Will Arizona Coyotes games be removed from Bally Sports? Exploring reason behind other sports teams cutting ties with the RSN

Diamond Sports, the owner of the 18 Bally Sports regional sports networks, has recently made a significant move that raises questions about the broadcasting of Arizona Coyotes games on Bally Sports Arizona. The RSN company, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, has rejected its agreement to broadcast the Arizona Diamondbacks' games on the network.

With Diamond Sports' decision to reject the agreement to broadcast the Diamondbacks' games on Bally Sports Arizona, the network is now left with only one major professional sports team, the Arizona Coyotes.

Typically, relying solely on an NHL team, especially one that has only made a single postseason appearance in the past ten years, may not be sufficient to sustain a regional sports network. Additionally, the Coyotes have been grappling with arena instability, further complicating the situation.

The rejection of the Diamondbacks agreement comes after Diamond Sports filed a motion requesting the termination of the pact. The company initially sought to postpone a hearing on the matter, indicating ongoing positive discussions with the team to continue broadcasting Arizona's games.

However, any potential negotiations appear to have failed, as Diamond Sports has now filed a proposed order to approve the termination of the Diamondbacks deal.

The proposed order states that, if approved by the judge, the termination will be effective as of July 17, 2023, backdated to 2:01 a.m. ET. While the judge's final signature is still pending at the time of writing, it is likely that the order will be approved, given Diamond Sports' statement that the company and the Diamondbacks have substantially agreed on the proposed order.

Uncertainty looms over Bally Sports Arizona: Diamondbacks out, Arizona Coyotes in question

In the event of approval, Major League Baseball (MLB) is expected to take over the Diamondbacks broadcasts, similar to the arrangement made after Diamond Sports rejected its agreement with the San Diego Padres on May 31. Diamond Sports would be required to pay the Diamondbacks for any games that continue to be broadcast after the rejection order is approved, as outlined in the proposed order.

Furthermore, the order stipulates that Diamond Sports must remove any remaining personal property from the Diamondbacks facilities by July 31, 2023. Any property left behind after this date would be considered abandoned.

Last week, the Phoenix Suns and Mercury ended their partnership with the regional sports network and secured a new deal with Gray Television and Kiswe. Additionally, earlier this year, the USL's Phoenix Rising decided not to renew their agreement with Bally Sports and instead signed with Arizona's Family Sports and Entertainment.

The whole situation has left Arizona Coyotes fans concerned.