4 difficult decisions for the St. Louis Cardinals before Spring Training ends

Decision #4: Coming to a consensus on broadcasting games in 2025 and beyond

Let me start by saying that this dilemma won't be solved before the Cardinals move west to start the season. During the Winter Warm-Up weekend, Bill DeWitt III, the man in charge of figuring out the bitter broadcasting situation, said that he is looking at all avenues. He assured the fans that games will be broadcast in 2024, and he is earnestly searching for a plan for 2025 and beyond.

However, spring training opens up the opportunity for DeWitt to meet directly with Bally Sports to discuss the situation. Assuming the court hearings proceed as expected, this will be the last year in which Bally Sports will air Cardinals games. St. Louis will earn its broadcast rights back at the end of the year so that presents Bill DeWitt III with ample freedom. He can start a new network, possibly partnering with the St. Louis Blues. He can reach out to other broadcast companies such as Spectrum and Amazon. He could even work with Major League Baseball to broadcast games.

Regardless of the route the front office chooses to broadcast games, Cardinal fans will surely be keeping tabs on the situation throughout Spring Training. The DeWitt family has made appearances and conducted interviews in past springs, and this topic will surely be questioned by reporters.

As of January 18th, Amazon announced a restructuring agreement that makes it a partner with Diamond Sports Group. This partnership opens up the opportunity for Amazon to continue broadcasting for a variety of MLB, NHL, and NBA teams. Amazon paid an initial $115 million to help offset bankruptcy costs for DSG, and another $50 million could be passed on down the road. This doesn't guarantee Bally's safety, but it provides more confidence that Diamond will be able to pay off its debts.

Bally Sports will be broadcasting 12 Spring Training games. Chip Caray, Tom Ackerman, and/or Brad Thompson will be the commentary crew for these games. Bally will also handle every game that isn't broadcasted nationally during the season.