As Main Street Sports Group moves toward a complete winddown, DAZN has reportedly begun reaching out directly to the 13 NBA and 7 NHL franchises tied to the regional sports network operator to explore whether new local media rights partnerships could take shape ahead of next season, according to a report by Sports Business Journal.
The outreach comes as uncertainty intensifies around where those teams will land once Main Street completes its legal process. This is creating an opening for distributors and digital platforms eager to strengthen their foothold in the U.S. marketplace at a time when the RSN model continues to evolve under financial pressure and shifting consumer behavior.
Although DAZN previously explored a broader investment in Main Street Sports Group, those talks ultimately did not produce a transaction. Instead the global streaming service has reportedly pivoted toward a team-by-team evaluation strategy that would allow it to selectively pursue local rights agreements while aligning with league-level media objectives already in motion.
DAZN already existing international relationships with both the NBA and NHL position the company as a credible long-term partner. The platform distributes NBA games in several European territories, operates NHL TV globally, and manages NFL Game Pass outside the United States while also sublicensing much of ESPN’s college sports programming internationally.
According to the report, conversations about DAZN’s interest have extended beyond individual clubs, with league media executives. This includes NBA President of Global Content and Media Distribution Bill Koenig and NHL Executive Vice President of Media and International Strategy David Proper.
Both leagues, similar to the path Major League Baseball has pursued, are widely expected to examine a more centralized structure that bundles local rights under a unified framework. DAZN reportedly has signaled a desire to participate in those conversations should a rolled-up model emerge that combines streaming distribution with local broadcast components.
Main Street has said it would carry NBA and NHL games through the regular season. The company has missed rights fee payments. It has also asked teams to accept reductions and deferrals. Those moves raised concerns among creditors and league officials.
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