Bally Sports regional networks are set to return to Comcast cable television subscribers on August 1, following a newly brokered agreement between Diamond Sports, the parent company of Bally Sports, and Comcast. 

The networks, which provide coverage of Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League games in various regions, had been unavailable to Comcast customers since May 1, coinciding with the start of the MLB regular season. This blackout affected fans of 11 MLB teams, including the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. 

The agreement is a significant development for Diamond Sports, which filed for bankruptcy in March. The company has been actively negotiating with various pay TV providers to secure distribution deals. David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond Sports, emphasized the importance of the new agreement with Comcast, the company’s third-largest distributor, as a crucial step in its restructuring process. “We are pleased that fans will again be able to access broadcasts of their local teams through Xfinity,” Preschlack stated. 

In addition to Comcast, Diamond Sports has reached distribution agreements with Charter Communications, DirecTV, and Fubo. The company is now focused on finalizing agreements with the NHL and resolving ongoing negotiations with the NBA. Preschlack highlighted the urgency of these negotiations, given the approaching basketball and hockey seasons. Once these deals are completed, Diamond Sports plans to present a reorganization plan to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. 

The agreement with Comcast allows for the Bally Sports channels to be offered on a tiered basis, requiring customers to opt into higher-rate packages for access, rather than including them in standard cable packages. This arrangement follows a previous dispute over terms in May. 

The regional sports networks industry has faced significant challenges as consumers increasingly shift to streaming services, contributing to a decline in traditional cable subscriptions. Comcast reported a loss of 419,000 domestic cable customers in the second quarter, leaving it with approximately 13.2 million subscribers.