The Detroit Tigers are officially moving their broadcasts MLB Media – but what exactly does that mean?
Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E) announced on Monday, Feb. 9, that Tigers broadcasts will be transitioning from FanDuel Sports Network to MLB Media for the 2026 season, with the Detroit Red Wings (also owned by IS+E) also moving to MLB Media for the 2026-27 season.
That means no more FanDuel Sports Network for Tigers and Wings fans, but what about the Detroit Pistons? Where will Tigers and Red Wings games be televised? And how much will fans have to pay for the new service?
We answer all those questions and more down below.
Why did the Tigers leave FanDuel Sports Network?
Main Street Sports Group, the company that owns the regional FanDuel Sports Networks, has been dealing with major financial issues over the past two seasons and has missed monthly payments to many of its partner teams in recent months. As a result, the nine remaining MLB teams under the FanDuel Sports Network umbrella, including the Tigers, have terminated their contracts with Main Street, with seven moving their broadcasting rights to MLB Media.
News was first announced Feb. 2 that the Tigers were leaving Main Street, but unlike six other teams that announced moves to MLB Media soon after, the Tigers waited a week to make their announcement. That’s because the Tigers needed time to figure out their situation with the Red Wings, as both teams are owned by IS+E and had contracts with Main Street.
Are the Red Wings leaving FanDuel?
Not yet, but they will soon.
IS+E announced Red Wings games will continue to be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, and that the new partnership with MLB Media will start for the 2026-27 season. The Wings are the first NHL team to give their broadcasting rights to MLB Media in what IS+E calls a “first of its kind partnership.”
What channel will the Tigers be on in 2026?
That is still yet to be determined.
IS+E says fans will be able to watch Tigers and Red Wings games on direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions and through “the same options that have been recently available” on cable and satellite packages, with information about those options coming at a later date. And while the Tigers don’t yet have details about pricing, app availability and streaming offerings for their new partnership in 2026, they intend to offer a single subscription for fans to watch the team year-round.
In short – Tigers games will be on a different TV channel starting in the 2026 season, but the team is hoping to offer the same one-channel experience for all of its local games. Stay tuned for updates.
The Tigers are scheduled in 2026 for 16 games on national TV.
How much will it cost to watch the Tigers?
Details on pricing, app availability and streaming options have yet to be shared, but we can get an idea of what the Tigers may charge based on other teams that operate under MLB Media.
The Cleveland Guardians, for example, offer a direct-to-consumer streaming service (CLEGuardians.tv) and charged fans $100 for a full season of locally-broadcasted games in 2025. The Tigers could potentially offer something similar for fans in Michigan, as well as a channel that could serve as an add-on to a typical cable or satellite package.
But those details, including price, have yet to be announced as of Feb. 9.
Where can I watch Tigers spring training?
That is also still yet to be determined.
Spring training games begin on Feb. 21 for the Tigers. That gives the team just under two weeks to figure out a broadcasting situation for its non-national games, though many other MLB teams are currently in the same quandary.
When is Tigers Opening Day?
Opening Day is scheduled for March 26 at the San Diego Padres; Opening Day in Detroit at Comerica Park is April 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Will Jason Benetti still broadcast Tigers games?
That is the expectation, yes.
Though MLB Media is now taking over Tigers games, many familiar faces and voices from 2025 should remain the same, with IS+E announcing play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and color commentators Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are expected to return to their positions for the 2026 season.
Are Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond coming back?
Legendary Red Wings broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue in their current roles under the new partnership, according to IS+E.
“We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them,” said IS+E president Ryan Gustafson. “What we’ve heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that’s informative and entertaining in all the right ways.”
Are Pistons games going to be on FanDuel?
Main Street has said it intends to honor its contracts with its NHL and NBA partner franchises, including the Pistons, through the end of the 2025-26 season. But there is no reported plan for the Pistons to transition away from FanDuel after this season.
Sports Business Journal reported on Jan. 5 that Main Street missed its January payments to NBA teams, so it would make sense for the Pistons to search for a new broadcasting partner for the 2026-27 season. But while Pistons games have been on FanDuel like Tigers and Red Wings games, the Pistons are not owned by IS+E like the Tigers and Red Wings − they are owned by Tom Gores − meaning all three teams might not end up together on the same platform.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Where to watch the 2026 Detroit Tigers on TV? Here’s what we know
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
