Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misstated how many teams Diamond Sports Group was cutting from its portfolio. Diamond rejected the contracts of two teams and suggested that the broadcast futures of nine other teams could be in jeopardy. The earlier version of this story also incorrectly stated the number of MLB teams whose diamond contracts expire after the 2024 season; there are four.

Diamond Sports Group appears to be threatening to abandon virtually every MLB team in its portfolio except the Atlanta Braves unless deals are renegotiated on more favorable terms. Wednesday’s court hearing at which that message was delivered caused chaos in the baseball television world.

Andrew Goldman, an attorney for the broadcast company, said during a federal bankruptcy hearing that Diamond intended to “take over a single television rights deal, that of the Atlanta Braves.” All other teams and all other Major League Baseball agreements are rejected under the plan.”

This statement does not mean that Diamond – which promoted a dozen teams in 2024 – only has one team left in its portfolio for the 2025 season. Two of them, the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays, are out for the time being after Diamond rejected their contracts. But how many MLB teams Diamond will ultimately carry in 2025 is still up in the air, and Diamond’s message to the league is that it wants to renegotiate the remaining contracts.

“For many of these clubs, we have submitted proposals, we have provided significant due diligence and forecasting, and our management team has had live discussions with each of these clubs,” Goldman said. “But at the end of the day, thanks to the changed plan, the decision is now in the hands of the clubs.”

Four MLB teams’ contracts with Diamond expired after this season: the Cleveland Guardians, the Minnesota Twins, the Texas Rangers and the Milwaukee Brewers. These teams could sign new contracts with Diamond. (Sports Business Journal reported last week that the Rangers plan to manage the television broadcasts themselves and sell the games directly to distributors separate from MLB.)

That leaves eight teams still under contract for 2025. On Wednesday, Diamond said it would like to take over (keep) the Braves’ contract and decline (drop) the Tigers’ and Rays’ contracts. But the Tigers and Rays could also negotiate new deals.

Now, the five other teams with whom Diamond has contracts – the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins – technically cannot be accepted or rejected because they have no The formal part of this is the insolvency proceedings. These teams are called “joint venture teams.”

But Diamond has essentially walked away from a “joint venture” team before — the San Diego Padres were in the same classification when Diamond decided not to pay the team midway through the 2023 season and the club got its rights back.

“The company is in active dialogue with all of our JV partners, all of whom are aware of the implications if an agreement cannot be reached,” Goldman said.

Jim Bromley, an attorney for MLB, said the league had no idea Wednesday’s news was coming.

“We had no information about what was being done,” Bromley said. “It is unfortunate that we were put under pressure in this way.”

Diamond and MLB were at odds throughout the bankruptcy process, with MLB consistently expressing the greatest doubts about Diamond’s ability to successfully escape liquidation and transform itself into a viable business. There were frequent arguments between the two parties.

“Major League Baseball and its clubs have reminded this court, I believe, no less than seven or eight times … the commissioner’s office has consistently raised two concerns,” Goldman said. “NO. 1, clubs need certainty about what will happen with their broadcast contracts. And secondly, we have expressed concerns about our ability to ‘pay the bills’.

“The amended plan we are submitting today… conclusively answers those two questions.”

In court Wednesday, Goldman said Diamond has largely stopped cooperating with the commissioner’s office.

“We are in direct contact with all of our baseball partner clubs, no longer through the commissioner’s office, but directly with them, and the commissioner’s office is aware of that and fully agrees with that,” Goldman said.

Goldman also pushed back against Bromley’s comment that the MLB was “sandbagged,” calling it “simply incorrect.”

A spokesman for the commissioner declined to comment immediately after Wednesday’s hearing.

The drama unfolded at a status update hearing on Wednesday, where Diamond presented a revised exit plan to the court right at the start of the hearing.

Diamond’s bankruptcy case may be nearing its end. The company proposed Nov. 14 and 15 for the confirmation hearing, at which a judge will grant final approval — or not.

Diamond still has deals in place to broadcast NBA and NHL teams, and while he is confident his revised plan will be successful, it also includes the possibility of liquidation – an option to liquidate the company if the plan doesn’t work out .

Diamond said in a statement released after the hearing: “Today marks an important step forward for Diamond with the filing of a baseline plan designed to allow us to emerge from bankruptcy as a viable, sustainable company before the end of the year.” We have our MLB -Team partners have made suggestions for further plans and we are still in discussions with them. We firmly believe that with our linear and digital offerings we have created the most economical and fan-friendly engine for all of our team partners.”

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(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)