Bally Sports
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Regional sports networks |
| Predecessor | Bally Sports, Fox Sports Networks |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | News Corporation and Liberty Media (original Fox Sports Net) |
| Fate | Rebranded from Bally Sports on October 21, 2024 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Over 33 states in the United States |
Key people | Chris Ripley (Sinclair CEO during acquisition) |
| Owner | Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group) |
| Parent | Main Street Sports Group |
FanDuel Sports Network—previously known as Bally Sports—comprises a collection of regional sports networks across the United States, owned by Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group). These channels deliver regional coverage of professional, college, and high school sports in over 33 states through a mix of owned-and-operated outlets and affiliates.
The networks originally operated under the name Fox Sports Networks when part of News Corporation. In 2019, Diamond Sports acquired these networks from the Walt Disney Company following Disney’s required divestiture tied to its purchase of 21st Century Fox. Diamond Sports was established by Sinclair Broadcast Group with financial backing from Allen Media Group. After the acquisition, naming rights were sold to casino operator Bally's Corporation, leading to a rebranding as Bally Sports on March 31, 2021.
Confronted with industry challenges such as cord-cutting, Diamond Sports Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2023. The restructuring plan involved separating from Sinclair to become an independent entity and renegotiating or terminating multiple team broadcast contracts. In October 2024, Diamond terminated its deal with Bally’s and formed a partnership with online gambling company FanDuel, resulting in the networks’ rebranding as FanDuel Sports Network on October 21, 2024. The bankruptcy process concluded on January 2, 2025, with Diamond Sports Group transitioning to Main Street Sports Group.
Origins
The roots of FanDuel Sports Network date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, initially functioning as affiliates of the Prime Network and SportsChannel. In 1996, News Corporation and Liberty Media, owner of Prime Network, announced the rebranding of Prime Sports networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner, which officially launched on November 1, 1996. The following year, News Corp and Liberty Media acquired a 40% interest in Cablevision/NBC's SportsChannel networks. These were rebranded as part of Fox Sports Net in early 1998, expanding the network group to 18 affiliates. Subsequent acquisitions and new network launches eventually increased the portfolio to 22 owned-and-operated channels.
Disney’s Divestiture and Diamond Sports Acquisition
On December 14, 2017, the Walt Disney Company announced its intention to acquire 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion while spinning off certain assets into a new entity ultimately named Fox Corporation. Although Fox Sports regional operations were initially included in this purchase, the United States Department of Justice mandated their sale within 90 days after closing due to antitrust concerns related to ESPN’s market dominance.
Sinclair Broadcast Group emerged as the primary bidder for the Fox Sports Networks (FSNs), seeking private equity partners to fund the acquisition. Sinclair’s existing sports portfolio included Stadium (sports network), Tennis Channel, and the Chicago Cubs-focused RSN, Marquee Sports Network.
On May 3, Sinclair announced that through its subsidiary Diamond Sports Group it had reached a $10.6 billion deal to acquire the FSNs, subject to regulatory approval. The transaction included participation from Allen Media Group as both an equity investor and content partner. The sale was finalized on August 22, 2019, encompassing 21 out of the 22 networks. These channels temporarily retained Fox Sports branding under license while Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley outlined plans for eventual rebranding or collaboration with an established brand and an increased emphasis on non-live programming centered around sports betting.
Because of contractual rights, Yankee Global Enterprises held first refusal on Fox’s stake in YES Network. On August 29, 2019, a consortium including the Yankees, Sinclair, Amazon (company), and the Blackstone Group purchased Disney’s 80% interest for $3.47 billion; Sinclair retained a minority stake of 20%.
In early 2020, streaming platforms like FuboTV, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV dropped these channels amid carriage disputes. On November 4, 2020, Sinclair recorded a $4.23 billion impairment charge related to its FSN acquisition.
Rebranding as Bally Sports
On November 17, 2020, Sinclair initiated discussions to rename its regional sports networks by securing a naming rights partnership with firms involved in sports wagering. The next day, Sinclair formalized a decade-long naming rights agreement with casino operator Bally's Corporation, incorporating Bally's content across its platforms such as Stadium and Tennis Channel. This arrangement also granted Sinclair a warrant to potentially acquire up to a 24.9% ownership stake in Bally's contingent on performance metrics.
