Diamond Sports Group, which owns the Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks, inked a deal with Comcast on Monday that will allow Xfinity subscribers to watch their local MLB, NBA and NHL teams again, but with a twist.
The 15 Bally Sports Networks will return to Xfinity starting Aug. 1, but only with the Ultimate TV package, which is $20 more per month than the cable company’s basic package. A Comcast spokesperson said: Athletic The company will offer a three-month free trial of its Ultimate TV package for the remainder of the MLB regular season.
“Signing a new distribution agreement with Comcast, our third-largest distributor, marks an important step in our restructuring efforts and we are pleased that fans will once again have access to their local team’s broadcasts through Xfinity,” Diamond Sports CEO David Pleschlak said in a statement. “With distribution now secure, we are focused on closing our agreement with the NHL and resolving our ongoing negotiations with the NBA.”
A regional Comcast network outage in late April forced Xfinity subscribers to scramble for options to stream their local baseball teams. Currently, Bally Sports broadcasts games from 12 MLB teams: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers.
Diamond Sports Group is currently undergoing a lengthy bankruptcy process that began in March 2023. The company broadcasts games for 38 MLB, NBA and NHL teams.
