The map of regional sports is basically a crime scene right now. If you've tried to find a local baseball or basketball game in the last two years, you know the drill. You scroll through your cable guide, find nothing, try an app that doesn't work, and eventually realize your team is trapped behind a corporate dispute. It’s a mess. But the arrival of Amazon FanDuel Sports Network is finally starting to clear the smoke, even if the transition feels a bit like moving houses during a thunderstorm.
For a long time, Diamond Sports Group—the folks behind the Bally Sports brand—was circling the drain in bankruptcy court. It looked like local sports broadcasts might just vanish. Then came the rebranding and the massive partnership with Amazon and FanDuel. Suddenly, the games aren't just on a random cable channel you can't get; they’re moving into the Prime Video ecosystem.
The Rebrand That Actually Matters
This isn't just a fresh coat of paint. When Bally Sports officially flipped the switch to become FanDuel Sports Network in late 2024, it signaled a shift in who actually holds the keys to your local team's broadcasts. FanDuel isn't just a name on the building; they are deeply integrated into the viewing experience. But the real heavyweight in the room is Amazon.
By integrating Amazon FanDuel Sports Network content into Prime Video, the reach of these regional sports networks (RSNs) expands instantly. You aren’t tethered to a legacy cable box anymore. If you’re a fan of the Atlanta Braves, the Miami Heat, or the Detroit Tigers, you’ve likely felt the sting of "blackout" rules for years. This deal is designed to bypass the traditional gatekeepers who made watching a home game feel like a heist.
What Changed Overnight?
Basically everything. The graphics changed. The app changed. The way you log in changed.
If you previously had the Bally Sports+ app, it likely updated itself to the FanDuel Sports Network app automatically. But the big play is the "add-on" subscription model through Amazon Prime Video. Think of it like adding HBO or Paramount+ to your Prime account. You pay a monthly fee, and the local games appear right alongside your movies and Thursday Night Football.
It’s convenient. It’s also a little expensive.
Current pricing for the direct-to-consumer (DTC) version of the network usually hovers around $19.99 a month, or a slightly discounted yearly rate. Some fans hate this. They remember when these games were "free" with a basic cable package. But those days are dead. The RSN model broke because the "bundle" broke. Now, we're in the era of "pay for what you actually watch," and for sports fans, that means a premium price tag for local access.
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Why Amazon Stepped Into This Mess
Amazon doesn't do anything by accident. They saw an opportunity to become the "home of sports" globally. They already have the NFL. They have NASCAR. They have the WNBA. By bringing Amazon FanDuel Sports Network into the fold, they solve the biggest problem in sports media: local reach.
Most people don't care about a random game between two teams they don't follow. They care about their team. By hosting these RSNs, Amazon ensures that millions of people have a reason to open the Prime Video app every single night, not just on Thursdays.
- The FanDuel Angle: Why would a betting company want their name on a sports network? Simple. Engagement. If you're watching the game on the FanDuel Sports Network, you're seeing live odds. You’re seeing betting trends. It’s a closed loop designed to keep you invested in the outcome of the game.
- The Diamond Sports Factor: Diamond Sports Group needed a lifeline. Their bankruptcy was messy, involving lawsuits with Major League Baseball and friction with the NBA. Amazon provided the distribution muscle, and FanDuel provided the cash and branding.
Is Your Team on the List?
This is where it gets tricky. Not every team stayed on the boat. During the bankruptcy proceedings, some teams looked at the chaos and decided to walk away.
The Dallas Mavericks, for example, moved to over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts, making their games free for anyone with an antenna in the local market. The New Orleans Pelicans did something similar. But for a huge chunk of the country, Amazon FanDuel Sports Network is still the primary broadcaster for the following:
- MLB: Teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, and Tampa Bay Rays.
- NBA: The Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, and several others.
- NHL: High-profile teams like the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes.
If you live in these markets, you are essentially living in the FanDuel ecosystem now.
The Tech Gap
Let’s be honest: the old Bally app was terrible. It crashed constantly. It had "authentication" errors that required you to log in three times before a game started.
The shift to Amazon’s infrastructure is supposed to fix this. Amazon knows how to handle scale. When millions of people tune in for a playoff game, Amazon’s servers don't blink. That’s the "invisible" benefit of this deal. You’re paying for the content, sure, but you’re also paying for an app that actually loads the video when you press play.
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The Problem With "Local" Blackouts
Blackouts are the bane of every sports fan's existence. You pay for a league pass (like MLB.TV), but you can’t watch your local team because a regional network owns the rights.
The Amazon FanDuel Sports Network deal attempts to bridge this. If you buy the RSN through Amazon, the blackout shouldn't apply because you are technically watching the "local" feed. However, if you are traveling outside your home market, you might still run into walls. It’s a complicated web of zip codes and IP addresses that hasn't been fully untangled yet.
Technically, you are "in-market" if your billing address matches the region. If you’re a Braves fan living in New York, you don’t need this network; you need MLB.TV. If you’re a Braves fan living in Atlanta, you must have this network (or a cable provider that carries it) to see the games.
How to Actually Get It
You have three main paths to watching.
Path A: The Cable Ghost. If you still have a traditional cable or satellite provider (like Spectrum, Cox, or DirecTV) that carries the channel, you don't have to do much. The channel name changed on your guide, but your bill stayed the same. You can use your cable credentials to log into the FanDuel Sports Network app.
Path B: The Direct App. You can go to the FanDuel Sports Network website and subscribe directly. You download their app on your Roku, Fire Stick, or Apple TV. You pay them directly.
Path C: The Amazon Add-on. This is the newest and arguably most stable version. Inside Prime Video, you look for "Channels" or "Subscriptions." You add the network there. One bill, one app. This is what most people are migrating toward because it avoids the headache of managing multiple logins.
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Misconceptions You Should Ignore
There's a lot of bad info floating around social media.
First, no, the games are not "free" just because you have Amazon Prime. You still have to pay the additional monthly fee for the regional sports network. Prime is just the "storefront" where you buy it.
Second, FanDuel isn't going to force you to bet to watch the game. While the betting integration is there, it’s not a requirement. You can just watch the basketball game like a normal human being.
Third, the "Bally" name is gone for good. If you see a website still using that branding, it’s likely outdated or a scam.
The Future of Local Sports
Honestly? This is likely a stop-gap. The long-term trend for sports is moving away from regional silos and toward national streaming. But for the next few years, Amazon FanDuel Sports Network is the bridge.
We are seeing a massive consolidation of power. Smaller networks can’t survive on their own. They need the tech stack of a company like Amazon and the monetization engine of a company like FanDuel.
If you're a fan, the "actionable insight" here is simple: check your subscriptions. If you’re paying for a cable package just for sports, you might save $100 a month by cutting the cord and just getting the Amazon add-on for your local team.
Next Steps for Fans
- Verify your market: Go to the FanDuel Sports Network website and enter your zip code. It will tell you exactly which teams you have access to.
- Check your hardware: If you have an older Smart TV, the new app might not be supported. A $30 4K streaming stick is usually a better bet for a smooth experience.
- Watch the calendar: Most of these services allow you to cancel anytime. If your team finishes their season in October, cancel the sub. Don't pay for "dead air" during the off-season.
- Audit your Prime account: If you choose the Amazon route, make sure your "Home Market" is set correctly in your account settings so you don't get hit with accidental blackouts.
The era of easy local sports is over, but the era of "at least it works now" is finally starting. It’s expensive, and the branding is a bit corporate-heavy, but at least the screen isn't black when the puck drops.