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MLB will air local games for Cincinnati Reds next season

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FILE - Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan celebrates after striking out St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter with the bases loaded to end a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

 
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CINCINNATI (AP) — Major League Baseball will produce and distribute local broadcasts for the Cincinnati Reds next season.

The announcement was made on Thursday after a judge in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston approved the Reds and Diamond Sports Group ending their joint venture.

The Reds had a 20% stake in what is now FanDuel Sports Network Ohio. Diamond bought back the team’s stake for $1.

The addition of the Reds means MLB will be handling the production and distribution of at least seven teams going into 2025.

MLB took over broadcasts of the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2023 season and the Colorado Rockies this year. It also is adding the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers and the Minnesota Twins next season.

The Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers still are assessing their plans.

By taking over the broadcasts, MLB expects to increase the Reds’ market reach from 1.1 million households to 13.5 million homes across seven states through a combination of local cable systems, satellite and direct-to-consumer streaming.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb