SOUTHPORT, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Diamond Sports Group (“Diamond” or the “Company”) today announced that it has reached a multi-year renewal of its distribution agreement with Charter Communications, Inc (NASDAQ: CHTR) (“Charter”) to carry Diamond’s portfolio of regional sports networks (“RSNs”).
Under the new agreement, customers will continue to have access to live, local MLB, NBA and NHL games and pre- and post-game content on Diamond’s RSN channels through Charter’s Spectrum TV Select Plus package. Additionally, Spectrum TV Select Plus customers will be able to stream Diamond’s RSN content by authenticating with their subscription credentials on the Bally Sports app. Customers who do not have access to Diamond’s RSN channels as part of their service will be able to purchase Diamond’s Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) product, including from Spectrum, to access all local DTC content for the teams for which Diamond retains DTC rights.
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.”
About Diamond Sports Group
Diamond Sports Group LLC, an independently-managed and unconsolidated subsidiary of Sinclair Inc., owns the Bally Sports Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), the nation’s leading provider of local sports. Its 18 owned-and-operated RSNs include Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Oklahoma, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West, and Bally Sports Wisconsin. The Bally Sports RSNs serve as the TV home to nearly half of all MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States. Diamond Sports Group also has a joint venture in Marquee, the home of the Chicago Cubs, and a minority interest in the YES Network, the local destination for the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets. Diamond RSNs produce over 4,000 live local professional telecasts each year in addition to a wide variety of locally produced sports events and programs.