The Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy proceedings are still ongoing, and nothing has been set in stone about the future of the Bally Sports regional sports networks. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league has a plan, if the worst should happen.
Despite reports that Amazon could invest in Diamond Sports and that the company is looking to keep its contracts with MLB, NHL and NBA teams, it’s still possible that Bally Sports could go away completely.
The NHL is monitoring the situation. Bettman told the Dallas Morning News that presently the main priority for the league is maximizing the availability of game broadcasts to fans in-market.
“The biggest concern is making sure fans have access to our games,” Bettman said.
Should Diamond Sports Group have to give up its RSNs, Bettman said the NHL is getting ready to potentially take the lead on local broadcasts, much like how MLB did with some teams last year.
“We’re preparing alternatives for clubs,” he said. “We’re going to make sure we’re in a position where games are available, and we’re going to seek to evolve with the times because the model has obviously been under some stress.”
“We have contingency plans,” Bettman added. “It’s more in the short-term of making sure we can deliver games. That’s something from the first time I was worried that we had prepared for”
Still, despite having some peace of mind in the interim should Diamond Sports Group go belly up, Bettman knows the RSN model needs an overhaul.
“The longer-term business strategy is something that’s going to have to evolve,” he said.
