PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The impending bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group, the company that owns Bally's 19 regional sports networks, will not impact fans' ability to watch their favorite teams play, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday, adding that the sport would pick up streaming in a worst-case scenario.
Diamond Sports Group, a subsidiary of Sinclair, announced Wednesday that it would skip February's $140 million interest-only payment and thus enter into the 30-day grace period that will probably lead to a bankruptcy filing, an expected yet monumental development throughout the professional sports landscape. MLB, with 14 teams that pull in substantive revenue through regional sports contracts with Diamond Sports Group, could be severely impacted.