Observed Signal · Dec 18, 2025 · M&A · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
DAZN Targets Majority Stake in Main Street Sports Group
DAZN is in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Main Street Sports Group, the largest operator of U.S. regional sports networks (RSNs). The deal would instantly give DAZN local broadcast rights for 29 teams across the NBA, NHL and MLB and expand its U.S. footprint beyond a combat-sports niche. Main Street Sports Group is the successor to Diamond Sports Group, which emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy; the business has stabilized via a FanDuel naming-rights deal and a distribution partnership with Amazon for streaming. The transaction would combine streaming-first distribution with legacy linear cable infrastructure, posing strategic tradeoffs between cost savings from dismantling linear channels and the risk of alienating viewers who still watch local teams on traditional TV.
A major streaming platform pursuing control of U.S. RSNs could materially reshape local sports distribution and advertising inventory, accelerating shifts between linear and streaming channels and affecting advertisers, distributors and measurement across TV/CTV.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- DAZN is in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Main Street Sports Group.
- The acquisition would give DAZN local broadcast rights for 29 teams across the NBA, NHL and MLB.
- Main Street Sports Group is the successor to Diamond Sports Group, which emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Main Street Sports Group has a naming-rights deal with FanDuel and a key distribution partnership with Amazon for streaming.
- The deal would expand DAZN's U.S. presence beyond combat sports into local sports networks (RSNs).
Connected Companies & Entities
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
DAZN Eyes Local NBA Streaming Rights for Up to 10 Teams
DAZN is reported to be the frontrunner to acquire digital streaming rights tied to MSG Networks and YES Network and is nearing agreements with multiple NBA teams. If completed, DAZN would become the streaming home for all non-national games for New York-area franchises and is close to exclusive local rights for several other teams, potentially covering up to ten NBA clubs. Reported deal structures may be short-term or include opt-outs to preserve flexibility ahead of a possible league-run local streaming hub for 2027-28. The moves would significantly expand DAZN’s U.S. sports footprint and mark a major shift in local sports distribution as regional sports networks decline.
Nine MLB Teams Terminate RSN Deals Amid Main Street Collapse
Nine Major League Baseball clubs terminated local broadcast contracts with Main Street Sports Group, the financially troubled operator of the FanDuel Sports Networks, after missed payments. The clubs said they ended deals to avoid being tied to a potential second bankruptcy at Main Street; reports say a possible sale to streamer DAZN has fallen through. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated the league is prepared to take over production and distribution of affected games and noted MLB already manages broadcasts for six teams. The terminations strip Main Street of core rights revenue and remove large, fixed cable payments from the teams’ budgets (reported as up to ~30% of some clubs' income), accelerating baseball’s shift away from the regional sports network model toward more centralized or national media solutions. The NBA and NHL are reported to be monitoring the situation for broader RSN impacts.
NBC Sports Integrates Sportradar's GameFrame into NBA Broadcasts
The regional sports network (RSN) model is unraveling — FanDuel Sports Network is shutting down, Main Street Sports Group failed to find a buyer, and multiple MLB, NBA and NHL teams face losing local broadcast partners. In contrast, NBC Sports Regional Sports Networks signed a multi-year deal with Sportradar to deploy GameFrame across markets for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 NBA seasons. GameFrame converts official NBA player-tracking data into real-time on-air graphics, animated replays, shot charts and customized digital assets, aiming to deepen fan engagement and make broadcasts more valuable to advertisers. The article argues that product and technology investments (better broadcasts) can preserve and even increase the value of sports ad inventory, whereas RSNs that relied solely on distribution economics are at risk.
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