MLB Lures A Key Bally Sports Leader For Big ‘Local’ Role

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The individual who has served in the dual roles of Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Sinclair Broadcast Group‘s 21 regional sports networks acquired from Disney today known as “Bally Sports,” where he assisted in the sales process and was responsible for finance, legal, business development, traffic, and human resources, has been hired for a key role with Major League Baseball that could open the doors to more games on free-to-air television.


That’s the conversation being had around the industry on Thursday, as Billy Chambers has been appointed to the newly created post of EVP/Local Media for MLB.

At the same time, the baseball league has upped Kenny Gersh to EVP/Media and Business Development. Both Gersh and Chambers report to Chief Revenue Officer Noah Garden.

Chambers will start on February 1, 2023, overseeing MLB’s management and distribution of local media rights. He will work closely with the 30 MLB clubs “on the most effective means to distribute games to fans in local markets throughout the country.”

Given the recent naming of Brian Lawlor as the head of Scripps Sports at The E.W. Scripps Co., and Nexstar Media Group successfully bringing Los Angeles Clippers NBA regular-season games to its KTLA-5, the return of MLB games to broadcast TV is a very real possibility.

“Billy is an important addition to Major League Baseball and will play an integral role in how we navigate the rapidly evolving local media landscape in the future,” said Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred. “Billy’s extensive knowledge and experience in all areas of regional sports network operations will help us maximize the reach of our game in the Clubs’ local markets.”

Before joining Sinclair, Chambers spent 20 years with FOX Sports Media Group, where he ascended to the position of Chief Financial Officer and had oversight of FOX Sports Broadcast Network, their 22 regional sports networks, FS1 & FS2, Big Ten Network, and FOX Deportes. In addition to overseeing finance, budgeting, and traffic, Chambers negotiated telecast acquisitions for MLB, NBA, and NHL league and team rights.

For Gersh, his role is expanded to include oversight of all of MLB’s national and international media rights, distribution, and production. In addition, Gersh continues to be responsible for driving new revenue streams and business initiatives for MLB, including all business aspects of the league’s sports betting strategy, data distribution and fantasy games, the league’s direct to consumer media businesses, Web 3 opportunities such as NFTs, and Minor League Baseball business operations. Gersh joined MLB in 2006 as an executive at MLB Advanced Media, the interactive media company of MLB, and has held a variety of roles.