Bally Sports Naming Rights Sold to FanDuel – What it Means for Minnesota Sports Fans
The Minnesota Twins got back in bed with Diamond Sports Group last season. As tends to be the case when you do a deal with the devil, things went poorly. Major League Baseball has taken over production and distribution of Twins games in 2024.
Minnesota Timberwolves and Wild move to FanDuel Sports Network
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Wild recently signed a new one-year contract to stay on Bally Sports North. But starting on Monday, Diamond Sports’ collection of regional sports channels will no longer hold their “Bally Sports” branding. Next week, fans will tune into Wolves and Wild games on FanDuel Sports Network.
Bally Sports will become FanDuel Sports Network on October 21!@FanDuel x https://t.co/RSAv8Lw6oP pic.twitter.com/FO0EgqI2tm
— Bally Sports (@BallySports) October 18, 2024
As has been the case for both of their upcoming seasons, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Wild will remain tied to Diamond Sports Group. They will both be offered on the channel previously known as Bally Sports North, and now dubbed FanDuel Sports Network Midwest.
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How the parent company continues to operate moving forward remains to be seen. Diamond Sports Group must show it has a viable, and stable, path forward. Still dealing with bankruptcy proceedings, the FanDuel partnership is a positive development, but not a saving grace.
As was the case with Bally Sports, FanDuel Network will offer direct-to-consumer streaming options for cord cutters as well.
With Bally Sports North set to be rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network, it's worth noting FanDuel will have the option to buy a 5 percent equity stake in the reorganized company. That's assuming Diamond Sports Group emerges from bankruptcy. The change takes effect on Oct. 21.
— Judd Zulgad (@jzulgad) October 18, 2024
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What about the Minnesota Twins?
Effectively, the change to FanDuel is mostly just window dressing on a complex problem, especially in the MLB. They will get an influx of cash, due to the naming rights sale. To get to this point, Diamond Sports Group had to shed every MLB organization it once financed, except for one. The only team that will play its games on the FanDuel Sports Network is the Atlanta Braves.
“Collaborating with FanDuel provides a tremendous pathway for Diamond to elevate the fan experience and deepen the incremental value we provide for our team, league and distribution partners. This partnership reinforces opportunities to further strengthen the close connection our RSNs have with local fans, including enhancing our (direct-to-consumer) offering for a growing digital audience. In the meantime, having finalized agreements with the NBA, NHL and our key distributors, we remain focused on moving our business forward and driving value for our team partners and our stakeholders.”
Diamond Sports Group CEO David Preschlack (USA Today)
FanDuel Sports Network will produce games for those teams still under contract. They will also air their own FanDuel TV generated content. It’s a sizable shift in the ever-changing landscape of sports being tied heavily to betting organizations. This was something that always should have been seen as coming, but happening so quickly is quite the change.
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