With the regional sports network business in flux, the Cleveland Guardians are still without a linear television partner for the upcoming season. They begin their season this Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, but as of now, there is no agreement in place for their television broadcasts. The Guardians are one of five MLB teams whose broadcast rights are controlled by the league. Fans in the Cleveland market can purchase a streaming package to watch games for $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month. However, teams that have ceded broadcast rights to the league are also expected to have a linear television presence, and the Guardians currently have none.
According to a report by Joe Noga of cleveland.com, “The Guardians say they expect MLB to reach carriage agreements with their cable television partners consistent with where fans found games in 2024, but the timing of those agreements could come down to the wire as Thursday’s matchup against Kansas City approaches.” Last season, Guardians games were carried by FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports). Diamond Sports Group (now Main Street Sports Group), which owned the FanDuel RSNs, ended its relationship with the Guardians late last year after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“As soon as we have finalized agreements, we will announce via email and social channels,” said Curtis Danburg, Guardians Vice President, Communications & Community Impact. Given the reporting and the statement from a Guardians official, it seems likely that the team will finalize a deal by Thursday that closely resembles last season’s arrangement. This could mean games returning to FanDuel Sports Network and the same cable and satellite distributors that carried the network last year. However, the timing has caused some unnecessary anxiety for Guardians fans, who might feel the team is pushing them towards its direct-to-consumer streaming option.
Whatever the case, Cleveland Guardians fans are in a state of limbo with the season just two days away.
