Sports leagues explore non-exclusive local rights as RSN model collapses
Major sports leagues and broadcasters are evaluating a shift toward non-exclusive local sports rights deals to address the decline of regional sports networks. This transition aims to distribute content across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms to broaden audience reach and reduce escalating rights fees.
Key Takeaways
- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver signaled a move toward combining local broadcast reach with streaming services for future media deals.
- ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro confirmed the network is open to non-exclusive agreements, positioning ESPN as a platform-agnostic distributor.
- The collapse of Main Street Sports (formerly Bally Sports) has forced MLB, NHL, and NBA teams to seek new distribution homes.
- Leagues expect that non-exclusive deals will lower individual media rights fees while improving profit margins for media partners.
Why It Matters
The traditional RSN economic engine is broken, forcing a shift from high-margin exclusivity to high-reach fragmentation. By decoupling production from a single gatekeeper, leagues can capture hard-to-reach digital audiences while maintaining the mass-market visibility of over-the-air broadcast. For the technical stack, this requires infrastructure capable of managing complex blackouts and concurrent distribution across disparate platforms. The industry must now transition from a ‘guaranteed fee’ mindset to one focused on maximizing total viewership and multi-channel ad revenue. Watch for the NBA’s upcoming local streaming hub negotiations to serve as the definitive blueprint for this hybrid model.
Additional Context
The transition away from legacy regional sports networks (RSNs) has accelerated rapidly. Per Reuters and Sports Media Watch in mid-2026, the successor to Diamond Sports Group, Main Street Sports, formally wound down its FanDuel Sports Network portfolio following a multi-year bankruptcy process. This liquidation left dozens of professional franchises searching for immediate distribution solutions. In response, MLB Local Media has taken over direct production for 14 clubs, including the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. Furthermore, a landmark three-year deal announced in late 2025 established ESPN as the exclusive rights holder for MLB.TV, with a mandate to integrate in-market streaming for select teams directly into the ESPN app by the 2026 season.
While MLB favors league-led distribution, the NHL and NBA are increasingly leaning on independent broadcasters to restore free access. According to reports from Scripps Sports and the NHL in April 2026, the Nashville Predators signed a multi-year deal to air games for free on over-the-air (OTA) television via "The Spot" station. This follows similar moves by the Vegas Golden Knights and Charlotte Hornets. These agreements often pair free OTA broadcasts with a team-specific direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming app. Meanwhile, per Sports Business Journal in early 2026, the NBA is actively negotiating with Amazon, YouTube TV, and Apple for a centralized local streaming hub that could house up to 22 teams, effectively ending the era of regional cable exclusivity in favor of a nationalized digital delivery system.
Read full article at mediapost.com
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