Questions about the new Twins TV deal? Here are answers.

The Twins won’t have games airing on Bally Sports North (previously Fox Sports North) for the first time since 2005 next season, giving their broadcasts a different look.

Beginning a broadcast partnership with Major League Baseball on Tuesday, there will be more ways for fans in Minnesota and surrounding states to watch Twins games beginning next spring.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Twins’ new TV deal:

Q: How can people watch the Twins next year?

Games will still be available on cable and satellite providers, likely on a new channel. MLB said it will have more details on the specifics closer to the start of the 2025 season. In Denver, Rockies fans had games available on Comcast/Xfinity, Fubo and DirecTV.

The biggest change is a direct-to-consumer streaming option, which will be called Twins.TV. It will be a streaming service without local blackouts. For the three teams that had MLB-produced games this year, the cost was $99.99 per season or $19.99 per month. The Twins expect a similar price tag next year.

Q: Will the games appear on MLB Network?

No. This is a separate channel that will include only Twins games.

“This model is not in its current format a regional sports network,” said Dave St. Peter, the Twins’ president and chief executive officer. “That’s an important distinction. Think of it as live games, replays of games and then yes, some pregame and postgame, some of which has yet to be finalized in terms of what that format’s going to be.

“To be clear, this is not a 24/7 channel. It is a channel that is largely focused on delivering live games to our fans.”

Q: Will the Twins channel be on Comcast’s higher-priced TV package?

Likely. Comcast put Bally Sports North on a higher pricing tier in August after a three-month contractual dispute with Diamond Sports Group, Bally Sports North’s parent company.

In Denver, MLB-produced Rockies games appeared on that same higher tier all season.

Q: How is MLB involved?

MLB will distribute the games, making sure the games are available on local cable and satellite providers with a streaming option. The Twins are one of six teams that will be under MLB’s broadcasting wing next season, along with the Rockies, Padres, Diamondbacks, Brewers and Guardians.

“We’ll go direct to distributor on the cable side, and we will light up MLB.TV in market to give you a digital alternative,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in July. “We think that will increase our reach in terms of giving people who have cut the cord the opportunity to watch local games. That reach is a really important change.”

MLB estimates Twins games will be available in 4.4 million homes, up from 1.08 million under Bally Sports North, because of streaming.

Q: Why didn’t the Twins do this previously?

The Twins considered this option last winter before re-signing with Diamond on a one-year contract. But the MLB-produced broadcasts generate less revenue compared to a typical regional sports network because there are no traditional rights fees.

In 2023, the Twins were guaranteed $54.8 million from Diamond. Next year, they’ll generate local TV money through cable and satellite distribution fees, advertising and digital subscribers, though they will have additional production costs.

The Padres were projected to garner about $4 million through their digital subscribers this year, which doesn’t include revenue from advertising and other areas.

“We studied closely what’s happened in San Diego, Arizona and Colorado, and we’ve gotten comfortable with those economics,” St. Peter said. “We do expect there will be a reduction in local media revenue coming to the Twins in 2025. That’s a fact. We have tremendous confidence in our content and believe that, whereas maybe we’ll take a dip for ‘25, that over time the viewership and those economics related to that viewership will increase.”

Q: Will any games appear on any local over-the-air channels?

No.

“That is not contemplated currently,” St. Peter said. “I’m a huge advocate for that. There was a time where the Twins had an over-the-air game of the week with Bally or Fox Sports North. But currently, that is not anticipated.”

Q: Are there any changes to the broadcast booths?

There may be some changes. Cory Provus remains the lead play-by-play announcer and Justin Morneau is the primary color analyst, but they were employed by the Twins and not Bally Sports North.

The MLB-produced broadcasts this year included only a 15-minute pregame show for home games and no pregame show for road games.

“The bittersweet nature of it is we know [Tuesday’s] decision creates a lot of uncertainty for people within the Bally Sports North family,” St. Peter said. “We have work to do on that front, including rounding out the talent lineup that will be involved in both the games, as well as the pre and post [shows].”