in 2023.
Monica Wright

WNBA Expansion Teams Still in Dark As CBA Fight Drags On

Portland and Toronto won’t know the draft rules until a CBA is signed.

Featured Today

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
August 23, 2025

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Tom Brady

NFL Continues to Loosen Tom Brady Restrictions

Brady will be able to attend production meetings–remotely–this season.
Aug 24, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tommy Fleetwood holds the FedExCup Trophy on the 18th green after winning the TOUR Championship golf tournament.
August 26, 2025

PGA Tour TV Ratings: Fleetwood’s Breakthrough Caps Playoff Surge

Sunday’s final round drew nearly 4.5 million viewers on NBC.
August 27, 2025

FCC Chair Joins Fox–YouTube TV Fight With Big Game on the Line

The Trump appointee is now involved in another media carriage fight.
Sponsored

Gareth Bale on MLS vs EPL, Retirement & Buying Cardiff City

Gareth Bale shares his post-soccer business playbook.
August 26, 2025

NFL Sunday Ticket Debuts Monthly Plan—but at a Steep Cost

Previously, fans had to purchase the service for the entire season.
August 21, 2025

Fox Enters Streaming Wars With Leaner, Sports-Heavy Approach

A different strategy marks the arrival of the network’s streaming service.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. (L to R) Quin Stiller as Will Zalatoris Caddie, Will Zalatoris as Himself, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio as Oscar Mejias and Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in Happy Gilmore2.
August 21, 2025

‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched U.S. Movie Debut

The Adam Sandler, golf-themed movie sets more streaming records.
August 20, 2025

Bundesliga Bets on YouTube Creators for Live U.K. Game Streams

Bundesliga is the top German soccer league.