Comcast discontinued Bally Sports, one of its regional sports networks (RSNs), in May of last year. According to Bally Sports, Comcast intended to upgrade the network to a more expensive bundle. This move could prevent Bally Sports from moving further.
The announcement that Bally Sports had been dropped by Comcast was immediately followed by reports that the two firms had stopped negotiations. According to Sportico, Comcast has reopened talks with Diamond Sports Group, Bally Sports’ parent business.
This comes as Bally Sports is trying to figure out how to move forward before a bankruptcy court.
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Last month, the MLB, NHL, and NBA expressed concern in court about Comcast’s potential impact on Bally Sports’ ambitions to restructure and leave bankruptcy. According to Bloomberg, the MLB went so far as to state that Bally Sports has been “an undependable partner” and that Comcast’s decision to dump Bally Sports has harmed the league. This has compelled the MLB to establish an additional broadcast option for Comcast subscribers, establishing a partnership for reduced Fubo for a few months.
NHL counsel Shana Elberg stated that the league requires immediate answers about the future of Bally Sports RSNs. “We have told the debtors unequivocally that we need to get clarity on certain outstanding matters this week,” she told the StarTribune.
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The NBA counsel also highlighted legitimate concerns regarding the future of Bally Sports if a deal with Comcast is not achieved. “Without a Comcast deal, [Bally Sports] may very well not be able to survive,” added Vincent. “We simply cannot wait much longer” to find out.
Now the question is whether Bally Sports can continue without Comcast or whether it will meet Comcast’s demands.
According to reports, Comcast intends to shift Bally Sports to a more premium TV package, similar to what it has done with other regional sports networks. The question now is whether Bally Sports would accept it and whether it will be sufficient to help company avoid bankruptcy.
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