The Atlanta Braves are reportedly looking to put the regional in regional sports network.
According to Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal, the Major League Baseball club is exploring a direct-to-distributor model for local broadcasts with a potential goal of creating a multi-team RSN that includes the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies and the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
Friend’s sources say the Braves are currently talking to Comcast, Charter, and DirecTV about the arrangement and might possibly talk with MVPDs such as YouTube TV and Hulu.
The Braves were one of nine MLB teams that recently departed Main Street Sports Group, the collapsing owner of the FanDuel Sports Networks. While six teams opted to join the league’s media arm, others, such as Atlanta, are exploring their own path forward. Friend reported earlier this month that they and the Los Angeles Angels were exploring launching their own networks.
For the time being, the Braves are partnering with Gray Media to broadcast 15 spring training games across 26 Southern markets, including Atlanta’s Peachtree TV. However, they’re still trying to figure out their plan for the 2026 regular season, though their own network remains the focal point.
The Hawks, Grizzlies, and Predators are still partnering with FanDuel Sports Network for game broadcasts, but the company appears to be on its last legs and might not even make it through the NBA season.
Friend says the Hawks may or may not partner with the Braves and are reportedly in talks with Gray Media and Peachtree TV. They and the Grizzlies may also decide to make short-term deals if their RSN ceases to exist, as the NBA is reportedly in talks to create a centralized streaming RSN by the 2027-28 season.
Predators CMO Bill Wickett told SBJ that the team has not spoken to the Braves about being part of their potential network.
If the Braves are able to create this regional network consisting of teams from Georgia and Tennessee, might we suggest the name… Fox Sports Southeast?
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.