Nine MLB Teams Terminate Deals With Main Street Sports

This article digs into the rapidly shifting world of Major League Baseball’s local TV rights. The collapse of the regional sports network (RSN) model is sending shockwaves through teams, fans, and the league’s financial outlook.

With nine MLB clubs cutting ties with Main Street Sports, the league faces a new challenge in distributing games and generating revenue.

MLB Teams Cut Ties With Main Street Sports

The Braves, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals, and Rays all decided to end their local broadcast deals with Main Street Sports, which used to be Diamond Sports Group. These choices weren’t easy, but teams just didn’t trust a company that keeps struggling to get its finances together.

Missed rights payments and Main Street’s shaky finances pushed teams to act now. They’d rather cut ties early than get dragged into another bankruptcy mess.

By ending contracts ahead of time, clubs think they can protect themselves and look for new broadcast options.

Why the RSN Model Is Crumbling

Regional sports networks used to be the backbone of MLB’s local media, offering steady money that paid for big payrolls. That model’s fading fast as more people ditch cable and ad revenue dries up.

Main Street Sports only made it out of bankruptcy in November 2024, but things haven’t gotten much better. Talks with DAZN fizzled out, and Fubo TV’s name has come up, but there’s no deal. Teams just couldn’t wait around.

MLB Steps In to Keep Games on the Air

Commissioner Rob Manfred keeps insisting on one thing: fans won’t lose access to their teams. Whether it’s Main Street, another partner, or MLB Media, games will get shown on TV and streamed online.

MLB already took over local broadcasts for five teams during the 2025 season. That approach could easily grow. The Nationals are expected to leave MASN soon, which would make MLB’s direct-to-consumer role even bigger.

A New Viewing Experience for Fans

For fans, MLB-run broadcasts might actually feel like an upgrade. League-controlled streaming usually means:

But what works for fans doesn’t always thrill team owners.

The Financial Trade-Off for Teams

MLB-operated broadcasts offer stability, but they usually bring in less money—and it’s less predictable—than the old RSN contracts. For years, those deals helped teams spend big and stay competitive.

Now, teams like the Padres and Twins have to walk a tightrope. They’re trying to compete but working with slimmer budgets because local media money just isn’t what it used to be.

Limited Financial Relief From the League

MLB and the players’ union agreed to shift some competitive balance tax funds to help out affected teams in 2024. That was short-lived, though. There’s no similar plan for 2025 or 2026, so clubs are left to handle the hit themselves.

Broadcast Rights and the Next Labor Fight

The RSN collapse has started to shape MLB’s long-term strategy. The league doesn’t want to lock itself into local deals past 2028.

Instead, they’re looking at a unified streaming model. There’s also talk about trying a competitive auction for broadcast rights, which could shake things up.

These media tensions will probably hang over the next round of collective bargaining. The current CBA runs out after the 2026 season.

Disputes over revenue sharing might get heated. There’s even that old rumor about a salary cap, which could push labor peace right up to the edge again.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Nine Teams Terminate Contracts With Main Street Sports