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ZTR asked:
Is there any way that the Cardinals could set up their own broadcasts? I know that is an enormously complex undertaking that would essentially be owning and managing a huge company.
Yes, that is a possibility. I am pretty sure they have been evaluating alternatives for some time, knowing how tenuous the current situation is.
Also, MLB built infrastructure first used a few years back when Sinclair/Diamond/Main Street/whoever-they-are jettisoned rights of the least profitable MLB team telecasts. The Cardinals could tag on that. But whatever they do on their own, there are going to be startup costs for them and disruptions for us.
The Cards were 12th in revenues in 2024 at $398 million and are 12th in franchise valuation at $2.55 billion.
This situation is an emergency for the team, like a leak in the cement pond would be an emergency for the Clampetts.
The house of cards is collapsing.
BREAKING: Main Street Sports Group has missed its January payments to multiple NBA teams amid its uncertain sale to DAZN.
Sources say default notices have likely already been sent, and a 15-day cure period will begin once they are formally received.https://t.co/A31fMCzSx2
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) January 5, 2026
Anytime there’s a default or bankrupcy in today’s business world you can be entirely certain that entire legions of weasels are becoming ever more filthy rich…
This business model has not worked for several years. They keep trying to maximize revenue and exposure is reduced. I think it is time for MLB to pull the owners together and come up with a business model that works for all … fans, broadcasters and teams.
The Athletic has a pretty good article on this, seem to think the NBA teams will not go for the DAZN deal (NBA has a contingency ready and their teams are ahead of the creditors in the Bankruptcy process) which would mean the deal with DAZN and MainStreet/Diamond/Bally/fan duel or whatever they call themselves will blow up resulting in a bankruptcy filing
Reasonable being free 1964? I don’t know how you get your ball televised.
They’ll get it figured out but as was poined out. If the Cardinals take over the broadcasts you’ll have some costs to get it going and some bumps along the way.
My guess is it will be 19.99 off the MLB app, and then they will/may still be able to put together a local network for the people that won’t use the app. I would think they would have been planning for this for at least the last few months…hopefully
Yeah my guess is they will go with MLB this year but in 2027 I think MLB is having ESPN take over some of their streaming applications.
The Cardinals are financially prepared to hand their rights to MLB and will broadcast all 162 games next year regardless of their TV partner, a source said.
MLB currently oversees the broadcasts of 6 teams (SD, ARI, CLE, COL, MIN, SEA), with the Nationals likely to join as well. https://t.co/SwuTWye5aR
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) January 7, 2026
I’m glad MLB at least is ready to step in. You really have to think the RSN model will have to see under go some changes if it wants to stick around.
I believe the payment to the Cards this year was supposed to be in the ballpark of $55 million. When you divide that up among 150 games broadcast via the RSN that is $366,667 per game. But from their data, 53,000 people on average watched Cardinals games via the RSN. An important note is that doesn’t account for MLB tv viewers out of market. From some readimg and napkin math, the RSN would make about $1 per viewer in ad revenue. Lets be generous and double the viewers through MLB TV to get us to 100,000 which is now $100,000 in ad revenue. That still leaves a deficit of $267,000 per game and doesn’t account for expenses to produce which would be quite high with the personnel count to produce a game.
Industry numbers say 70-90% of RSN income is expected to come from cable rights to watch games. Less people are paying for cable TV overall as the younger generation doesn’t use the traditional model. Then people are having to penny pinch more as well and cutting items like the local sports package or cable all together. The RSN likely made a good amount in prior years of people paying for the local sports but either rarely watching or never. With less and less people paying for that, their contract fees are massively going down. They likely could have covered their deficit in the past with cable package costs, but now they simply can’t cover the $300K+ deficit per game that ad revenue doesn’t pull in.
Either the RSN model gets replaced with some streaming services maybe with MLB involved or the RSNs have to restructure their deals to reduce payouts as they aren’t making money.
I think the RSN’s are going to go away. MLB is going to be partnering with ESPN to handle direct streaming in the next year or two. This will probably include every team who doesn’t already have their own network (Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, etc..).
News: All 9 Major League Baseball teams televised by FanDuel Sports Network / Main Street Sports Group have terminated their contracts with the broadcaster: Braves, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals, Rays. Deals can be renegotiated.https://t.co/OrfnfMcujn
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 8, 2026
I wonder if MLB will try to pick up those teams to just get them out of Fanduel’s control. I don’t mind seeing Fanduel go and would love less betting ads in games. I do hope whoever takes the games still lets out of market be broadcast on MLB.tv. I would like them to offer a package for in-market games as well on MLB.tv even if more money to make it easier on everyone to cord cut
I guess we’ll get what we get on TV programming, nothing to do but wait it out. Checked the batteries on my 1972 pocket transistor radio, they’re good to go. 🙂
Upon hearing of this default news, one of the first things that ran through my mind was if it goes down the drain and there is no buyer, where does this leave our TV sportscasters like Chip and Brad, Jim Hayes, Alexa Datt, etc. ? Are they employed by the STL Cardinals, or Fanduel?
Didn’t know if MLB inserted their own chosen people into other markets that have gone through this scenario in years past. Seems likely they would if it comes to that, they’d be more controllable I would guess.
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