The NBA’s relationship with FanDuel Sports Network could be heading for a crossroads.
According to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, Main Street Sports Group — the company that operates FanDuel Sports Network — failed to make its January rights-fee payments to several NBA teams, raising fresh questions about the long-term stability of the arrangement.
Main Street, which is in the process of being sold to DAZN, also missed a recent payment to MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals. That prompted the NBA league office to alert all 13 teams partnered with the company that their January payments might not arrive on time. Friend reports that at least several teams did not receive scheduled payments this week.
Games will continue to air for now. Sources say default notices have already been sent, triggering a 15-day cure period once they are formally received.
“Main Street Sports Group is in dialogue with its team and league partners around the timing of rights payments,” a company spokesperson said, citing ongoing talks with strategic partners to improve its capital position.
Team sources told Friend that contractual safeguards would make the clubs primary payees if Main Street were to collapse. Still, the numbers are concerning. Friend reports Main Street lost roughly $200 million in 2025 and owes teams a combined $180 million for the current season.
If a sale to DAZN can’t be finalized this month, Main Street officials have indicated plans to wind down operations after the NBA and NHL seasons, though some teams privately question whether the company can afford to keep producing games that long.
If Main Street dissolves, digital rights would revert to the teams, potentially accelerating a national streaming RSN model. If DAZN completes the deal, the broadcasts would largely stay the same — though expiring contracts loom.
Per Friend, teams under contract with Main Street for 2025-26 (rights fees):
- Atlanta Hawks — $32M
- Charlotte Hornets — $16.57M
- Cleveland Cavaliers — $34M
- Detroit Pistons — $25.78M
- Indiana Pacers — $17.47M
- Los Angeles Clippers — $34.59M
- Memphis Grizzlies — $11.41M
- Miami Heat — $55M
- Milwaukee Bucks — $24M
- Minnesota Timberwolves — $24.88M
- Oklahoma City Thunder — $16.67M
- Orlando Magic — $26.19M
- San Antonio Spurs — $19.92M
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Hopefully this seals the deal that they won’t be part of the NBA’s future after this season.
When I was paying for their service, it didn’t really work. App didn’t work well enough to watch the game.
NBA needs to just sell direct to consumer.. I don’t know if blackout restrictions are law or a league mandated thing.. but if I could just watch the games of my home team. .without blackout restrictions.. and give the NBA money for that.. Support the team nightly, on TV, instead of selling the farm to buy one night of tickets.. or giving money to a third party streaming service that does not work.
League Pass for the home team. Or team channels options.. They can sell their own advertising and air their own games.
It’s all changing anyways, the playing field, lets just make it the way it should be. And free is okay too. Then the advertisers would reach everybody, and would pay more for their advertising. Offsetting or maybe surpassing the would be subscription fees consumers pay third parties. .