Twins games will not be available on Comcast after negotiations broke down between the company and Bally Sports' owner, Diamond Sports, which is in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings.
A message shown on the Bally Sports channel to Comcast Xfinity customers explained the conflict.
“The owner of Bally Sports is in bankruptcy proceedings, and we have offered them multiple options to continue operating their networks. They have rejected every option, and we no longer have the right to continue carrying their content,” the letter read.
The Twins expressed their disappointment over the controversy that led to the channel being dropped and fans losing the option to watch the matches. The team said in a statement that its hands are tied in the dispute between Comcast and Bally Sports.
“The Twins are disappointed by this massive disruption to our fans who simply want to watch our games. This situation is a business negotiation between Comcast and Bally's. The Twins have no role or voice in this matter. We are hopeful that both parties can reach an agreement as soon as possible “
In February, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Houston approved a one-year contract between the Twins and Bally Sports North for the 2024 season after their previous broadcast contract expired last October.
At the time, the Twins and Major League Baseball were looking for alternative streaming and streaming options for fans due to uncertainty about the future of Diamond Sports, but ultimately kept their contract with Bally Sports for another season.
Major League Baseball said it hopes to offer a direct-to-consumer app for fans to purchase individual games, entire seasons or anything in between for streaming on TVs or other devices in 2025.
After approving the one-year contract in February, Judge Christopher Lopez said the agreement “provides some comfort for fans who want to know how they view their team.”
Now, less than three months later, the crucial broadcast partnership with Bally Sports has fallen into disarray once again.
Diamond Sports Group said fans can still watch Bally Sports via Fubo, DirecTV or directly through the network's streaming service. However, Twins games cannot be streamed there.
A free trial of Fubo is available here.
“It is disappointing that Comcast rejected a proposed extension that would have kept our channels on the air, and that Comcast has indicated it intends to pull signals, preventing fans from watching their favorite local teams,” Diamond Sports said in a statement.
A Comcast spokesperson said the company has been “very flexible with Diamond Sports Group for several months as it works through bankruptcy proceedings.”
“We would like to continue operating their networks, but they have rejected multiple offers and now we no longer have the rights to this programming,” the spokesperson said.
The other live sporting event affected today is the PWHL matchup between Minnesota and Toronto. That match can be watched on Al-Douri's YouTube channel.
The Timberwolves' playoff games were not scheduled to be shown on BSN after the first round. It will now be shown on the league's national broadcast outlets, starting with Game 1 on Saturday in Denver.
Comcast will issue credits between $8 and $10 to customers who subscribe to Bally Sports as part of their cable subscription.
“Devoted travel trailblazer. Freelance beer scholar. Passionate analyst. Hardcore twitter fanatic.”
More Stories
Winning the Carabao Cup does not allow Manchester United players off the hook
Yankees fans who tackled Mookie Betts were banned from World Series Game 5
Dodgers’ Mookie Betts shrugs off Yankee fans who attacked him