MINNEAPOLIS — Life is not easy for a Minnesota sports fan.
There is that title drought that has gone on for decades for most major teams in the market (besides the Lynx), but the latest issue involves Twins fans' broadcasts fading to black as the ballclub rides the wave of a nine-game winning streak.
The troubled saga of Diamond Sports - parent company of Bally Sports North - continues as a breakdown in contract negotiations with Comcast-Xfinity resulted in Bally being blacked out late Tuesday evening. The Twins game on Wednesday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox will be the first impacted, but likely not the last.
Comcast tells us they will proactively credit their customers $8-10 dollars a month while the blackout continues.
“We have been very flexible with Diamond Sports Group for months as they work through their bankruptcy proceedings, providing them with an extension on the Bally Sports Regional Networks last fall and a unilateral right to extend the term for another year, which they opted to not exercise," Comcast said in a released statement Tuesday. "We’d like to continue carrying their networks, but they have declined multiple offers and now we no longer have the rights to this programming. We will proactively credit our customers for the costs associated with them – most will automatically receive $8 to 10 per month in credits.”
Diamond turned the blame on Comcast for the standoff and subsequent inability of sports fans to watch their favorite teams on the Xfinity network.
“It’s disappointing that Comcast rejected a proposed extension that would have kept our channels on the air and that Comcast indicated that it intends to pull the signals, preventing fans from watching their favorite local teams," Diamond Sports shared in a released statement. "Comcast has refused to engage in substantive discussions despite Diamond offering terms similar to those reached with much larger distributors of ours. We are a fans-first company and will continue to seek an agreement with Comcast to restore broadcasts, and at this critical juncture for Diamond, we hope that Comcast will recognize the important and mutually beneficial role Diamond and [Regional Sports Networks] play in the media ecosystem."
Diamond Sports Group said Comcast-Xfinity customers can still access their Bally Sports content through Fubo and DirecTV streams or through their Bally Sports-Plus app. Here's the problem: Bally Sports Plus doesn't carry Twins games.
The Twins claim they have no role in the dispute. In a statement to Sports Director Reggie Wilson overnight, the club stated, "The Twins have no role or voice in this matter. We are hopeful the two parties are able to come to an agreement as soon as possible. "
Diamond Sports Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2023 in an effort to restructure and deal with $8 billion in debt. The Twins are among an extensive roster of professional sports teams across the country that are impacted by the blackout that began Tuesday on Comcast-Xfinity.
The Comcast blackout currently only affects baseball games, but if it stretches on long enough other sports could be affected. Diamond, for instance, currently holds the pay-TV rights to games played by 38 teams across the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and MLB.
Ballclubs currently affected by the blackout are the Twins, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels.
The question now is how long will the contract stalemate last? Bally Sports North carries games not only for the Twins, but the Timberwolves, Lynx and Wild.
Stay tuned.
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