On Tuesday, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that it will take over the production and distribution of local broadcasts for the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins starting next season. This follows the expiration of the teams’ contracts with Diamond Sports Group at the end of the 2024 regular season. With this move, MLB expands its control over regional broadcasts, adding to its existing responsibility for the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies, marking a significant step in its broader broadcasting strategy for 2025.
The Texas Rangers, whose contract with Diamond also ended recently, have decided to part ways with the company. They are currently exploring their options for next season. MLB’s decision to handle broadcasts for the Guardians, Brewers, and Twins is part of a larger initiative to increase the market reach of teams by at least 2 million households per market, an effort already proven successful with the Diamondbacks, who saw a major increase in their reach after MLB took over their broadcasts.
For the Twins, this change comes with challenges, as they will no longer receive the rights fees previously provided by Diamond. Despite this, team president Dave St. Peter assured fans that the loss would not impact player spending for the upcoming season. MLB’s new broadcasting model will lead to a reduction in local revenue for the Twins in 2025, but St. Peter expressed confidence that over time, increased viewership and the economics associated with it would lead to greater long-term benefits for the team.
The Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins will see dramatic increases in their broadcast reach, with the Guardians’ availability expanding from 1.45 million to 4.86 million households, and the Twins’ from 1.08 million to 4.4 million. Schlesinger, president of business operations for the Brewers, also expects significant growth in his team’s reach. He noted that while the new model requires substantial investments in infrastructure, it presents a unique opportunity to expand fan access without the limitations of blackouts.
The move comes at a pivotal time for Diamond Sports Group, which is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. As the company reworks its finances, MLB could take over additional teams’ broadcasts, with Diamond potentially focusing only on the Atlanta Braves by 2025. Despite short-term financial concerns, the teams involved in MLB’s new broadcast model are optimistic about the long-term benefits, including the shift towards a direct-to-consumer model, which they believe will increase fan access and ultimately generate more revenue.
