The End of the RSN: Who Owns Local Sports Rights Now?

The end of Regional Sports Networks (RSN) — The cable bundle's sports subsidy is over. MLB is taking over local broadcasts for 15 teams after Diamond Sports Group dropped the rights. In this episode of The Option, we breakdown: The collapse of the Bally Sports/Diamond Sports model Why "Direct to Consumer" sports subscriptions leave a massive revenue hole ($8 cable sub vs. $20 DTC) The "Moneyball" era impact on team payrolls and valuations The emerging tiered system in baseball: National brands vs. feeder clubs Amazon's opportunistic entry into local sports rights Key takeaway: The RSN was a 30-year bubble. It popped. Now we find out what local sports are actually worth. The Option is a daily podcast covering Hollywood business news, media M&A, streaming economics, and entertainment industry analysis. New episodes weekdays at 6 AM PT. Keywords: Diamond Sports bankruptcy, MLB media rights 2026, cord cutting sports impact, Regional Sports Networks collapse, Amazon sports streaming, baseball team valuations]]>