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A contract has been reached with Diamond Sports. Amazon’s Prime Video brings 16 regional sports networks to the streaming platform.
As part of the deal, Diamond’s network will be available as an add-on subscription to Prime customers residing within each team’s designated geographic area. Pricing and other details will be announced at a later date. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.
The deal is not exclusive, so Diamond can continue pursuing streaming rights deals with other partners, the people said. The company’s previously launched FanDuel Sports Network streaming option will remain available.
This is the latest development for Diamond Sports, which is looking to revamp its business model and emerge from bankruptcy protection.
In October, Diamond signed a naming rights agreement. flutterFanDuel, owned by , has rebranded its network from Bally Sports to FanDuel Sports Network. The name change was made immediately during the National Hockey League season and in advance of the start of the 2024-25 National Basketball Association season.
Diamond announced earlier this week that it will be offering games on an a la carte basis for $6.99 per game, with no subscription required, starting December 5th. A single game will be available on both Prime Video and the FanDuel Sports Network app, according to people familiar with the service.
Diamond plans to seek court approval Thursday for its reorganization plan, which has drawn criticism from Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves, who question the company’s future viability under the plan.
Both the league and the Braves wanted more clarity on what the then-unsolidified partnership with Amazon would entail.
Diamond filed for bankruptcy protection last year, but collapsed amid heavy debt and the impact of cord-cutting on its network as consumers opted out of cable TV bundles with streaming services.
Diamond also has agreements with the NBA and NHL for the teams’ television and streaming rights. We are currently negotiating with MLB teams individually.
Various regional sports networks, including the New York Yankees’ YES Network, have launched streaming options in recent years. Amazon’s Prime Video is a stakeholder in the YES Network, so it already broadcasts a selection of Yankees games each season.
Pricing is at the highest level, as networks are being cautious about pricing their streaming options to avoid further disrupting the cable TV model or violating agreements with distributors. These deals have long helped support the billions of dollars in fees that networks pay professional sports teams to air their games.
