Cardinals sign deal with FanDuel Sports Network to broadcast games
The Cardinals will stay with Bally Sports , recently renamed FanDuel Sports Network, the club announced Thursday.
The Cardinals will continue its partnership with Diamond Sports Group, parent company of FanDuel Sports Network, in a multi-year rights agreement.
FanDuel Sports Network Midwest will broadcast all games that are not exclusively televised nationally, plus pre- and post-game shows and original programming.
New under the agreement is a direct-to-consumer model where subscribers to the FanDuel Sports Network app can stream Cardinals games without a television or satellite provider. Diamond did not say how many years the agreement covers.
"We are pleased to enhance and expand our long-term partnership with Diamond and FanDuel Sports Network Midwest," Bill DeWitt III, president of the Cardinals, said in a statement. "We valued the continuity for our fans of staying on the same network as the Blues, and we are excited that we will now be able to expand access to our games and other great Cardinals content across multiple platforms next year."
Diamond, which operates 16 regional sports networks, has been in bankruptcy proceedings since March 2023, a result of dwindling cable viewership over the years. During a recent court appearance, the company signaled that it could drop broadcasts for the Cardinals and 10 other MLB teams, surprising stakeholders and consumers.
A final confirmation hearing for Diamond's bankruptcy case is scheduled for next week. Diamond will make a case in front of a Houston bankruptcy judge that it should be approved to emerge from bankruptcy and reorganize.
David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond, said the broadcast remains in discussions with the other MLB team partners on future plans.
"We are excited about deepening our relationship with the Cardinals and expanding our reach by delivering games to fans on a DTC basis," Preschlack said in a statement. "As we progress toward emergence from bankruptcy, we remain committed to providing fans in the Midwest region with high quality broadcasts through our linear and digital offerings and meeting fans where they are in the evolving viewership model."
Already, the Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins have opted to distribute local games through an MLB-run operation for the 2025 season. They join the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres.
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