Less than six months ago, fans in the Valley needed a cable TV subscription that included Bally Sports Arizona to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns or the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Not anymore — all three teams have cut ties with the regional sports network and the channel is going off the air.Since Diamond Sports Group (DSG), the parent company to Bally Sports Arizona and 18 other regional sports networks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March with $8.6 billion of debt, the Suns, Diamondbacks and Coyotes were able to get out of their once-lucrative deals with the regional sports network (RSN).In a court filing last week, DSG asked U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Lopez, to let Bally out of its deal that ran through the 2024-25 season with the Coyotes. DSG said that getting out of the deal with Coyotes was “the final step in exiting the Bally Sports Arizona RSN.”Lopez ruled the next day that the contract could be rejected, pretty much ending Bally Sports Arizona’s tenure as a TV station.In a statement sent to the Business Journal, a Diamond Sports spokesperson emphasized that the company will no longer be part of the Valley’s TV landscape.“After careful deliberation and in collaboration with the Arizona Coyotes and the NHL, and with approval from the bankruptcy court, Diamond has rejected its rights contract with the Coyotes, as it does not fit with Diamond’s long-term business plan,” the spokesperson said. “As part of this decision, Diamond is exiting its broadcast operations in Arizona. We value the relationships we have maintained with the fans and teams in Arizona.”A September court filing showed that from the time DSG filed for bankruptcy through the end of August, its Arizona employee count dropped more than 31% to only 24 employees. Ba …
See the full article on Arizona zoning regulations, or, read more Arizona real estate investing news. It’s up to you!