The Bally RSNs are nearing a framework agreement with MLB to broadcast games for the upcoming season. Plus: Washington State and Oregon State will retain control of Pac-12 assets after court ruling; Nielsen will measure Peacock exclusive NFL games this season
Bally Sports nearing agreement with MLB
Diamond Sports Group, owner of the Bally Sports RSNs, is nearing a settlement with MLB that would allow them to broadcast games for the 2024 season, per report. The two sides spent Thursday negotiating terms before meeting in federal bankruptcy court on Friday.
Details around the negotiations are sparse, and lawyers for both sides did not disclose whether a potential agreement would include all 11 franchises currently under contract with Diamond. In previous negotiations, Diamond has identified the Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers as two teams they would like to drop. Friday, a lawyer for Diamond mentioned there was a third team “currently not contemplated to be in the fold,” but did not specify which team.
Earlier this year, Diamond struck agreements with the NBA and NHL to broadcast games through the end of the season at a discounted fee, before ceding rights back to the league when the season concludes. (The Athletic, 12.15)
Washington State, Oregon State to control Pac-12
The Washington Supreme Court denied a motion from the 10 departing Pac-12 members on Friday to review a lower court decision that granted control of the conference and its assets to Washington State and Oregon State. The two remaining schools now hold the only votes in conference-related affairs.
Washington State and Oregon State entered a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for the 2024 football season that includes an option for 2025. A potential new-look Pac-12 will have two years to reach a minimum of eight teams should they wish to remain a conference. (CBS Sports, 12.15)
Nielsen to measure Peacock exclusive NFL games
The upcoming Peacock exclusive NFL games will be Nielsen measured, per release. Peacock will first air a Week 16 Chargers-Bills game before airing an exclusive game in the Wild Card round. Notably, Nielsen did not measure the ESPN+ exclusive Falcons-Jaguars game in Week 4.
Nielsen has measured the NFL’s weekly streaming exclusive, Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, since its debut last season. In its second season, Thursday Night Football posted 12 straight weeks of viewership gains before suffering its first decline of the season with this week’s Raiders-Chargers rout. Peacock’s Week 16 exclusive will be the first Nielsen-measured streaming exclusive outside of the Thursday Night Football package. (Sports TV Ratings, 12.15)