Sinclair announced on January 27, 2021, that the networks would adopt the Bally Sports brand starting March 31. As part of this transition, Fox Sports Carolinas and Fox Sports Tennessee ceased operations, with their programming absorbed by Bally Sports South and Southeast. Additionally, Prime Ticket and SportsTime Ohio were rebranded as Bally Sports SoCal and Bally Sports Great Lakes respectively, aligning their names more closely with their geographic markets.
Prior to the rebranding rollout, new studio environments were constructed across FSN locations. Drive Studio crafted a cohesive on-air graphics package featuring a standardized score bug integrated with the ticker display. This design was intended to facilitate future incorporation of sports betting information such as odds and prop bets.
On Opening Day under the new branding, the channels broadcast Bally Sports Big Opening Day, a production by Stadium hosted by Michael Kim, Kristina Pink, and Eric Collins, showcasing teams and events throughout Sinclair’s sports network portfolio.
On June 23, 2022, Bally Sports introduced a direct-to-consumer streaming service named Bally Sports Plus, initially launching in select regions before expanding nationwide on September 26.
Bankruptcy and spin-off
Diamond Sports Group, the proprietor of Bally Sports, failed to make a $140 million interest payment on February 15, 2023, opting for a 30-day grace period. Subsequently, on March 14, 2023, Diamond filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while proposing separation from Sinclair Broadcast Group to operate independently.
During bankruptcy proceedings, Diamond missed payments owed to several Major League Baseball teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Guardians, and Minnesota Twins; the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes; the NBA’s Orlando Magic; as well as other entities like Raycom Sports for ACC games and the Orange Bowl basketball event. Grace periods were granted for payments due to the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds, which were eventually settled.
On May 31, 2023, Diamond defaulted on a second payment to the Padres resulting in MLB reclaiming their television rights. Bally Sports San Diego—a joint venture with the Padres—was not part of the bankruptcy estate and thus did not receive similar protections. Following a hearing on June 1, the bankruptcy judge mandated that Diamond fully satisfy overdue MLB team contracts within five days. On July 18, 2023, Bally Sports relinquished broadcast rights for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After losing rights to the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and Arizona Coyotes during 2023, Diamond ceased operations of Bally Sports Arizona on October 21—marking its first shutdown amid bankruptcy. Subsequently, Bally Sports San Diego liquidated assets to the Padres following a settlement finalized in 2024.
Diamond terminated its contract with Raycom Sports on June 14, enabling ACC game rights to be sold elsewhere; The CW acquired these rights in July. On November 6, 2023, Diamond secured a one-year agreement with the NBA that reduced payments by 16% while permitting teams to sell up to ten games to local over-the-air broadcasters; similar terms were reached with the NHL on December 20. The Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans collaborated with Gray Television for local over-the-air broadcasts beginning December 2023.
On January 17, 2024, Diamond announced restructuring plans including minority investment from Amazon alongside a $495 million settlement with Sinclair Broadcast Group; these plans involved integrating the Bally Sports app into Amazon Prime Video. The reorganization proposal filed on March 1 included terminating the naming rights arrangement with Bally's Corporation.
Carriage disputes caused Comcast and Midco to drop Bally Sports networks in May 2024; Optimum followed suit in July. Scripps Sports secured an agreement with the Florida Panthers for over-the-air broadcasts starting in the 2024–25 season. In July 2024, Diamond requested cancellation of its Dallas Stars contract; consequently, the Stars launched a free streaming platform for their games beginning that season. Comcast later negotiated a new carriage deal placing Bally Sports within its "Ultimate TV" tier.
By August 23, 2024, Diamond amended broadcast agreements with nine NHL and thirteen NBA franchises through at least the 2024–25 season featuring reduced rights fees; contracts with the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans were terminated. Amazon withdrew its planned investment citing diminished value due to loss of team broadcast rights.
In August 2024, Anaheim Ducks broadcasts transitioned to KCOP-TV and Victory+. Contracts with Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers expired after the conclusion of the 2024 season. MLB Local Media assumed broadcasting rights for Brewers, Guardians, and Twins starting in 2025. This transition led to FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes ceasing operations in March 2025 due to absence of local team coverage.
Diamond announced intentions to renegotiate agreements with several MLB clubs including Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers; failure to reach terms would result in contract termination. The Atlanta Braves remained unaffected by these developments.
