• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Padres Land New Broadcast Home Amid Diamond Sports Debacle

  • Padres win final game broadcast on Diamond Sports Group on Tuesday night.
  • Franchise will turn to multiple platforms to broadcast games starting on Wednesday.
San Diego Padres starts new broadcast home on Wednesday.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres have a payroll of around $250 million. What they don’t have is a regional sports network to broadcast their games. 

Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of Bally Sports San Diego, missed a payment to the Padres a week ago, and the grace period expired, which made Tuesday’s broadcast of the Padres’ victory over the Marlins the last on the bankrupt RSN. 

“While DSG has significant liquidity and has been making rights payments to teams, the economics of the Padres’ contract were not aligned with market realities,” a Diamond Sports Group spokesperson said in a statement to Front Office Sports and other outlets. “MLB has forced our hand by its continued refusal to negotiate direct-to-consumer streaming rights for all teams in our portfolio despite our proposal to pay every team in full in exchange for those rights.”

Padres CEO Erik Greupner said in a statement the club has been “preparing for this groundbreaking moment,” and the games will be carried on DirecTV, AT&T U-Verse, and fuboTV — and MLB.TV without blackouts that typically shut local fans out from watching their local teams. 

“The Padres are excited to be the first team to partner with Major League Baseball to offer a direct-to-consumer streaming option through MLB.TV without blackouts while preserving our in-market distribution through cable and satellite television providers,” Greupner said. “Our fans will now have unprecedented access to Padres games through both digital and traditional platforms throughout San Diego and beyond.”

Even before Diamond Sports Group — a subsidiary of Sinclair — filed for bankruptcy protection in March, MLB geared up for the possibility that it’d have to step in to produce and broadcast the 14 teams carried by DSG. 

The Padres became the first to utilize that roadmap. Diamond Sports Group — a subsidiary of Sinclair — has made payments to other teams since the bankruptcy petition was filed it seeks to restructure $8 billion in debt. 

The Padres must find a way to replace the roughly $60 million per season it had reaped under its deal with Diamond Sports.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws his bat after hitting a two run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on during the third inning of game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.

World Series Game 5: Largest Blue Jays Audience Ever on Canadian TV

Canadian viewership continues to be a major storyline of the World Series.
Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman (55) is safe at third base after the play is reviewed against Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) in the twelfth inning during game three of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.

18-Inning World Series Game 3 Draws 17.6M Viewers in U.S. and Canada

Canadian viewership of the World Series remains solid despite an 18-inning Game 3.

World Series Games 1–2 TV Ratings Are Up With U.S., Canada Combined

U.S. viewership is expectedly down, but it is boosted significantly by Canada.

Shohei Ohtani’s Historic World Series Game 3 Sets Up High-Stakes Game 4

Ohtani will start Game 4 on the mound after another epic performance Monday.

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

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
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.