$115 million investment taken away as broadcaster plans to exit bankruptcy Anaheim Ducks dump Bally for new over-the-air/streaming venture [Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 4:47 p.m.] If you are in a Bally Sports market and hoping to stream your favorite games through Amazon, it won’t happen. The tech and e-commerce giant announced Monday it was pulling its $115 […]
Also: The U branding returns to Channel 26; CBS 2 boss takes over sister station in Detroit [Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on July 30 and updated to provide the latest information on CW 26’s shift back to independent status.] Making good on their promise, Warner Bros. Discovery filed suit against the NBA Friday after rejecting their matching […]
Deals worth $76 billion NBA returns to NBC for the first time in 21 years Amazon Prime gets streaming games for first time Warner Bros. Discovery may take legal action against the league in an unprecedented move [This article has been updated. See the bottom of this post for notations.] Roundball Rock is coming home. After months…and months of speculation, […]
Celtics win in five in a truly awful series If one were to measure the excitement of the 2024 NBA Finals, it would be right between reruns of “Joanie Loves Chachi” and a White Sox game. But that’s where we are, and the matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics was one to forget from a competitive and […]
Also: Judge Judy and Hot Bench renewed through 2026; Bulls’ regular-season ratings fall; WLS-AM host falls for phishing scam Digital subchannel Bounce could soon have a new owner, according to CNBC. Cincinnati-based Scripps has hired a financial firm to evaluate potential offers. Bounce was founded by Katz Communications and launched in 2011, offering various dramas, sitcoms, and sporting events targeted […]
Say so long to the name but not the RSN: Bally Sports is getting a rebrand this fall. It’s like Diamond’s regional sports networks are sticking around after all. As part of its reorganization plan last week, a Houston bankruptcy judge approved two key items: a $450 million debtor-in-possession financing package and a $495 million settlement from Sinclair, who […]
Justice Department to analyze deal as the NFL pushes back The planned sports streaming venture proposed by Disney’s ESPN, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery could be finished before it even gets off the ground. Two significant developments took place this week as the Department of Justice (DOJ) is now looking at the proposed joint venture for anti-trust concerns. The […]
Arrival puts Peacock, Paramount Plus, and YouTubeTV on notice In huge sports media news, three major media companies – The Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox Corporation are teaming up to launch a brand-new sports streaming service likely to launch this fall – perhaps just in time for the NFL season. The news broke on CNBC this afternoon. […]
WGN-TV hires new traffic reporter; NBC Sports Chicago adding alternative Blackhawks telecasts; New Orleans Pelicans latest Bally team to seek an over-the-air TV deal The PPM ratings survey for November was released this week and to no one’s surprise, iHeartMedia’s 93.9 The Lite is ahead of the competition. WLIT took first place from Hubbard’s The Drive as the Gold AC […]
Also: Timberwolves strike iHeartMedia deal; CBS affiliates decline Bears game in large numbers; Survivor names a tribe after an old media company Longtime Chicago radio veteran Rick O’Dell is the latest media figure to announce his retirement, doing so on Facebook. His final day is October 4. Currently the program director of MeTV FM (WRME-FM), O’Dell is best known for […]
Also: NBA, Stanley Cup Final earns mixed ratings numbers; Nexstar moves CW affiliations to its owned stations in three markets; “Velma” renewed for season two Usually, trades are reserved for sports teams though this one could be compared to the Chicago White Sox trading a player to the Minnesota Twins. Cumulus Media announced Tuesday the appointment of James Kurdziel from […]
Impact might not be felt immediately The nation’s biggest regional sports network chain just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but of all the talk and bluster about its implosion, they actually might come out fine. Well, maybe. Bally Sports parent Diamond Sports Group entered those waters last Tuesday with the Southern District of Texas bankruptcy court as the company – […]
Deal is for local stations, nothing more In a blow for local sports fans who are not subscribers to cable or DirecTV, Sinclair new carriage deal with Dish does not include the regional sports networks the company owns, branded Bally Sports Net. But it is good news for Dish subscribers who won’t have to suffer any program interruptions on 144 […]
Also: Fox News wins election night; NBA season to start Dec. 22 IHeartMedia’s WLIT launched its Holly Jolly format (or Christmas music as everyone else calls it) starting at 4 p.m. Friday, and is likely to last through the end of the year. This is the 20th year WLIT has turned its playlist to a Christmas Jukebox, playing Mariah Carey’s […]
Toronto Raptors clinch title, but ratings down as expected south of the 49th parallel T Dog Media nearly hits viewership projection on target The Toronto Raptors clinched their first NBA title last week, but for ABC and ESPN, they weren’t exactly celebrating. But in Canada, Bell and Rogers were popping champagne corks and partying with the Raptors. Nielsen ratings show […]