NEW YORK (AP) — Nine Major League Baseball teams have terminated their deals with the FanDuel Sports Network to carry their local broadcasts, and Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB is prepared to produce and distribute the telecasts.
Main Street Sports Group, which operates the FanDuel networks, did not make its December payment to the St. Louis Cardinals. It also carries games of Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Angels, Miami, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, along with 13 teams in the NBA and seven in the NHL.
The termination by the MLB teams was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions had not been announced.
“No matter what happens, whether it’s Main Street, a third party or MLB media, fans are going to have the games,” Manfred said Thursday.
Teams that terminated their contracts could reach new deals with Main Street, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
MLB took over broadcasts for San Diego in May 2023 after Diamond Sports Group missed a payment to the Padres and added Arizona that July.
Colorado joined MLB's distribution in 2024, and Cleveland and Minnesota in 2025. Seattle is being added this season and possibly Washington, which is leaving the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.
Diamond was renamed Main Street Sports Group as it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings last year and its networks were rebranded as FanDuel.
“Our focus, particularly given the point in the calendar, is to maximize the revenue that’s available to the clubs, whether that’s MLB Media or third party,” Manfred said. “The clubs have control over the timing. They can make a decision to move to MLB Media because of the contractual status now. I think that what's happening right now clubs are evaluating their alternatives. Obviously they’ve made significant payroll commitments already and they’re evaluating the alternatives to find the best revenue source for the year and the best outlet in terms of providing quality broadcasts to their fans.”
Manfred said local media provides more than 20% of industry revenue.
MLB and the players' association for 2024 allowed discretionary fund distributions of up to $15 million each to teams whose local media revenue had declined since 2022 or 2023, but they did not reach a similar agreement for 2025.
“We are not providing financial assistance right now,” Manfred said.
Manfred spoke at a news conference to announce an initiative that includes Foster Love and envisions 250,000 volunteer hours to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. At the news conference, MLB staff assembled duffel bags with goods for foster care children.
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Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks at a new conference at Major League Baseball's office in New York on Jan. 8, 2026, announcing a volunteer initiative with Foster Love to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. (AP Photo/Ron Blum)
PHOENIX (AP) — Sarah Strong of UConn was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season, setting the stage for a run to the Final Four.
Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014), and USC's JuJu Watkins, who won it last year. The AP started giving out the award in 1995.
It's the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award with Paige Bueckers being the last to do it before Strong in 2021.
Vanderbilt's Shea Ralph, who was a former UConn player and assistant coach, won the AP Coach of the Year award. They both accepted the awards in front of a full room that included the entire UConn team, which gave a standing ovation when both winners were announced.
“I’m so blessed because I totally got to this point in my life because of my teammates,” Strong said.
Strong received 25 votes from a national media panel that votes for the Top 25 each week. Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes garnered four votes and UCLA's Lauren Betts got the other two. Voting was completed before the NCAA Tournament began.
“Anybody that has watched us play would probably tell you that she's the heart and soul of our team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She elevates the play of everyone on our team."
He called Strong “the most low-key superstar you ever saw.”
“You don’t see that look in her eyes, you know, like, oh, my God, there’s always just, a calmness,” he said. “That’s the best way I can describe it. That allows her to just be free and fluid and play without worry. ”
Auriemma has coached some of the greatest in the game including Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi. Strong fits in with them.
“The great ones, the great ones all had it. I never saw (Taurasi) nervous,” he said. ‘You know that they came in as freshmen and you can tell by the look in their eyes, ’I can handle this. This is what I think. This is why I came here.' You know some may pretend, but you know deep down you’re not ready for that moment. She’s ready for that one."
Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game while helping UConn go 38-0. She's shooting 59.4% from the field, 40.4% from 3 and 84.8% from the the foul line while playing just 27 minutes a game.
The sensational sophomore raised her game when the Huskies faced Top 25 opponents, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. She reached 1,000 career points in her 59th career game, the third-fastest player in school history to reach the milestone.
Strong was the Big East Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth Regional.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Associated Press deputy global sports editor Oscar Dixon, left, presents UConn's Sarah Strong with the 2026 AP Women's Player of the Year award during a news conference at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
UConn forward Sarah Strong, front, and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo compete for a loose ball during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Syracuse, Monday, March 23, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong drives against Notre Dame during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
