Pro Hockey News has been following the trials and tribulations of the regional sports network (RSN) arena for the last four years.
In early January of this year, Diamond Sports Group (DSG), emerged from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The problems with DSG and other RSNs in the country have been chronicled on these pages.
Diamond Sports Group was rebranded following the emergence from bankruptcy as Main Street Sports Group. The problems that put DSG into bankruptcy will remain.
“Emerging from this process is the culmination of over 20 months of incredibly hard work to transform our business and to position us to better serve passionate local fans across our markets,” David Preschlack, CEO, Main Street Sports said on Sports Video News. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who made this restructuring possible: our new owners, partners, advisors, and especially our dedicated employees. With a stronger balance sheet, key partnerships, supportive new owners, we are modernizing our business to thrive in a changing media landscape.”
Main Street Sports Group will be the business brand of the RSN side of the RSN. However, Main Street has partnered with Amazon Prime Video to stream content there, and has Partnered with FanDuel Sports betting group to form FanDuel Sports Network as the fan facing entity.
Main Street content assets include NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs; the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and Tampa Bay Lightning; and Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers.
The emergence from bankruptcy included the restructuring of the RSN’s debt from $9 billion to $200 million. The move was overwhelmingly supported by DSG debt holders.
The new FanDuel network will now braid sports betting and game streaming into a unified broadcast location. It brings the sports book from the casino floor to your television or mobile device. 
Preschlack said on SNJ Today,, “This partnership reinforces opportunities to further strengthen the close connection our RSNs have with local fans, including enhancing our direct-to-consumer offering for a growing digital audience.”
FanDuel is betting on the RSNs succeeding in the near future. The RSNs are gambling on the new venture attracting bettors and fans to a single location, preferably with their eyeballs locked on their streaming outlets, including Amazon Prime Video.
