KC Royals announce new TV deal with FanDuel, Amazon Prime after Bally Sports disaster

After almost two years in limbo, the Kansas City Royals' broadcasting future has been settled, with the team announcing on December 3 that they are sticking with Diamond Sports Group, owner of FanDuel Sports Network, to distribute their games in 2025.

"Even more ways to watch in 2025, no matter where you are," the Royals posted on X. "We have reached an agreement with Diamond Sports Group for the 2025 season to have Royals games produced and distributed by FanDuel Sports Network."

Fans will also be able to stream games as an add-on subscription on Amazon Prime. This comes after Diamond Sports announced a multi-year commercial agreement with Amazon Prime Video to save all 16 of their FanDuel-branded regional sports networks (RSNs) on November 13.

KC Royals reach agreement with Diamond Sports Group

Diamond Sports Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023, aiming to restructure over $8 billion in debt. In October 2024, the company introduced a reorganization plan in federal bankruptcy court, which would see them abandon all but one of their existing contracts with MLB teams. Their broadcasting contract with the Atlanta Braves would be the only deal they retained under this plan.

Under Diamond Sports' proposed plan, all affected MLB teams would need to either negotiate new deals with the company, which would almost certainly require the teams to take a significant reduction in fights fees, or find a new home for their broadcasting before the 2025 season.

During 2024, Diamond Sports held RSN contracts with 12 MLB teams, but five of those teams — the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers, and Cincinnati Reds — cut ties with the broadcasting giant as the bankruptcy proceedings dragged on. The St. Louis Cardinals announced they'd reached a new deal to keep Diamond Sports as their exclusive local media partner in early November, and the Los Angeles Angels and Miami Marlins soon followed with their own new contract announcements, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

On November 13, Diamond Sports announced their new agreement with Amazon Prime. According to the associated press release, all of the company's RSNs — including Bally Sports Kansas City, newly rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City — will be "available via Prime Video as an add-on subscription for customers living within each team's designated geographic area."

Following this announcement, the Braves agreed to an amended deal with Diamond Sports, and the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays both arranged new contracts. That left the Royals as the last unsettled team, so Kansas City's new deal largely brings MLB's interest in Diamond Sports' bankruptcy saga to a close.

"Our top priority has been and always will be reaching as many fans as possible," Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman said in the team's press release. "We want to be available to anyone who wants to watch our exciting team as the ownership group continues to invest in the progress we’re making on the field."

The new agreement covers all non-nationally televised Royals games in 2025, including spring training games. There will be options for both satellite and cable viewing, as well as streaming packages through the FanDuel app and Amazon Prime. Details regarding the cost of these options has not yet been announced.