Who will broadcast the A's games? - and more generally the broadcast situation with MLB

LVfan

Verified Member
Currently broadcast by NBC Sports California. Assumption by some is they and the A's will part ways upon the A's relocation, but NBC Sports could stay involved, although unlikely, as described below in 3).

The possible options are 1) Bally Sports Regional Networks, 2) Spectrum SportsNet, 3) NBC Regional Sports Network, 4) MLB.TV (either via streaming or a cable or satellite provider), and 5) local broadcasters.

1) Bally Sports Regional Networks are separate from the Bally's Corporation, who holds the naming rights to the networks. Currently the nearby networks include Bally Sports Arizona, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, and Bally Sports West. These networks are owned by the Diamond Sports Group, a joint-venture owned in part by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair is already in the Las Vegas market as the owner of KSNV Channel 3, an NBC affiliate.

Diamond Sports Group has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The result could be a separation from Sinclair. Additionally, the relations between MLB and Diamond are poor and MLB has already removed Padres broadcasts from Bally Sports San Diego and the Diamondbacks from Bally Sports Arizona, which now comes from MLB.TV, streaming directly and available via cable and satellite providers.

2) Spectrum SportsNet includes SportsNet LA, the Dodgers' regional sports network. They already serve customers in Southern Nevada, and could be expanded to include the A's, possibly on a sister network. Although Dodgers are part owners, not clear they would oppose A's broadcasts if they did not believe they would take away from the strong Dodgers fanbase.

3) NBC Regional Sports Network. The current networks are NBC Sports California (A's), NBC Sports Bay Area (Giants), NBC Sports Boston (no MLB team), NBC Sports Chicago (White Sox), NBC Sports Philadelphia (Phillies), NBC Sports Washington (no MLB team). If NBC stayed involved with the A's, they could either create a new network or continue with the existing arrangement with NBC Sports California. Both options are considered unlikely. Currently each network is colocated with the teams, so that would tend to rule out any of the current networks. They also support more than one sport, so that would tend to rule out NBC starting a new network.

4) MLB.TV (via streaming and a cable or satellite access). This could be the future model for other teams, greatly changing how baseball is delivered to viewers. The issue with the Padres, the Diamondbacks, and the Colorado Rockies suggests the current Regional Sports Network business model may have become untenable.

5) Local broadcasters, possibly in conjunction with one of the other options. For example, the Vegas Golden Knights (VGK) are teaming up with Scripps Sports, the parent company of Las Vegas Channels 13 and 34. Scripps will televise all non-nationally exclusive VGK games on cable, satellite, and over-the-air television. The games will air on KMCC, channel 34, which was rebranded as an independent station. The plan will provide the games free to residents of Nevada and surrounding states within the team's broadcast territory. Scripps will have rights for full distribution on cable, satellite and over-the-air television. It is not clear if MLB would approve such an arrangement, especially if it infringed on any of MLB's rights.

Whatever the option turns out to be, there is the opportunity to broadcast into the huge Southern California market. Las Vegas remains an extremely popular location for Southern Californians. While the A's will never encroach into Dodger, Angel, or Padres fans, just getting a small percentage of viewers in this huge market will be substantial.
 
The article goes into detail with respect to Diamond Sports Group (DSG) and the Diamondbacks, but this is the takeaway that could impact other teams.

The root of the matter is cord cutting and diminished carriage fees, making the current Regional Sports Network business model untenable. The changes brought on by this trend were sped up and exacerbated during the Covid-19 Pandemic. It was already questionable that the deal between DSG and the Diamondbacks would remain profitable through 2035 when the deal is scheduled to expire.

As viewers have increasingly "cut the cord" from cable and satellite packages, streaming rights have also become more valuable. The Diamondbacks and MLB still control their own streaming rights as do most MLB teams.
MLB had to react quickly at the end of May to take over the Padres broadcast and distribution from Bally Sports San Diego. MLB created a special package for fans, allowing them to subscribe to a new Padres-only MLB.TV package to watch games without local blackout restrictions. (The streaming package was offered for $19.99 per month or $74.99 for the rest of the season.). A similar package could conceivably offered to Diamondbacks fans.

www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/news/diamond-sports-files-motion-to-reject-diamondbacks-tv-contract
 
Just reported today, July 18, 2023, that Bally Sports Arizona will no longer carry Diamondback games.

Major League Baseball took control of another MLB team's television rights on Tuesday, bringing the Arizona Diamondbacks under the league's broadcast umbrella after the original rights holder failed to make its required payment to the club earlier this month.

Diamond Sports Group, parent company of Bally Sports Arizona, declared bankruptcy in March. The Diamondbacks are one of several MLB teams whose TV rights could be impacted by Diamond Sports' financial troubles. Earlier this season, MLB took over the production and distribution of San Diego Padres broadcasts.

According to a news release from the Diamondbacks, MLB will give fans the ability to watch games on television or stream digitally -- and will eliminate the need for local blackouts of games previously distributed on Bally Sports Arizona.

MLB says the new arrangement will expand the availability of D'backs games in the team's home market from roughly 930,000 homes to 5.6 million. Games can be seen on Channel 4 in Phoenix, Channel 7 in Tucson and on the area's major cable and satellite providers.

MLB will also give D'backs fans the opportunity to stream games on MLB.TV that's separate from the nationwide out-of-market streaming package.

Other MLB clubs under the Diamond Sports Group include:

Atlanta Braves
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Cincinnati Reds
Los Angeles Angels
Miami Marlins
Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays

www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2023/07/18/mlb-assumes-control-over-diamondbacks-tv-broadcasts/70425345007/


From a DIRECTV email:

Due to recent programming changes, the Arizona Diamondbacks will not be available on Bally Sports Arizona ط£آ¢أ¢â€ڑآ¬أ¢â‚¬â€Œ but don't worry, your teammates at DIRECTV have your back!

We've reached a temporary agreement with Major League Baseball so fans can continue to watch upcoming Arizona Diamondbacks games on Channels 686-3 or 686 depending on your DIRECTV platform.
 
Responded to a comment on a You Tube video about the A's going to smaller media market:

In terms of baseball viewership, most in the Bay Area are Giants fans. If the East Bay counties, Alameda and Contra Costa, were their own media market, they would be 36th. But viewership area is different and is larger in both cases. NorCal viewer area includes central valley and Sacramento. In Las Vegas, VGK viewership includes the entire states of Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Montana. When the A's play in Las Vegas, their viewership area will likely include those states as well as SoCal. Of course, fans there will remain loyal to Dodgers, Angels, and Padres, but many in SoCal come from other areas and remain loyal to their hometown teams. They will watch or even visit via high speed train when the A's play their teams. Even a small percentage of the huge SoCal market is massive. The tv revenue could even increase from what it is with NBC Sports Bay Area. And the franchise will definitely become more valuable.
 
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