CLEVELAND, Ohio – Sports fans in Cleveland may have a new way to watch their teams, as Amazon is nearing a deal to stream Cavs and Guardians games, according to Front Office Sports.
The potential deal comes as Diamond Sports Group (DSG), the parent company of Bally Sports, attempts to emerge from bankruptcy. Amazon could step in, potentially offering fans a streaming option for around $20 per month.
The potential new deal comes after a rocky road for DSG as it tries to emerge from bankruptcy.
In late August, Amazon pulled out of a financing agreement that was originally supposed to provide DSG with $115 million post-bankruptcy in exchange for 15 percent of the company. That deal would have made Amazon Prime Video the primary platform for streaming DSG’s regional sports networks (RSNs).
Despite Amazon’s withdrawal, this move is not expected to jeopardize DSG’s reorganization or its potential partnership with Amazon as a distribution platform for local sports.
DSG has made significant progress in financial recovery in recent months, restructuring $450 million in debt and settling a legal dispute with its parent company Sinclair, Inc., which provided DSG with an additional $495 million. In addition, the company entered into new distribution deals with Comcast and revised its rights agreements with the NBA and NHL, including a commitment to broadcast Cavs games through the 2024-25 season. These steps have bolstered DSG’s confidence in emerging from bankruptcy.
While the Cavs are involved in a broader agreement that allows DSG to continue broadcasting NBA and NHL games through the 2024-25 season, the situation is more complex for the Guardians.
In February, after months of uncertainty, the Guardians confirmed an agreement with DSG to continue broadcasting games on Bally Sports Great Lakes through the 2024 season. However, the current deal does not include digital streaming rights, leaving many cable TV holdouts in Northeast Ohio without a streaming option to watch their team.
This lack of streaming access is frustrating for Guardians fans, as the team retains its digital rights but has not yet sold them to another bidder, meaning streaming on mobile devices is not possible for now.
When asked about the future, the Guardians told cleveland.com that 2025 is uncertain as their contract with DSG expires at the end of this year.
DSG is seeking a hearing to confirm its reorganization plan in early to mid-November. However, MLB remains skeptical, particularly regarding DSG’s ability to broadcast games on time through 2025.
DSG’s financial problems are well documented. The Guardians earned $55 million from their contract with DSG last year and would have earned between $60 and $65 million in 2024. However, DSG attempted to renegotiate those terms, arguing that some of its contracts, including Cleveland’s, were not profitable.
The potential new deal would cover 27 teams from the NBA, NHL and MLB and provide Cleveland sports fans with a more reliable streaming platform than the current Bally Sports+ app, which has had technical issues.
As DSG goes through its bankruptcy proceedings, Amazon’s potential acquisition of the streaming rights could change the way local fans watch their favorite teams. For Guardians fans, however, the wait for a comprehensive streaming option continues.
Whether this deal ultimately brings positive changes for Cleveland fans remains to be seen, but it lays the groundwork for a future where sports streaming becomes the new norm.
