Milwaukee Bucks exit RSN model for statewide over-the-air and DTC streaming

The Bucks' move represents a definitive break from the regional sports network (RSN) model that has underpinned local sports economics for decades. By bypassing traditional cable middlemen, the team gains total control over its audience data and digital revenue while significantly expanding its reach to cord-cutters via free broadcasts. This pivot highlights the ongoing collapse of legacy RSN structures, forcing franchises to become their own media operators. For the broader ecosystem, it signals that 'hybrid' distribution — pairing massive reach via antenna with high-margin recurring revenue from DTC apps — is the new industry standard. Watch for the pricing tiers of the new streaming service to see if they can offset the loss of guaranteed cable carriage fees.

The Bucks’ transition follows the collapse of Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group), which emerged from a prolonged $9 billion bankruptcy in January 2025 only to face renewed financial instability. Per NewscastStudio and FCC filings from July 2025, Rincon Broadcasting Group’s acquisition of stations like Milwaukee’s WVTV (the home of MY24) was specifically positioned by CEO Todd Parkin to revitalize mid-market local broadcasting through live sports. This strategy mirrors successful transitions by the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, who both opted for over-the-air models after RSN failures. According to Medium reporting in May 2026, the Jazz saw a 9x increase in local viewership following their shift to over-the-air distribution, providing a proven template for the Bucks' expansion.

At the league level, the NBA is increasingly moving toward centralizing these fragmented local rights. In March 2026, Sports Business Journal reported that the NBA began exploring a consolidated 'streaming hub' for local broadcasts, holding preliminary talks with Amazon, YouTube TV, and DAZN. This initiative aims to solve the 'blackout' problem that has long frustrated fans on NBA League Pass. While the Bucks are currently building an independent DTC service, this federal-style league hub could eventually host up to 22 teams that have abandoned the RSN model. Furthermore, the NBA’s 11-year, $76 billion national media deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon — beginning in the 2025-26 season — already designates Amazon as a primary global distributor for the league's out-of-market offerings, per Forbes and SportsPro reporting from late 2025.