FanDuel Sports Network Rebranding and Bankruptcy Resolution
On October 16, 2024, Diamond revealed a sponsorship agreement with FanDuel Group, leading to the transformation of Bally Sports into the FanDuel Sports Network (FDSN), effective October 21. The contract includes an option for FanDuel to secure up to a 5% minority equity share once Diamond emerges from bankruptcy. Notably, the FanDuel branding will be subdued during high school sports broadcasts. The Miami Marlins successfully renegotiated terms to continue their presence on FDSN.
This rebranding initiative positioned the regional sports networks as indirect affiliates of FanDuel TV, a national sports channel dedicated to sports wagering and studio programming, which is owned outright by FanDuel Group. The partnership enables FanDuel TV to distribute its original content through FDSN and to market FDSN’s over-the-top streaming service via its own platforms. Mike Raffensperger, FanDuel’s president, emphasized this as a strategic effort to deepen the brand’s connection with sports enthusiasts.
Major League Baseball voiced reservations regarding the transparency of the deal and the integration of league content with a sports betting brand. On November 8, both MLB and the Atlanta Braves formally opposed the arrangement, citing concerns about Diamond’s financial stability and transparency. Subsequently, the Cincinnati Reds also opted to terminate their contract with Diamond.
Following the withdrawal of objections by MLB and the Braves on November 14, Diamond’s reorganization plan received approval from bankruptcy court. Diamond successfully renegotiated agreements with teams including the Braves, Tigers, Angels, Marlins, Cardinals, and Rays to maintain their broadcasts on FDSN. Initially, the Reds intended to transfer their local broadcast rights to MLB Local Media for the 2025 season but reversed this decision in January 2025 by signing a new deal to remain with FDSN, which incorporates expanded over-the-top streaming rights.
On January 2, 2025, Diamond Sports Group officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and adopted a new corporate identity as Main Street Sports Group.
Owned-and-operated
| Network | Coverage Area | Previous Names | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel Sports Network Detroit | Michigan Northwestern Ohio Northeastern Indiana Northeast Wisconsin |
Fox Sports Detroit (1997–2021) Bally Sports Detroit (2021–2024) |
|
| FanDuel Sports Network Florida | Florida | SportsChannel Florida (1987–2000) Fox Sports Florida (2000–2021) Bally Sports Florida (2021–2024) |
|
| FanDuel Sports Network Indiana | Indiana | Fox Sports Indiana (2006–2021) Bally Sports Indiana (2021–2024) |
Shares programming with FanDuel Sports Network Midwest |
| FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City | Kansas City, Missouri Kansas |
Fox Sports Kansas City (2008–2021) Bally Sports Kansas City (2021–2024) |
Minority ownership held by Kansas City Royals; programming shared with FanDuel Midwest |
| FanDuel Sports Network Midwest | Missouri southern Illinois Iowa Nebraska |
Prime Sports Midwest (1989–1996) Fox Sports Midwest (1996–2021) Bally Sports Midwest (2021–2024) |
Holds 30% equity from St. Louis Cardinals; collaborates on programming with FanDuel Indiana and Kansas City |
| FanDuel Sports Network North | Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa North Dakota South Dakota |
Midwest Sports Channel (1989–2001) Fox Sports North (2001–2021) Bally Sports North (2021–2024) |
|
| FanDuel Sports Network Ohio | Ohio Kentucky Eastern Indiana Northwestern Pennsylvania Southwestern New York portions of West Virginia |
SportsChannel Ohio (1989–1998) Fox Sports Ohio (1998–2021) Bally Sports Ohio (2021–2024) |
Features separate subfeeds for Cincinnati and Cleveland; partial ownership by Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati feed until October 2024 |
| FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma | Oklahoma | Fox Sports Oklahoma (2008–2021) Bally Sports Oklahoma (2021–2024) |
Broadcasts content from FanDuel Southwest |
| FanDuel Sports Network SoCal | Southern California Southern Nevada Hawaii |
Fox Sports West 2 (1997–2006) Prime Ticket (2006–2021) Bally Sports SoCal (2021–2024) | |
| FanDuel Sports Network South | Georgia Alabama Kentucky Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee |
SportSouth (1990–1996) Fox Sports South (1996–2021) Bally Sports South (2021–2024) |
Shares broadcast rights with FanDuel Southeast |
| FanDuel Sports Network Southeast | Georgia Alabama Mississippi South Carolina Tennessee Western North Carolina |
Turner South (1999–2006) SportSouth (2006–2015) Fox Sports Southeast (2015–2021) Bally Sports Southeast (2021–2024) |
Shares broadcast rights with FanDuel South |
| FanDuel Sports Network Southwest | Texas Arkansas Northern Louisiana parts of New Mexico |
