The NHL negotiated a similar deal with the network owner six weeks after the NBA did to keep its games airing locally on the insolvent Bally Sports-branded RSNs.
Diamond Sports Group filed a filing Wednesday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas requesting clearance to air in-market NHL games until 2023-24
If Judge Christopher Lopez grants the request, Diamond's NHL rights will revert to the league after the season
The request states that Diamond will pay its NHL partners “the amounts due thereunder in accordance with the modifications” in the redacted agreement, despite an accompanying term sheet being sealed
Should Diamond violate the temporary settlement or “fail to satisfy certain performance conditions,” the NHL and its teams may terminate the agreement “without seeking further relief from the court.”
Diamond and the Arizona Coyotes' Oct. 4 decision to terminate its local TV arrangement leaves Bally Sports with 11 NHL teams.
Diamond-owned RSNs have linear-TV and direct-to-consumer rights to the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, and Detroit Red Wings.
Three other clubs—Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, and St. Louis Blues—are part-owners of their local stations, making them “non-debtor RSNs.” The Kings re-signed Diamond in September.