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The Minnesota Twins are no longer tied to Diamond Sports Group for local TV rights, a murky situation that’s already fueling 2024 payroll concerns.
But there is still a meaningful upside, the club says.
By freeing itself from the bankrupt parent of Bally Sports, Twins officials said they also see a long-term potential for greater overall reach and larger average audiences through a new distribution plan, whether working with the league or another entity.
“We certainly understand the challenges. But we also over time, I think, see the opportunities that can come from expanded reach and from making sure anybody, anywhere within our television territory has the ability to watch our games,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told The Athletic.
“There are certain tradeoffs on all of these options. We’re trying to find the right one for the fans, not just for 2024, but for the long term.”
Twins And Counting
Other teams that have parted from DSG, including the Arizona Coyotes and San Diego Padres, have seen increased audiences through other methods of distribution via over-the-air, streaming, and cable coverage.
High-powered player agents have noticed that dynamic, as well. “We are out from under poor RSN contracts,” said Scott Boras during recent MLB GM meetings. “It’s opened up a panacea of revenue avenues for teams.”
DSG remains in the midst of attempting a reorganization, and the company recently struck a deal in which it will return currently held NBA rights back to the league at the end of the 2023-24 season. Similar agreements could be developing with both the NHL and MLB.
