Bally Sports North Parent Company Set To Liquidate Next Year

(KNSI) – Bally Sports North operator Diamond Sports Group is liquidating after the 2024 Major League Baseball season.

The regional channels were bought from Disney for almost $11 billion in 2019 but cord cutting and a decline in cable viewership have made the business model unworkable. That means the Timberwolves, Twins, and Wild will be on the hunt for new broadcast partners in the near future.

It could also mean a shake-up in commentary teams. The Twins announced earlier this month that St. Cloud State alum Dick Bremer was done as television play-by-play broadcaster after 40 years in the booth. He will move to a front office ambassador role.

There are other financial ramifications. It could lead to a return to deals with over-the-air channels that are available for free. They typically spend less for broadcast rights. That uncertainty might freeze free agency in several markets in three separate professional leagues.

Diamond Sports Group is owned by media company Sinclair. The plan was approved Wednesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.

___