Report: FanDuel Sports Network May Have Two Weeks to Live

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

The nine MLB teams carried on FanDuel Sports Network have notified the channel’s owner, Main Street Sports Group, that it needs to secure a new financial ‘guarantor’ by month’s end or they will likely exit their agreements for good.

 

That’s according to a new article from Sports Business Journal.

 

The publication reports that NBA and NHL teams on FanDuel Sports have made similar ultimatums to the RSN (regional sports network) company which has been searching for a new owner for weeks. SBJ previously reported that a once promising deal with sports distributor DAZN now appears unlikely.

 

The nine MLB teams (Cardinals, Rays, Tigers, Marlins, Royals, Brewers, Braves, Reds and Angels) have opted out of their FanDuel Sports deals but have remained open to new carriage offers from Main Street Sports Group, according to multiple reports. However, the SBJ article suggests that the window for Main Street to secure new deals is quickly closing.

 

Without the MLB teams, and perhaps the NHL and NBA teams as well, there would be little choice left for Main Street Sports Group except to dissolve. That would mean that the league and teams would take back the regional TV rights of the 29 MLB, NHL and NBA squads and broadcast their games on league-run services. The teams would also likely stay on cable/satellite services through separate agreements.

 

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has indicated that the league might package league-run broadcasts to a third party such as ESPN. The league is now committed to broadcasting the games of seven teams with the Washington Nationals joining yesterday. However, it now appears unlikely that an ESPN regional sports deal would begin in 2026. The Nats yesterday said its MLB TV broadcasts would not be available on ESPN this season.

 

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