Next season MLB to broadcast games for Guardians, Brewers, Twins

Robert Besser
12 Oct 2024

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Major League Baseball (MLB) announced it will handle the production and distribution of local broadcasts for the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins starting next season.

This decision follows the expiration of the teams' contracts with Diamond Sports Group at the end of the 2023 season.

The Texas Rangers also confirmed they will not renew their deal with Diamond Sports and are exploring broadcast options for the 2025 season. With these additions, MLB will now manage local broadcasts for at least six teams, including the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies.

The transition is expected to significantly expand the market reach for these teams. For example, the Diamondbacks saw their potential audience grow from 930,000 households to 5.6 million when MLB took over their broadcasts. The Guardians, Brewers, and Twins are anticipating similar increases, providing fans with easier access and fewer blackout restrictions.

Brewers President Rick Schlesinger expressed optimism about the new arrangement. "This has been a long process. It's a very deliberative process," he said. "We've done this through a lot of work, a lot of analysis. I think this is going to be a huge game changer for us, for our content."

The Twins also expect broader reach, though team President Dave St. Peter acknowledged that local revenue may dip initially but should improve over time.

"With the media landscape continuing to evolve, Major League Baseball is committed to serving our fans by ensuring they can see their favorite clubs, removing blackouts where we can, and ultimately growing the reach of our games," Noah Garden, MLB deputy commissioner for business and media, said in a statement.

As Diamond Sports Group navigates bankruptcy proceedings, more teams may shift to MLB's broadcast model. A final hearing on Diamond's reorganization plan is scheduled for November 14, potentially impacting the contracts of several other MLB teams.