According to the Sports Business Journal, all nine teams that have their games broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network are leaving the parent company, Main Street Sports Group. The Braves are among them, but they appear to be planning a different route than the other eight.
“All nine MLB teams whose games are broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network are officially departing the parent company Main Street Sports Group, with eight of the nine expected to migrate to MLB Media or alternative platforms, SBJ has learned,” Tom Friend writes.
“The ninth team, the Braves, are expected to launch their own network, perhaps to air on a national streaming platform such as Amazon or Apple or with a template similar to the Rangers Sports Network — which has direct-to-distributor deals with cable and satellite providers, a local over-the-air partner and a streaming outlet in Victory+,” he continued.
The Braves Network — yeah, sign me up.
The team has yet to announce an official direction, but with the first Spring Training game just three weeks away, we should have an answer very soon. Both options should be beneficial to the fans watching and to the team, which is evaluating options that should be more lucrative for the organization. Which, in turn, should lead to more money being invested into the club — another win for Braves fans.
If the Braves decide to go the national route, the team should be easily accessible through Apple TV or Amazon Prime. If they follow in the footsteps of the Rangers, games would remain on cable and satellite providers through the Braves, with streaming options also expected to be available through a separate service.
Essentially, the Braves are likely to become easier to watch for just about everyone moving forward while also generating more revenue for the club. A new network devoted to the team should also allow for more Braves-focused content outside of just the games, giving fans an even deeper look into the club. That should be viewed as a win-win, with the disaster that was the Bally Sports/FanDuel Sports Network era finally in the rearview mirror.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire