Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Why Local Sports TV Rights for 29 MLB Teams Are at Risk

The regional sports network model is breaking down.

With a potential sale of Main Street Sports looking unlikely, local broadcast rights for 29 professional teams could revert back to leagues and franchises. Years of cord cutting and a shrinking subscriber base have upended the economics that once sustained local sports TV.

What comes next will likely be a mix of over the air broadcasts, streaming platforms, and league run production, varying by market and by team.

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