Diamond Sports Group’s long and painful bankruptcy process has kept the broadcast futures of nearly half of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams — including the Kansas City Royals — in limbo for nearly two years. Finally, a way out could be in sight.

On November 13, Diamond Sports announced a multi-year commercial agreement with Amazon Prime Video to rescue all 16 FanDuel-branded regional sports networks (RSNs). According to the press release, the RSNs – including Bally Sports Kansas City – “will be available through Prime Video as an add-on subscription to customers living within each team’s designated geographic area.”

During the 2024 season, Diamond Sports RSN had contracts with 12 teams in the MLB. Since early October, five teams – the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds – have officially cut ties.

On November 8, the St. Louis Cardinals announced that they had reached a new, multi-year linear and digital rights deal to retain Diamond Sports as their exclusive local media partner, and the Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays have since followed suit with their own new contracts, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. The company has also agreed to an amended deal with the Atlanta Braves.

That leaves only one team in limbo: the Royals.

Diamond Sports Group’s bankruptcy process has left KC Royals in the lurch

Diamond Sports Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023, aiming to restructure more than $8 billion in debt.

Last month, the company introduced a reorganization plan in federal bankruptcy court that would see them cancel all but one of their existing contracts with MLB teams, according to The Athletic’s Evan Drellich. Their broadcast deal with the Braves was the only deal that Diamond Sports planned to keep, and all other MLB contracts – including their deal with Royals – would be forfeited.

Under this proposed plan, affected MLB teams would either have to negotiate new contracts with Diamond Sports – which would mean the teams would receive a significant reduction in rights fees – or find a new broadcast location before the 2025 season.

On November 8, MLB and the Braves filed a formal objection to Diamond Sports’ reorganization plan, according to ESPN’s Gonzalez, stating that they had “serious concerns that, if the plan is confirmed, there is a significant likelihood that the debtors in the problems will come.” in financial distress and/or bankruptcy court again in the near future.”

The appeal was withdrawn on November 13 following Diamond Sports’ announcement of their new agreement with Prime Video.

Diamond Sports’ confirmation hearing, at which a federal judge will determine whether or not to approve the proposed plan, is set to begin on November 14, and the Royals are the only MLB team yet to settle for a new, less lucrative deal or officially running away.

KC Royals are the latest team to make a broadcast decision for the 2025 season

With less than three months until pitchers and catchers report to spring training for the 2025 season, the Royals are running out of time to nail down a broadcast plan, and if agreement on a new deal with Diamond Sports is off the table, it’s likely they’re going to MLB.

MLB produced and distributed broadcasts for three teams – the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres – in 2024, and will add the Guardians, Brewers and Twins to their roster next season. Should the Royals officially cut ties with Diamond Sports, they will likely opt to become the seventh team in the MLB portfolio, rather than turning to another third-party RSN.

According to Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star, the Royals plan to announce their 2025 broadcast plans “by the end of the week.”