FanDuel Sports Network, a broadcaster of baseball, basketball and hockey teams throughout the U.S., is relocating some of its production roles to a hub in Denver, rankling sports television crews.
The changes are a cost-cutting measure that threaten the quality of nightly telecasts, alleged nine FanDuel SN workers who were granted anonymity to speak freely about their employer. Typically, FanDuel stations have produced games from a truck situated at or near the game’s venue.
“I truly believe it will affect the quality of our broadcasts in a significant way,” said one of FanDuel SN’s graphics operators. “That won’t be welcomed by our viewers.”
FanDuel’s networks have had their share of turmoil recently, emerging from a messy bankruptcy case less than a year ago. But Norby Williamson, president of production and programming for parent company Main Street Sports Group, countered that FanDuel SN is actually in a spending mode, and that the Denver plan will ultimately benefit viewers and telecasts.
“We’re trying to make a modernization hub,” Williamson said. “More technology, more personnel, more bells and whistles, more live cut-ins right through the new facility in Denver which they didn’t have before. Everything about it, you’re absolutely right: they’re going to change. And they’re going to be improved.”
Williamson contended some workers will also benefit. The relocated positions were previously freelance gigs, and their occupants can apply for full-time roles — so long as they are willing to move to Denver.
“We were just in Denver last week, and some of the people there who’ve taken positions there are like, ‘Listen, this is a great opportunity for me. I’ve been a freelancer for a long, long time, been on the road,’” Williamson said. “This is sort of a life-changing opportunity. It’s not for everybody, but it’s a great opportunity.”
Williamson’s outlook is not shared by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), a union that represents FanDuel SN workers in several of the company’s markets. The roles in Denver — offered by a third-party vendor that the FanDuel networks heavily rely on, Mobile TV Group — are not union jobs.
Steve Belsky, IATSE’s broadcast department’s co-director, said that FanDuel SN workers everywhere have significant and wide-ranging concerns. Not every relocated position came from a unionized market, however.
“It’s the topic that freelancers are monitoring right now,” Belsky said.
Eight teams’ telecasts on FanDuel’s stations across two sports are affected. Five are in the NBA: the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Three are in the NHL: the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators.
Six of those markets will see as many as three roles moved to Denver: replay, score bug, and graphics. For the Oklahoma City and San Antonio telecasts, one role is being moved.
“We are aware of the relocation of select Main Street/FanDuel Sports broadcast technical positions to Denver and we’ve been assured the relocations will not degrade the quality of telecasts in any way,” said an NBA league source.
Crew members worry, however, that more centralization will follow. FanDuel SN carries 13 NBA teams, nine MLB teams and seven NHL teams. MLB declined comment and the NHL did not respond to a request for comment.
Belsky said he believes that the Denver facility will take on more production responsibilities as the calendar turns to 2026 and the next baseball season looms.
“I think this soft rollout is a test period,” Belsky said. “By Christmas, January, February, I bet this Denver facility is capable of doing so much more.”
Before bankruptcy, FanDuel SN’s parent company was called Diamond Sports Group, and the stations were branded as Bally Sports. Saddled with $9 billion in debt, Diamond received court approval to reorganize late last year. As part of that process, the company renegotiated TV rights deals with partner leagues and teams to try to rein in costs. The local stations rebranded as FanDuel SN in late 2024.
The belt-tightening is allegedly ongoing.
“The executives at our corporate office have taken a look at our budgets and made some tough decisions,” a FanDuel SN executive said in a conversation with an employee, in an audio recording reviewed by The Athletic. “We emerged from bankruptcy and are rebuilding as a new company, as Main Street Sports Group. So we’ve got all new leadership in place … they’ve made some decisions.”
Williamson, however, painted a picture of a business that is spending rather than trimming costs. FanDuel’s networks have added talent, cameras and programming, he said, noting that additional cameras require additional operators.
“I have taken a very aggressive role toward investing in this company,” Williamson said.
It takes about 30 freelance workers to put on a sports telecast at FanDuel SN on average, the company said, although the number varies market to market.
Centralized work could eliminate the cohesiveness and expertise behind local broadcasts, workers say. Experienced production specialists have relationships with on-air talent. They also say that if broadcasters and production crews are in different locations, there is a risk of audio or video elements going out of sync.
“If it saves money, and it’s not a disaster technically, then it’s going to happen,” said one recently terminated FanDuel SN crew member. “If they do this, and it proves to be successful, you can bet other people will be doing it.”
Williamson said others, including ESPN, where he spent 40 years and rose to be a powerful executive, have shown a more centralized model can work.
“This has been going on because technology allows it to,” Williamson said. “This has been going on in the industry for a while. This is not like a new FanDuel Sports Network phenomenon.”
IATSE and FanDuel SN have been at the bargaining table recently. Last week, they agreed to a one-year contract extension for the Texas, Arizona and California markets.
Not all affected freelancers will find it reasonable to move to Denver, and not all will be offered positions if they choose to apply. Some said they have been told to start looking for jobs elsewhere.
“People are anxious,” said a terminated FanDuel worker. “Sometimes change is good. But change like this — not only are you coming in with sweeping changes, but you’re not doing it in a manner that seems respectful of the people who have been there.”
(Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)