Braves Revenues in Positive Place as Question Marks Over TV Rights Remain

The Atlanta Braves saw a solid increase in revenue but what happens related to TV revenue in the future remains up in the air

As the battle over regional TV rights continue, the Braves remain unaffected, at least for now / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves continue to be one of the bigger moneymakers in Major League Baseball. According to Front Office Sports, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. reported third-quarter earnings that included a 7% increase in total revenue to $290.7 million. This beat projections. 

However, there is still an uncertainty going forward when it comes to media revenue. As of now, the Braves will remain tied to the Regional Sports Networks for their TV coverage. 

While Diamond Sports Group, the owner of the Fan Duel Sports Networks (formerly Bally and Fox Sports), has dropped a number of MLB teams, they want to hang onto the Braves. 

As of now, the Braves have yet to have any issues, but they can’t predict how long that will last.

“While the pending bankruptcy proceeding of Diamond Sports Group has not previously had a material unfavorable impact on the company’s revenue,” Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said in an earnings call with analysts,” and the company has received scheduled payments to date, we cannot currently predict whether such bankruptcy proceedings are reasonably likely to have a material unfavorable impact on our revenue in the future.”

Schiller remains confident in the Braves' outlook despite the limbo that TV revenue is in. He feels the Braves have an advantage with their success on the field and their market size - as in almost the entire southeastern US - to find new opportunities for revenue. 

 “No matter what happens, we think we are in a very enviable position. … We think we have an opportunity to capitalize further on that [market] territory should those rights come back to us,” Schiller said. 

This is a continuation of a broadcasting mess that has made it hard for Braves fans to watch the games. Xfinity/Comcast dropped the Bally Sports channels over the summer due to a contract dispute with DSG. The TV provider went without the channels from May 1 to Aug. 1. Bally Sports channels are also not available on YouTube TV or Hulu.

The broadcasting rights on the local RSN are also behind the blackouts for local MLB TV streamers. Teams that have moved to MLB-operated broadcasts will be able to have their broadcasts on MLB TV without blackouts. 

DSG filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in March 2023 to settle over $8 billion in debt. The debt originates from its owners, Sinclair Broadcast Group, purchasing regional sports networks from Disney following its acquisition of Twenty-First Century Fox in 2019.