Potential FanDuel Sports Network layoffs raise new questions for Braves and Hawks local broadcasts in 2026
Workforce reductions signaled as regional sports network operator restructures again
Layoffs may be approaching at FanDuel Sports Network, the regional sports TV brand that has carried Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks games, after its operator moved to close an office and eliminate dozens of positions in Connecticut.
The operator, Main Street Sports Group, has disclosed plans to shut its Southport, Connecticut, office and permanently lay off 44 employees by mid-April 2026. The cuts span roles that include management, engineering and analyst positions, and include some remote employees. Company leadership has described the action as part of broader efforts to modernize operations while continuing to deliver live game broadcasts.
Financial stress has accelerated shifts in MLB local television rights
The staffing move comes amid escalating instability in the local sports media marketplace, where regional sports networks have faced higher programming costs, cord-cutting pressures and disputes over rights fees. Main Street Sports Group is the successor to Diamond Sports Group, the largest U.S. regional sports network operator, which emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2025 and continued operating under the FanDuel Sports Network naming rights brand.
In recent months, multiple Major League Baseball clubs have ended their local broadcast agreements with FanDuel Sports Network after missed rights payments. MLB has said it is prepared to produce and distribute games for teams affected by the contract exits and, in several cases, has already assumed those production and distribution responsibilities for the 2026 season.
For Atlanta, the contract fallout has created immediate uncertainty about where Braves games will air locally once the 2026 season begins. While the Braves were among the clubs that ended their deals, a replacement local distribution plan has not been publicly finalized. Separately, the Braves previously expanded over-the-air availability through a multi-year agreement to simulcast a limited number of regular-season games with Gray Media beginning in 2025, increasing reach for selected telecasts.
What it means for Atlanta viewers and teams
For fans, the stakes are practical: availability, pricing, and reliability. In recent years, Braves telecasts have been carried on the regional networks now branded FanDuel Sports Network South and FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, with additional options that have included limited over-the-air simulcasts and direct-to-consumer streaming offerings tied to local rights arrangements.
The Hawks’ local telecasts have also been part of the FanDuel Sports Network portfolio. Unlike MLB, where league-operated local production has expanded quickly, NBA and NHL teams have been developing contingency approaches as the regional network sector continues to evolve.
The announced April 2026 layoffs point to continued cost cutting and consolidation inside the operator.
Braves local broadcast plans for 2026 remain unsettled following the contract termination, even as national games continue on league-wide partners.
Hawks broadcasts are expected to continue in the near term, but broader regional network restructuring increases the likelihood of changes in distribution models.
With MLB already taking over production for a growing list of clubs, the Atlanta market may soon see a clearer split between league-controlled distribution and team-by-team regional arrangements.
For now, the most concrete timeline is internal: the Southport office closure and associated job cuts are scheduled by mid-April 2026, a period that overlaps with the opening weeks of the MLB regular season and the closing stretch of the NBA season, when viewership demand typically peaks.