The future of baseball broadcasting is happening right now, and it's a massive shift.
All nine MLB teams are officially leaving Main Street Sports Group/FanDuel Sports Network, marking the end of the traditional regional sports network model as we know it, according to Sports Business Journal.
Here's the breakdown: Eight teams - the Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals, and Rays - will strike deals with local distributors in their home markets while streaming games on MLB.tv or other outlets. The ninth team, the Braves, are planning their own network, potentially on a national streaming platform like Amazon or Apple.
What does this mean for fans? The old cable bundle model where you paid for 100 channels to watch your local team is dying. Teams are betting on direct-to-consumer streaming and local partnerships to reach viewers who've cut the cord.
This is seismic. Regional sports networks have been the backbone of MLB broadcasting for decades, but between cord-cutting, bankruptcy filings, and teams wanting more control, the writing has been on the wall.
The Cardinals already announced their direct-to-consumer option at $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month. Expect similar pricing from other teams.
For fans, the big question is accessibility. Will it be easier to watch your team, or will you need multiple subscriptions? Will games be blacked out? How will bars and restaurants show games?
The answers will unfold over the next few months, but one thing is clear: baseball broadcasting will never be the same.
That's what sports is all about, folks.
