[W. Knight]

Bally Sports' parent company, Diamond Sports (majority-owned and operated by Sinclair, with Allen Media Group having a minority interest) is about to declare itself in administration. The immediate aftermath of it would be the start of the decline for the regional sports network model, which in the streaming era is becoming more obsolete. MLB could also take back the regional rights to 14 teams to re-sell it to competing RSNs or offer them through MLB Advanced Media.

An update on the Bally Sports saga: They're late in paying Arizona Diamondbacks the broadcast right fees, and chain reactions may start if they still can't pay up by 17/3:

Diamond already is late on one rights payment — to the Arizona Diamondbacks — according to several sources. Diamond carries Diamondbacks games on Bally Sports Arizona as part of a deal that largely is considered extremely favorable to the team and runs through 2035.

Diamond has a grace period where it can make the payment without penalty, but that grace period ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 16. If Diamond fails to make its payment by then, expect MLB to try to get the team’s linear television and digital rights back.

(SBJ)