• Loading stock data...
Thursday, July 3, 2025

MLB’s Takeover Of Padres’ Rights Is First Reckoning For RSNs

  • League seizes local media distribution in San Diego after bankrupt Diamond Sports Group misses a rights payment.
  • MLB, Padres face uphill climb to replace lost revenue.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

After months of tension, Major League Baseball’s day of reckoning with regional sports networks has arrived — which could have seismic effects on one of the sport’s key revenue streams.

Since early this year, MLB has been actively preparing to take over the local TV rights of 14 teams served by Bally Sports and its bankrupt parent, Diamond Sports Group. Now, Diamond has officially missed its rights payment to the San Diego Padres, prompting the league’s immediate takeover of the team’s local rights.

Starting Wednesday, MLB will distribute Padres games on DirecTV, Cox, AT&T U-Verse, fuboTV, Spectrum, and MLB.TV, dispensing with blackouts typically shutting local fans out from watching their teams. 

With these changes, the ballclub’s local footprint grows from about 1.13 million homes to around 3.26 million.

“While we’re disappointed that Diamond Sports Group failed to live up to their contractual agreement with the club, we are taking this opportunity to reimagine the distribution model, remove blackouts on local games, improve the telecast, and expand the reach of Padres games by more than 2 million homes,” said Noah Garden, MLB chief revenue officer.

But as the league and newly hired executive VP of local media Billy Chambers implement this plan, uncertainty abounds. Local media is typically one of the top three revenue streams for any MLB club. The Padres — who are paying a club-record $250 million player payroll this year — are looking to replace the annual $60 million received from Diamond.

More missed payments are expected as Diamond wrestles with more than $8 billion in debt. Diamond has only paid half what it owes to Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Texas — and will attempt to lower those fees in a bankruptcy court hearing Wednesday.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

PGA Tour Slashes FedEx Cup Winner Pay From $25M to $10M

The FedExCup is reworking how it distributes its bonus money.

As NBA Free Agency Quiets, Focus Shifts to Potential Extensions

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year, $285 million extension.

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.

Big Ten Commish Still Pushes for 4 Auto CFP Bids in 16-Team..

The conference wants four guaranteed spots in the Playoff.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Leo Messi

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.