LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings are entering into a new broadcast partnership with Major League Baseball, the teams announced Monday.
The new deal will allow the teams to ditch the struggling regional sports network currently branded as FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and follow the path of other clubs that have taken control of their own broadcasts.
Both teams, owned by the Ilitch family, will now be largely distributed by MLB. Under the agreement, MLB will produce and distribute Tigers games beginning with the 2026 season, while the family’s holding company for its sports and entertainment properties will handle Red Wings production starting with the 2026-27 NHL season, with assistance from MLB on production processes.
The Tigers and eight other MLB teams terminated their local television contracts with FanDuel Sports Network and its parent company, Main Street Sports Group, last month. The struggling regional sports network operator had reportedly missed payments to several teams, prompting concerns that the company could be on the verge of a second bankruptcy.
Like other MLB clubs, the Tigers have already taken steps to prepare for a possible shift away from the traditional regional sports network model. The team has placed some of its broadcast talent, including lead play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, on the club’s payroll.
As a result, even though Tigers games will be branded differently in 2026, the on-air talent and behind-the-scenes production staff are expected to remain largely intact.
The teams said play-by-play announcers Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and analysts Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are all expected back in 2026. Likewise, the clubs said “the iconic duo of Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue leading Red Wings telecasts for years to come.”
Details about how fans will watch games and what the new network will be called have not yet been announced, but the teams said games will continue to be available through cable or satellite providers and streaming subscriptions, just as before.
“Given recent uncertainty throughout the regional sports broadcasting industry, we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent, year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey,” said Ryan Gustafson, president and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “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. 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. This is a great path forward in those areas, allowing us to provide a great experience for fans throughout our local market.”
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