Television deal could put Blue Jackets, other Ohio teams on Amazon Prime Video

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The television rights-holders for the Blue Jackets announced an agreement that could put games on Amazon Prime Video.

Diamond Sports Group, the operator of Bally Sports, announced Wednesday a restructuring agreement with multiple groups that will prevent the company from going into bankruptcy and to continue operating.

One of the terms of that agreement is Amazon making a minority investment in Diamond Sports and making Prime Video the primary location for Bally Sports channels via streaming. That means games for the Blue Jackets, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Cavaliers would become available through a cable subscription that includes Bally Sports or streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Currently, Bally Sports provides its own streaming service that cable customers or Bally account owners can use to watch games.

In 1996, News Corporation was formed as a regional sports broadcast network for local MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams. It was acquired by 21st Century Fox in 2013 before the Diamond Sports Group, a joint-venture company of Sinclair Broadcast Group and Allen Media Group, acquired Fox Sports Regional networks in 2019 and rebranded.

Bally Sports owns local broadcasting rights to dozens of MLB, NBA, and NHL teams. Blue Jackets games have been on these regional networks since the team was formed in 2000. Crew matches used to be broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio/Bally Sports until Apple bought the exclusive MLS broadcasting rights.

Amazon has slowly but steadily expanded its sports broadcast rights, none bigger than its exclusive Thursday Night Football game for the NFL. Amazon also has broadcasting rights to an NFL game on Black Friday and the National Women's Soccer League along multiple original sports documentary series.