The collapse of the regional sports networks (RSN) seems to have gathered speed over the last week and a half.
One week ago, the Miami Herald reported that the NHL’s Florida Panthers switched their game broadcasts from the RSN, Bally Sports, to over-the-air WSFL TV Channel 39 in South Florida.
The Panthers will broadcast 70 games. It is the first time in two decades that a South Florida professional sports franchise has gone to non-cable broadcast package.
“We are available in every household with a television now,” Mark Zarthar, the Panthers’ chief strategy officer said. “We will now be available in over 2.6 million households in Miami Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers. We are available in every household with a television now. Viewership doubled in Las Vegas when they went [from cable] to an over-the-air structure.”
Scripps Broadcasting owns WSFL in Florida. The Panthers were the third NHL club to come to an agreement with Scripps on over-the-air broadcasting, joining the Vegas Golden Knights and the Utah Hockey Club. 
“We want to ensure that we’re addressing the heightened demand for our team and our sport, and we want to accelerate that growth,” Zarthar said. “And so, what is the next big step for us is making the viewership of our games much more accessible? With Scripps as an over-the-air provider, they will help us reach over 2.6 million households.”
One day after the Panthers decision, the Dallas Stars and Bally Sports, and the Diamond Sports Group (DSG), cut ties leaving the Stars out of the RSN broadcasting system. Dallas was the Southwest marquee name for Bally and DSG.
On 8 July, the Stars announced the launch of a broadcast channel, VICTORY+, a free, ad-supported, direct-to-consumer streaming platform that will be available this fall.
What started as a blip in the system has steadily gained momentum, and the RSNs are headed for disaster.
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