Home Sports Entertainment (1983–1994) Prime Sports Southwest (1994–1996) Fox Sports Southwest (1996–2021) Bally Sports Southwest (2021–2024) |
The Texas Rangers maintained a 10% stake until October 2024 |
| FanDuel Sports Network Sun | Florida | Sunshine Network (1988–2004) Sun Sports (2004–2015) Fox Sports Sun (2015–2021) Bally Sports Sun (2021–2024) |
Shares broadcast rights with FanDuel Florida |
| FanDuel Sports Network West | Southern California Southern Nevada Hawaii |
Prime Ticket (1985–1994) Prime Sports West (1994–1996) Fox Sports West (1996–2021) Bally Sports West (2021–2024) |
Holds a 25% equity stake by the Los Angeles Angels |
| FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin | Wisconsin wester Upper Peninsula of Michigan eastern Minnesota northwestern Illinois Iowa |
Fox Sports Wisconsin (2007–2021) Bally Sports Wisconsin (2021–2024) |
Broadcasts Minnesota Wild games and outdoor programming from FanDuel North; minority interest held by Brewers since 2021 |
Affiliates
| Network | Coverage Area | Previously Known As | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquee Sports Network | Northern and Central Illinois Iowa Eastern and Central Nebraska Northern, Western, and Central Indiana Southwestern Michigan Southeastern Wisconsin |
Jointly owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Chicago Cubs. | |
| YES Network | New York Northern and Central Jersey Southwestern Connecticut Northeastern Pennsylvania |
Minority ownership by Main Street Sports Group. Select content broadcast on MSG Sportsnet/MSG Network. | |
| MSG Sportsnet/MSG Network | Cablevision Sports 3 (1976–1979) SportsChannel New York (1979–1998) FSN New York (1998–2008) |
Some shows are aired on YES Network. |
Formerly owned-and-operated
| Network | Coverage Area | Previously Known As | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bally Sports Arizona | Arizona New Mexico Utah Southern Nevada |
Fox Sports Arizona (1996–1999, 2008–2021) Fox Sports Net Arizona (1999–2004) FSN Arizona (2004–2008) |
Operations ended October 21, 2023 following loss of broadcast rights for Phoenix Suns, Mercury, Diamondbacks, and Coyotes games. |
| Bally Sports San Diego | San Diego County Imperial County Palm Springs Area Las Vegas Valley Southern Arizona Hawaii |
Fox Sports San Diego (2012–2021) | Padres owned a 20% share prior to terminating the partnership on May 30, 2023. The network was dissolved in April 2024 after settlement with the Padres. |
| Bally Sports New Orleans | Louisiana East Texas South Alabama Southern Mississippi Florida Panhandle |
Fox Sports New Orleans (2012–2021) | Closed on October 21, 2024 following Bally Sports' rebranding and loss of Pelicans, Stars, and Rangers broadcast rights. |
| FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes | Ohio Northwestern Pennsylvania Southwestern New York parts of Kentucky & West Virginia |
SportsTime Ohio (2006–2021) Bally Sports Great Lakes (2021–2024) |
Shut down March 1, 2025 after Cleveland Guardians rights transferred to MLB Local Media; never aired live sports under the FanDuel branding. |
Teams by network
| Network | MLB | NBA | NHL | Other | Teams from adjacent networks (Availability may vary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel Sports Network Detroit | Detroit Tigers | Detroit Pistons | Detroit Red Wings | Detroit Lions (NFL)* | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network Florida | Miami Marlins | Orlando Magic | — | — | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network Indiana | — | Indiana Pacers | — | — | Detroit Pistons (NBA) (Detroit) St. Louis Blues (NHL) (Midwest) St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City | Kansas City Royals | — | — | — | Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) (North) Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) (Oklahoma) St. Louis Blues (NHL) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network Midwest | St. Louis Cardinals | — | St. Louis Blues | — | Kansas City Royals (MLB) (Kansas City) Indiana Pacers (NBA) (Indiana) Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) (Southeast) Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) (North) Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) (Oklahoma) |
| FanDuel Sports Network North | — | Minnesota Timberwolves | Minnesota Wild | Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) Minnesota Frost (PWHL) Minnesota Vikings (NFL)* |
— |
| FanDuel Sports Network Ohio | Cincinnati Reds | Cleveland Cavaliers | Columbus Blue Jackets | Cleveland Browns (NFL)* | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma | — | Oklahoma City Thunder | — | — | Kansas City Royals (MLB) (Kansas City) St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network SoCal | Los Angeles Angels† | Los Angeles Clippers | Los Angeles Kings† | Los Angeles Rams (NFL)* | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network South | Atlanta Braves | — | Carolina Hurricanes Nashville Predators |
