watching my beloved Baltimore teams on a network branded “Home Team Sports.” It was a regional sports network . Throughout the years, the business and brand changed hands multiple times. Ironically, the brand is now owned by my company, Playfly Sports. This wasn’t a coincidental acquisition; it speaks to how deeply our local sports are ingrained in our American DNA. As a little kid, growing up and owning the company with exclusive national sales rights to RSN content is America at its core.
The RSN model has worked for decades, but it’s shifting as technology expands options. The new models aren’t a cause for concern for those on the fence. The constants will remain: the games will be played, fans will still be rooting, and the advertisements will always run during the breaks. The new models will create opportunities to drive fan engagement and deepen advertising integration into distribution.
Massive media conglomerates and large regional groups will continue to own and operate regional sports networks, providing a convenient way to watch local teams without paying for extra services.of their markets. This model will continue, as live local sports are the cornerstone of the traditional TV model. With that said, fans are pushing for more flexibility and new ways to engage, thus some of the new models below.