In a hugely positive sign for the Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) future, the Diamond Sports Group announced a multi-year carriage renewal with Charter Communications this week.
The deal keeps Diamond’s RSNs on Charter’s cable systems nationwide via the Spectrum TV Select Plus package. This is the same tier of service that provided access to Disney+ and ESPN+ this year.
Diamond’s deal with Charter also contains a streaming element. Subscribers can stream their local Bally Sports RSN with an authenticated Spectrum login on the Bally Sports app, and those who don’t subscribe to a plan receiving the RSNs can buy access to Diamond’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) product, Bally Sports+, through Spectrum.
David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond, stated: “Extending our distribution relationship with Charter is a key milestone and an important part of our go-forward plan, as we remain focused on restructuring the company and moving forward as a sustainable, profitable business. We expect this agreement to generate value for Diamond, Charter and our team and league partners, and enable us to continue providing high quality broadcasts for passionate local fans. We believe this agreement can serve as a model in the ongoing time-sensitive negotiations with our other distribution partners to reach carriage agreements that work for all parties.”
Getting a long-term deal with Charter is massive for Diamond. The agreement was supposed to end on February 29, but a new deal got done without much (if any) public saber rattling. Diamond also got a shorter-term deal done with Comcast, kicking the can down the road until the end of this MLB season. Diamond’s deal with DirecTV also ends in the fall, and that’s another big renewal the company will need to get done to ensure its long-term survival.
