Company that holds Royals’ broadcast rights reportedly could go out of business
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Main Street Sports risks dissolution if no deal with DAZN by end of January.
- If Main Street folds, broadcast rights for 30 franchises would revert to teams.
- Royals rights could move to MLB streaming for 2026 season if situation persists.
The Royals in November announced that their 2026 games again would be broadcast and streamed on FanDuel Sports Kansas City.
But there is a chance that could change before the Royals open the Major League Baseball season on March 27 in Atlanta.
The Sports Business Journal reported that the Main Street Sports Group, which owns FanDuel Sports, would dissolve its business early next year if it can’t complete a pending deal.
The Wall Street Journal said DAZN “is discussing making a sizable cash investment in Main Street Sports.” DAZN is an on-demand sports streaming service.
A Main Street spokesperson shared this statement: “Main Street Sports Group is in discussions with certain team partners around the timing of their rights payments as we progress discussions with strategic partners to further enhance our long-term capital position.”
That would include the Royals, who declined comment for this story.
Main Street Sports missed a December payment to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Sports Business Journal reported. It added that if Main Street Sports and DAZN don’t reach agreement by the end of January, “Main Street will wind down and dissolve its business at the end of this year’s NBA and NHL regular seasons.”
The NBA regular season ends on April 12, while the NHL season runs through April 15.
“The wind-down scenario means the broadcast rights to a combined 30 franchises in the NBA, NHL and MLB would revert back to the teams — creating seismic change in local TV and likely accelerating national streaming RSNs for both the NBA and MLB,” wrote Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal.
A source said Main Street Sports hasn’t missed a payment to the Royals.
If FanDuel Sports Kansas City dissolves, Major League Baseball would be the top candidate to take over Royals broadcast rights. The league has previously produced and distributed Brewers, Twins, Reds and Guardians games.
In that scenario, Royals games in the 2026 season would be available via a subscription to MLB’s streaming service. However, that is only if Main Street Sports goes out of business.
After Diamond Sports Group emerged from bankruptcy in January, it changed its name to Main Street Sports Group.
