Royals Extend Broadcast Deal with Diamond Sports Group for 2025 Season

The Kansas City Royals have announced a new broadcast agreement with Diamond Sports Group, owner of the FanDuel Sports Network, formerly known as Bally's. This deal ensures that Diamond Sports Group will continue to broadcast the Royals' games throughout the 2025 season.

Prior to this announcement, the Royals were among the few MLB teams with uncertain broadcast arrangements. Diamond Sports Group, once a broadcaster for almost half the league, has seen its profile diminish following a shift away from the regional sports network (RSN) model and subsequent bankruptcy filing in March 2023.

During the bankruptcy process, Diamond Sports Group terminated its deals with the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, prompting Major League Baseball (MLB) to take over those broadcasts for the 2024 season. This left Diamond with 12 MLB clubs under contract for 2024. However, two months ago, Diamond disclosed in court that it intended to retain only the Atlanta Braves for the 2025 season.

Of the remaining 11 teams, four have followed the Padres and Diamondbacks in transitioning their broadcasts to MLB: the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Guardians, and Cincinnati Reds. Six teams, including the Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, and now the Kansas City Royals, have renegotiated deals with Diamond, likely at reduced rates. The Texas Rangers are the final team without a confirmed broadcast partner for 2025, as they reportedly explore creating their own RSN.

Diamond Sports Group emerged from bankruptcy last month, but the long-term future of its relationship with MLB remains uncertain. Reports indicate that none of the new contracts extend beyond 2028, as MLB explores various broadcast strategies for the future. According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, the Royals' agreement with Diamond includes provisions to re-evaluate the deal after the 2025 season, suggesting it may be a one-year contract or include opt-out clauses.

​As the Royals and Diamond Sports Group move forward with this new arrangement, fans can expect continuity in their game broadcasts for the upcoming season. Stay tuned for further updates on MLB's evolving broadcast landscape.