How to watch Padres games without Bally Sports: A guide to live streams, TV channels on new MLB deal

Bally Sports swung for the fences, but came up empty. Strike three — and they're out. 

Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of the Bally-branded regional sports networks (RSNs), has been struggling to make media rights payments to teams across the country. In the end, when it was time to pay the Padres, DSG didn't come through. 

With yet another payment missed, MLB pulled the plug — no longer settling for late payments and allowing their teams to be put on layaway. Starting Wednesday, it's an MLB production in San Diego. 

Bally Sports San Diego is out, but fear not Padres fans — Don Orsillo and the usual broadcast crew will remain together. With the move, one of MLB's most expensive teams will become more accessible to fans inside and outside southern California. 

MORE: Watch Padres games live with Fubo (free trial)

The Sporting News takes a look at why the Padres are no longer on Bally Sports and how fans can still watch their games with and without cable.

What channels are Padres games on now?

Padres fans won't have to worry about losing the team's games on cable, for now at least. MLB announced on Wednesday where fans can watch "Slam Diego" on cable. According to The San Diego Tribune, the Padres will continue to host a pre- and postgame show, but it will be only 15 minutes for the foreseeable future, since those programs were contracted out to Bally.

Here is where you can now catch Padres games on cable in the local market:

• AT&T U-verse: Channel 781
• Cox: Yurview Channel 4
• DirecTV: Channel 694-3
• Spectrum: Channel 305 (Spectrum Hawaii on Channel 230)

MLB will take over production and distribution of all local #Padres games starting 5/31. The new arrangement gives fans the option to now watch on TV or stream digitally without local blackouts (subject to national exclusivity)!

San Diegans can NOW watch Padres games in-market… pic.twitter.com/937YNWxmNN

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 31, 2023

How to watch Padres games without cable

For fans who have cut the cord or are looking to do so, they'll find watching the Padres just got a lot easier. MLB has lifted local blackout restrictions, giving many more people an opportunity to watch the Friars.

According to MLB, the reach of Padres games is expanding from 1.13 million homes in the Padres’ territory to 3.264 million which is an increase of 189 percent.

Here are the options:

— Fubo will carry the necessary channels to watch Padres games in the local market. The streamer comes with a free trial for new subscribers and allows customers to cancel at any time. This option is only available in the Padres' home market. 

— For the first time, fans in the San Diego area can watch Padres games on MLB.tv. The league has lifted blackout restrictions, allowing everyone — inside and outside the market — the ability to access the Padres on the streaming service. Previously, viewers had to be outside the Padres' market to use the MLB subscription. It is $19.99 per month or $74.99 for the rest of the season by registering at MLB.tv.

— Padres games through June 4 will be available for free on MLB.com, Padres.com and the MLB app.

MORE: MLB blackout restrictions, explained

Why aren't the Padres on Bally Sports?

Diamond Sports Group, the owners of Bally Sports, missed its rights fee payment for Padres games — which had a Tuesday night deadline. Since they missed the payment, MLB has taken back the broadcast rights for the team. Commissioner Rob Manfred had mentioned as far back as February that the league was prepared to produce games if that became a necessity, thanks to the Bally Sports situation. 

Diamond has been a hot topic this MLB season, with the company filing for bankruptcy and stopping rights payments to the Rangers, Guardians, Twins and Diamondbacks. The media company argued it should be allowed to pay the teams less thanks to the current economic situation. 

Fox Sports previously owned the RSNs but sold them as part of 21st Century Fox's merger with Disney in 2019. The new company had to sell the Fox RSNs in order for the merger to be approved by government officials. Sinclair bought them for $9.6 billion under the Diamond Sports name and then sold naming rights to Bally's Corporation. 

MORE: What Bally Sports parent company bankruptcy could mean for fans in 2023

Bally Sports MLB RSNs

The Padres might be the first team to lose Bally Sports coverage, but there are several other teams around MLB that might suffer the same fate.

Here is a list of the remaining RSNs Bally Sports has in MLB: