Oct 09,V7N- In response to Diamond Sports Group's decision to drop most of its media rights deals, except for the Atlanta Braves, Major League Baseball (MLB) has stepped in to take over the local game production and distribution for the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cleveland Guardians starting next season. The Texas Rangers, who were also with Diamond, are exploring new local media options for the 2025 season, including a direct-to-distributor broadcast model.

Several other teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Miami Marlins, were also freed from their in-market rights deals with Diamond. Some of these teams are already in discussions to renew their local media rights for the 2025 season, per reports.

This transition will significantly expand the reach of these teams’ local broadcasts. The Guardians, for instance, will now be accessible in approximately 4.86 million households, a 235% increase from their previous regional reach. The Twins will see a 307% boost, expanding to 4.4 million homes.

MLB has successfully produced and distributed games for the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2024 season, and the model for the Twins, Brewers, and Guardians will follow the same approach. Fans can expect high-quality production with features like live look-ins to MLB's Replay Operations Center, in-game player interviews, and enhanced camera angles like the Ump Cam.

MLB Deputy Commissioner Noah Garden emphasized MLB's commitment to improving accessibility and growing the reach of games, adding that the league aims to eliminate blackouts where possible and enhance the overall viewing experience for fans.

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