On sports media: Wolves could strike it rich with next TV deal
Much like the Twins have partnered with MLB on their TV/streaming deal, the Timberwolves could go into business with the NBA starting in 2026-27.
FanDuel Sports Network North suffered a significant blow to its summertime programming when the Twins departed after last season to begin their own venture with Major League Baseball.
But it’s looking as if FanDuel might be keeping one of its biggest remaining properties — at least for the short term.
Sports Business Journal reported the Timberwolves are one of five NBA teams that could elect to opt back into their Regional Sports Network deal for at least another season. The reason: An artificial deadline of April 1 for the Wolves, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks to notify Main Street Sports Group of their plans has been delayed. (Main Street is the company that runs FanDuel.)
The holdup in the Wolves’ decision is the result of the NBA negotiating a potential national streaming RSN with Amazon, YouTube, Apple and perhaps ESPN+, Roku or others, according to SBN.
That means the Wolves and new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez could find themselves in a position to strike it rich after the 2025-26 season.
Much like with the Twins and MLB, the Wolves aren’t going to start their own television/streaming service when the NBA can provide a significant amount of the infrastructure and work out deals for multiple teams.
The Wolves are getting $24 million this season for their rights, according to SBN, and figure to get about the same if they return. That also would be expected to keep the WNBA’s Lynx on FanDuel Sports Network for another season.
There are a handful of NBA teams that have switched to over-the-air television — the Wolves aired five weekend home games on NBC-affiliate KARE this season — but having a significant amount of games carried on free TV isn’t nearly as profitable as being on an RSN.
One big reason for the Twins’ move was so they could end their longtime issues with blackouts. FanDuel Sports North did not have the right to stream the team’s games, shutting out many who wanted to watch. Twins TV costs $19.99 a month or $99.99 a season and games also can be accessed on select cable systems, including Comcast, and DirecTV. But this still means a significant reduction in revenue for a franchise that was getting about $54 million as recently as two years ago.
The NBA is a more attractive television and streaming product than MLB, meaning the Wolves could avoid the Twins’ financial pain, if they can transition from their FanDuel deal to one in which the NBA partners with a major service for huge money and then cuts checks to everyone involved. Next season, the NBA will begin a new 11-year national television agreement that will include ESPN, Amazon and NBC and pay the league $77 billion.
Meanwhile, FanDuel Sports North is in a much better place since Diamond Sports Group emerged from bankruptcy and rebranded as Main Street. Its future in Minnesota will be interesting to watch.
Regional Sports Networks were once the lifeblood of the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball but that’s no longer the case. While the Wolves might be back for a season, the Wild’s contract with FanDuel expires this spring and it’s believed the team is continuing to explore its options.