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Main Street Sports Now One Step Closer to Official Demise
TL;DR
Main Street Sports Group is nearing its official end following the NHL playoffs, marking the conclusion of its major live events. The company has lost its contracts with NBA and MLB teams earlier this year, leading to uncertainty about its future.
Key points
- Main Street Sports Group is nearing its official end.
- NHL playoffs marked the last major live events for the network.
- The company lost contracts with 13 NBA teams and nine MLB clubs.
- Wild announcer hopes for continued coverage next season.
- Transition to the second round of NHL playoffs highlights the splintering.
The formal end is now likely imminent for Main Street Sports Group, the embattled regional sports network operator, with the conclusion of the first-round of the NHL playoffs.
That opening round of the hockey postseason marked the last major live events scheduled on any of the FanDuel Sports Network outlets. The company’s contractual rights with its 13 NBA teams previously concluded with the end of the regular season, and all nine of its former MLB clubs departed in February.
“We don’t know where we’re headed next year, we have no idea, and I speak for everyone here when I say that we hope as many of us as possible are a part of bringing Wild hockey your way again next season, and I hope somehow, some way you’ll find us wherever we are for next season,” Wild play-by-play announcer Anthony LaPlanta said as he signed off FanDuel Sports Network coverage at the end of the team’s first-round series against the Stars.
With transition to the second round of the NHL playoffs, the splintering is now in full flight for the teams that were previously tied to Main Street Sports, as well as the company itself.
The varied developments include:
- MLB: Seven of the nine MLB clubs—the Brewers, Cardinals, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Royals, and Tigers—that had been with Main Street Sports chose to align fully with the MLB Media in-house model for local game production and distribution. The Angels bought out Main Street Sports in FanDuel Sports Network West, and now operates that outlet under that name. The Braves formed their own regional network, BravesVision, to strong initial success.
- NHL: The seven NHL teams that had been with Main Street Sports are pursuing a variety of individual paths. The Kings are sticking with FanDuel Sports Network West, under that Angels-led ownership, for at least the 2026–27 season. The Red Wings, meanwhile, entered into a partnership with Major League Baseball for local game production next season. The Predators recently struck a deal with Scripps Sports that will begin with the 2026–27 season. The remaining four teams—a group that includes the Blues, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Wild—are still reviewing options, with more announcements expected this summer.
- NBA: While some of the NBA teams could also pursue a similar, case-by-case move to individual local deals, the ongoing situation is also accelerating a potential pooling of local rights by the league into a new rights package that could happen as soon as next season. MLB is similarly set to centralize parts of its local rights in 2028, when its existing national media rights deals expire.
- Main Street Sports: The company’s emergence from bankruptcy protection in early 2025 did not result in a sustained recovery. A subsequent pursuit of several different acquisition and merger deals over the past year to find a new lifeline didn’t materialize either. Among those potential suitors was global media outlet DAZN, which instead just reached an agreement worth about $100 million to acquire streaming technology developer ViewLift. That combined entity is likely to be a player for rights to the teams cut loose in the Main Street Sports demise.
“Together, we can play a pivotal role in the U.S. sports market, supporting a growing roster of teams, leagues, and competitions,” DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev said of the ViewLift deal.
The post Main Street Sports Now One Step Closer to Official Demise appeared first on Front Office Sports.
Q&A
What led to the potential demise of Main Street Sports Group?
The potential demise is due to the conclusion of major live events, including the NHL playoffs, and the loss of contracts with NBA and MLB teams.
Which sports teams were affected by Main Street Sports Group's decline?
Main Street Sports Group previously held contracts with 13 NBA teams and nine former MLB clubs, all of which have ended their agreements.
What did the announcer say about the future of Wild hockey coverage?
Wild play-by-play announcer Anthony LaPlanta expressed hope that he and others would continue to bring Wild hockey coverage next season, despite uncertainty about the network's future.
When did Main Street Sports Group lose its contracts with MLB teams?
Main Street Sports Group lost its contracts with all nine of its former MLB clubs in February.