— | Indiana Pacers (NBA) (Indiana) St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network Southeast | Atlanta Braves | Atlanta Hawks Charlotte Hornets Memphis Grizzlies |
— | — | St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network Southwest | — | San Antonio Spurs | — | — | Kansas City Royals (MLB) (Kansas City) Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) (Southeast) Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) (Oklahoma) St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (Midwest) |
| FanDuel Sports Network Sun | Tampa Bay Rays | Miami Heat | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL)* | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network West | Los Angeles Angels | Los Angeles Clippers† | Los Angeles Kings | — | — |
| FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin | Milwaukee Brewers | Milwaukee Bucks | — | — | Minnesota Wild (NHL) (North) |
Team-related programming and/or game reruns only
† Occasional live game broadcasts
Current
- U.S. Army Bowl
- Athletes Unlimited
- Overtime Select women's basketball
- Foul Territory baseball program
- Golic & Golic radio broadcast
- Up & Adams
- 3ICE
Former
- Broadcasts of the Atlantic Coast Conference (covering college basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball, and field hockey; produced by Raycom Sports in collaboration with FanDuel Sports Network, distributed through separate agreements)
- Coverage of the Missouri Valley Conference (including college basketball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball, and field hockey; produced by LTN Global Communications alongside FanDuel Sports Network, with exclusivity in the Midwest and Southeast regions)
- AutoNation Orange Bowl Basketball Classic (a production of FanDuel Sports Network)
- College football broadcasts (produced by sister channel Stadium and distributed via FanDuel Sports Network)
- College basketball games (produced by Stadium and distributed through FanDuel Sports Network)
- Inside the Association (a Stadium production)
- Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off (college hockey event produced by FanDuel Sports Network)
- Ring of Honor Wrestling
- Live on the Line (produced by Stadium)
- The Rally (produced by Stadium)
- Men's and women's college basketball from the West Coast Conference
- Events from the World Poker Tour
- American Ninja Warrior
- Warehouse Games by Jomboy Media
- 2024 edition of the Caribbean Series
- Tennis events produced by Tennis Channel
- Association of Volleyball Professionals events (owned by Bally's Corporation)
Direct-to-customer streaming service
Previously known as Bally Sports+, FanDuel Sports Network’s direct-to-consumer subscription streaming platform delivers live broadcasts and market-specific on-demand content from its regional networks. The service features live game coverage, replays, team-centric studio shows, outdoor programming, and selected syndicated content.
Sinclair announced in December 2020 its intention to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming platform based on Bally Sports regional networks, initially targeting a 2021 debut. However, the launch was postponed due to ongoing negotiations concerning streaming rights with sports teams. CEO Chris Ripley highlighted that the service was designed to cater to cord-cutters underserved by traditional regional sports offerings.
Bally Sports+ had a soft launch on June 23, 2022, in five markets where streaming rights for local MLB teams had been secured: Kansas City, Detroit, Florida, Wisconsin, and Florida/Sun. This followed NESN’s June 1 introduction of NESN 360—the first U.S. regional sports network OTT service.
Offered at $19.99 per month or $189.99 annually, Bally Sports+ utilized the same backend as the Bally Sports app and was initially accessible on smartphones and tablets. Due to regional rights limitations, access was restricted to subscribers located within Bally Sports-affiliated markets.
In August 2022, Bally Sports announced plans to extend Bally Sports+ availability across all its markets by September 26, 2022.
After Bally Sports underwent rebranding in October 2024, Bally Sports+ was renamed simply FanDuel Sports Network, eliminating the plus sign from its name.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Sinclair Broadcast Group
- Prime Sports
- Fox Sports
- Allen Media Group
- SportsChannel
- Bally Sports
- FanDuel Sports Network
- Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023
- Television channels and stations established in 2021
- 2021 establishments in the United States
- 2019 mergers and acquisitions
- 2024 mergers and acquisitions
- American companies disestablished in 2024