The Minnesota Twins won nine straight games and quickly became must-watch television. it’s going to be a problem for fans who have Comcast/Xfinity.
Fans hoping to see the Twins or one of their other favorite teams on Bally Sports North on Wednesday were faced with a static screen alerting viewers to the situation: “Bally Sports is no longer available,” it read in large letters. title.
“The owner of Bally Sports is in bankruptcy proceedings and we have offered them several options to continue broadcasting their networks,” a Comcast statement continued. “They have each refused and we no longer have the right to continue to broadcast their content.”
While Comcast says subscribers will receive prorated monthly credits — $8 to $10 per month — for the loss of Bally Sports, the Minnesota Twins say it’s an unfortunate situation that they don’t address. have no control.
“The Twins are disappointed by this massive disruption to our fans who simply want to watch our games,” read a statement from the Twins. “This situation is a business negotiation between Comcast and (Bally). The Twins have no role or voice in this matter. We hope that the two parties will reach an agreement as soon as possible. »
The team’s statement was accused of following the money rather than connecting the Twins and fans with a broadcast partner that could ensure games are televised for the majority in 2024.
“While technically true,” Aaron Gleeman of Athleticism Started in his answer to the Twins’ statement, “this is only a problem because the Twins chose more money over more availability in returning to Bally.”
John Bonnes, who operates Everyday twins and co-host of the “Gleeman and the Geek” podcast, responded to the statement by saying that the Twins “followed the money, agreeing to a television contract with Diamond Sports that requires them NOT to allow their fans to use streaming options on the market.
Some fans had been calling for the Twins to launch a direct-to-consumer channel through Major League Baseball, a route the Arizona Diamondbacks chose to take at a price of $19.99 per month, but the Twins instead chose to re-sign with Diamond. Sports group.
Bonnes added that the Twins “then pocketed that money.” It has not been disclosed how much Diamond Sport Group paid the Twins to partner with Bally Sports this season, but it is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
The inability to find a TV partner just before the start of the season led the Twins to make the decision to cut payroll by approximately $30 million, leaving fans disappointed with offseason spending in free agency.
There are only two options for Bally Sports North in Minnesota: stream via FUBO TV or subscribe to DirecTV, either via satellite or the DirecTV STREAM service.
It’s not just Comcast/Xfinity customers feeling the pain. Same thing happens to Midco subscribers in Minnesota.
Related: Where to eat, drink before Twins games in Minneapolis
The Twins and Diamond Sports Group agreed to a one-year extension of a contract that expired after the 2023 season, which saw both sides battling it out in bankruptcy court in Houston, Texas.
“It is disappointing that Comcast rejected an expansion proposal that would have kept our channels on the air and that Comcast has indicated its intention to remove the signals, preventing fans from watching their favorite local teams,” a statement from Diamond said Sports Group.
“Comcast has refused to engage in substantive discussions even though Diamond is offering terms similar to those with our much larger distributors. We are a fan-driven company and will continue to pursue an agreement with Comcast to restore broadcasts. At this critical juncture for Diamond, we hope Comcast recognizes the important and mutually beneficial role Diamond and RSNs play in the media ecosystem. In the meantime, fans in Comcast regions can access our networks through subscriptions to Fubo, DirecTV or DirecTV STREAM or through our direct-to-consumer offering, Bally Sports+ for teams for which Diamond retains DTC rights.
Did the Twins sign the deal with Diamond Sports Group knowing that Comcast’s deal to carry Bally Sports ended on May 1?
