In late April, Diamond Sports Group and Comcast failed to reach an extension on their carriage rights deal and the Bally Sports regional sports networks went dark on the cable giant.
As one of the second-largest cable carriers in the U.S. with over 14 million subscribers, that left a big hole in households across the country who were hoping to watch their local Major League Baseball team this season.
Since then there’s been some public gamesmanship while the lack of a Comcast deal has hindered DSG’s ability to emerge cleanly from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the lack of access for those fans of teams carried on Bally Sports RSNs. And with no end in sight to the stalemate, it seems likely that many of them simply won’t get to watch those games unless they pay for alternative means.
The owners of the Miami Marlins are reportedly doing something about the situation.
According to longtime Miami sports reporter Barry Jackson, the team is going to offer fans two months of free access to the Bally Sports app. Marlins games are broadcast on Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Sun.
With no end in sight to the Comcast/Bally impasse, Marlins ownership is generously offering to pay for two free months of Bally's app for anyone interested, so Marlins fans can watch Bally Sports Florida's Marlins game coverage and other programming. The offer goes live Monday…
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) June 24, 2024
“Marlins ownership is generously offering to pay for two free months of Bally’s app for anyone interested, so Marlins fans can watch Bally Sports Florida’s Marlins game coverage and other programming,” Jackson wrote on X. “The offer goes live Monday morning.”
While a generous offer, the owners aren’t exactly giving fans something worth watching, even for free. The Marlins are currently 27-50 and competing with the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in the National League.
At the very least, fans will be able to see the next time a Bally Sports reporter gets doused in a celebratory water bath.
