In a move that could reshape the broadcasting landscape of Major League Baseball (MLB), Diamond Sports, the holder of TV rights for 11 MLB teams, is currently in discussions with Amazon to establish a streaming partnership. This potential deal comes as Diamond Sports navigates Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, creating uncertainty about their future beyond the 2024 MLB season.

Reportedly, Diamond Sports and its creditors are exploring the possibility of restructuring the company in collaboration with Amazon, pending court approval. These deliberations were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, and while neither Diamond Sports, MLB, nor Amazon have given official comments, sources familiar with the matter confirmed the ongoing talks.

Currently, Diamond Sports possesses broadcasting rights for nearly 40 teams across MLB, the NBA, and the NHL. Should the partnership with Amazon materialize, the streaming giant would be able to broadcast games for the teams whose digital rights are held by Diamond. However, it should be noted that Diamond Sports does not have digital rights for all the teams it currently broadcasts over the airwaves.

Specifically, Diamond's Bally-branded regional sports networks currently air TV broadcasts for 11 MLB teams: Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers.

Out of these teams, Diamond Sports currently holds digital rights for only five: the Tigers, Royals, Marlins, Brewers, and Rays. Consequently, if the proposed partnership with Amazon is approved, Diamond Sports would be able to stream games via Amazon for these five teams, while negotiations with other teams and MLB would be required to expand digital rights access beyond this limited scope.

However, past disagreements between MLB and Diamond Sports regarding the value of the league's streaming rights may present additional challenges in reaching comprehensive agreements for expanded digital broadcasting. The potential partnership with Amazon represents a possible solution for Diamond Sports to sustain its operations beyond 2024, but the specifics of the deal and its impact on the broadcasting landscape remain uncertain.

As discussions continue, the sports media industry eagerly awaits further updates on the outcome of these negotiations, which could potentially reshape the way MLB games are broadcasted in the future.