It appears nearly a dozen Major League Baseball teams, including the Twins, will be looking for a new broadcast partner after attorneys for embattled Diamond Sports Group told a federal bankruptcy court it plans to only carry the Atlanta Braves in 2025.
Sportico writer Anthony Crupi reports that Diamond attorneys blindsided MLB officials Wednesday by announcing that the owner of a number of Bally Sports Regional Networks is cutting ties with eight clubs it had agreements with to broadcast for the 2025 season. Those teams include the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.
Diamond's contracts with three other clubs - the Twins, Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers - expired when the 2024 MLB season concluded.
The company's legal counsel, Andrew Goldman, reportedly told the court Diamond's decision will allow the 11 ballclubs to "begin to make plans" for the 2025 season.
Crupi says MLB attorney James Bromley accused Diamond of sandbagging, saying the broadcaster shared no information on its decision before Wednesday hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
It was already unclear whether the Twins would pursue another deal with Diamond Sports Group after a rocky 2024 campaign that saw a disagreement over fees between Bally and Comcast result in a blackout of games from May all the way through August.
"Today’s news was more about the teams with existing contracts with Diamond Sports Group – we do not," said Twins Senior VP of Communication and Marketing Dustin Morse in a statement to KARE 11. "Today's news does not change the Twins' exploration of local media options for 2025 and beyond."
