Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Diamond Sports has renewed its agreement with Charter Communications that will keep Bally Sports-branded regional networks on Spectrum TV platforms over the next few years.
The deal announced on Wednesday will also allow Spectrum TV Select Plus customers to stream live programming from the Bally Sports channels through the dedicated Bally Sports app at no extra cost to them. Spectrum TV Select Plus is one of the newer programming packages offered by Charter, and includes regional sports networks where available.
Customers who do not have access to Bally Sports in their package, including those who purchase Spectrum Internet on a standalone basis, will be able to purchase the Bally Sports streaming service through Spectrum directly, the companies said.
“Extending our distribution relationship with Charter is a key milestone and an important part of our go-forward plan, as we remain focused on restructuring the company and moving forward as a sustainable, profitable business,” David Preschlack, the CEO of Diamond Sports, said in a statement. “We expect this agreement to generate value for Diamond, Charter and our team and league partners, and enable us to continue providing high quality broadcasts for passionate local fans.”
Preschlack said the streaming-inclusive agreement is likely to “serve as a model in the ongoing time-sensitive negotiations with our other distribution partners to reach carriage agreements that work for all parties.” Diamond Sports operates 18 regional networks that carry professional baseball, basketball and hockey games, along with some college sports.
Streaming has become a bigger part of Charter’s carriage deals with broadcasters and cable network programmers over the past several months.
Late last year, the company successfully negotiated a carriage agreement with the Walt Disney Company that allows most Spectrum TV customers to access the ad-supported versions of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus, depending on their programming package. In January, Charter used that same model to ink a fresh deal with Televisa-Univision that allows Spectrum TV customers to access a premium version of Spanish-language streamer Vix Plus.
Also in January, Diamond Sports laid out plans to emerge from its year-long Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, which saw the restructuring of around $8 billion in debt. The plan called for certain settlement terms to take effect, as well as an infusion of nearly $115 million in cash from Amazon, which will distribute some Bally Sports programming through Prime Video in parts of the country.
The renewal of its agreement with Charter shows Sinclair and Diamond Sports still see traditional pay television as a path toward reaching sports fans who want live access to local games. Similar carriage renewals are being negotiated with Comcast’s Xfinity TV and DirecTV, and announcements are likely coming on the renewal of those deals in the coming weeks.
Diamond Sports also reaches so-called “cord cutters” with a dedicated streaming app called Bally Sports Plus, which offers the same live sports and other programming found on its regional sports networks. Bally Sports Plus costs $20 per month or $190 per year, and is available only in the areas where a Bally Sports regional network is offered through cable, satellite or a streaming cable-like platform.
