WIll Amazon Be A Future Streaming Home Of The Milwaukee Brewers?

Diamond Sports Group, the owner of Bally Sports, started running into bankruptcy in February 2023 after missing an interest payment of $140 million. In the months following, they further missed payments to various sports teams, and confusion regarding the future of their portfolio of streaming rights left fans in a daze. Luckily for them (and perhaps unluckily for the average consumer), Amazon started talks to fold Bally’s assets into Amazon Prime Video. When it was announced, there was still a chance that the bankruptcy court would reject the deal, but as per recent reports, it seems that negotiations are in the final stages. So, what does this mean for fans hoping to stream Brew Crew baseball?

The Brewers are one of the five MLB teams (along with the Tigers, Royals, Marlins, and Rays) whose existing contracts with Diamond Sports Group will carry over into the future. The current plan seems that Amazon will charge $20/month for a streaming package through Prime that provides fans access to teams in their local area. Most importantly, this means that in-market viewers with Prime subscriptions will no longer need cable access to watch the Brewers. 

Regional sports networks have struggled as cord-cutting has continued, and more people have moved towards consolidated television packages. This partnership with Amazon is a temporary fix, but a few hurdles still need to be cleared. First, DSG must prove that it can be a sustainable business to satisfy the bankruptcy court. Second, Amazon must stay true to its word as its earlier withdrawal of a discussed $115 million investment doesn’t necessarily convey the most faith. Sure, they’re interested in the broadcasting rights now, but what about in five to ten years? Will consumers have to go through this charade again? Finally, what about customers without Amazon Prime? Will they have to succumb to an Amazon Prime subscription in addition to the added fee to stream games? Potentially, but as things are yet to be set in stone, it’s hard to make a definitive claim.

An interesting tidbit about this deal is that it may not be exclusive, meaning DSG could enter similar partnerships with competing platforms, providing customers with alternative viewing options. To further complicate matters, MLB has expressed interest in tossing their hat in the streaming ring and could release their package as soon as 2025. Rob Manfred said this is one of his main focuses moving forward and could simplify things in an in-market package similar to the existing out-of-market MLB.tv product. In the interim, you can look forward to funneling your hard funds into the pockets of Amazon investors worldwide so you can enjoy some good ol’ Milwaukee baseball.