Diamond Sports wants to get out of broadcast agreement with D-Backs

PHOENIX (AP) — Diamond Sports is seeking to get out of its broadcast agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Diamond Sports, which owns 19 regional sports networks under the Bally Sports banner, made the request in an emergency motion filed Thursday in federal bankruptcy court. Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston will consider it on June 29.

Diamond Sports has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in Texas since March. The company said in a financial filing last fall that it had debt of $8.67 billion.

On June 1, Lopez ordered Diamond Sports to pay the full value of its contracts to the Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. Those payments are due July 1.

Diamond has only made payments to the Rangers. The Guardians and Twins are still awaiting a decision.

The Diamondbacks signed a 20-year, $1.5 billion contract with Fox Sports Networks in 2015. Diamond Sports Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group bought the regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co. for nearly $10 billion in 2019. Disney was required by the Department of Justice to sell the networks for its acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets to be approved.

Diamond Sports said in its latest filing that it loses significant amounts of money under the Diamondbacks agreement and that the deal “no longer fits” within its long-term plans.

The Diamondbacks are a part owner of Bally Sports Arizona. After years of struggling, the Diamondbacks are one of the surprise teams in baseball this season and are leading the NL West by 3 1/2 games.

If Lopez agrees to let Diamond out of the contract, Major League Baseball would take over production of Diamondbacks games. MLB took over the broadcasts of San Diego Padres games on May 31 after Diamond Sports missed a rights fees payment and let the grace period expire.

MLB set up a local media department during the offseason to prepare for taking over some teams' games.

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