**Twins Transition to MLB-Produced TV Broadcasts Starting Next Season**

In a significant shift for the Minnesota Twins, the team's television broadcasts will be managed and distributed by Major League Baseball (MLB) starting next season. The announcement represents a departure from their previous arrangement with Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of Bally Sports North, whose contract expired at the end of the season.

MLB has some experience in this arena, having already produced and distributed broadcasts for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, and San Diego Padres this year. These broadcasts were accessible via cable, satellite providers, and a direct-to-consumer streaming service, priced at $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month, with no local blackouts.

Joining the Twins in this new broadcasting model are the Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers, who will also transition to MLB-produced broadcasts next year. Additionally, the Texas Rangers have announced their split from Diamond Sports.

MLB highlighted the expanded reach in their announcement, noting that Twins broadcasts reached 1.08 million homes through Bally Sports North last year. The change is expected to expand their viewership to approximately 4.4 million homes. Though the Twins anticipate a decrease in direct revenue from the new deal, the broader audience reach is seen as a significant advantage.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred shared insights at the All-Star Game, mentioning that the Padres were nearing 40,000 digital subscribers under the MLB-produced model. "We've had real success on the digital side," Manfred explained, but also acknowledged that the revenue does not match the levels generated by regional sports networks (RSNs). "The RSNs were a great business, lots of people paid for programming they didn't necessarily want. It's hard to replicate that kind of revenue absent that kind of bundling concept," he added.