The Detroit Tigers will have their games on the newly formed Detroit SportsNet shown on the major cable carriers in Michigan. The announcement comes a little less than 24 hours before the Tigers are set to open their new season. Opening Day is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Thursday, March 26, against the San Diego Padres on the road.
Detroit SportsNet to Broadcast Games
The news came from Tigers and Detroit Red Wings reporter Daniella Bruce on Wednesday. DirecTV also announced a deal to carry Detroit SportsNet. The Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, both owned by Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, ended their contract with Main Street Sports Group earlier this year. The contract was ended over concerns over the broadcasting company’s bankruptcy, and they announced the formation of “Detroit Sportsnet”.
Detroit SportNet has already streamed several Tigers games online during spring training. The Red Wings will remain on FanDuel until the end of the 2025-26 season in mid-April, then move to Detroit SportsNet for 2026-27 and beyond. The Detroit Pistons will also be on FanDuel through the end of the regular season, with playoff games set to be shown on national networks. No plans for next seasons Pistons broadcasts have been announced.
Cable Deal Uncertainty Resolved
Tigers games were available in a streaming package carried on MLB.TV and viewable through MLB’s app and website. The work to get games on cable carriers, where many Michiganders still watch sports, was going right up to Opening Day. Ben Fidelman, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment vice president of communications and broadcasting, commented on social media on Sunday, March 22.
“There’s nothing to worry about here – though it’s not ideal, we’ve been told since the beginning that it would play out this way,” Fidelman wrote. “All the other MLB teams transitioning away from FanDuel are in the same boat on this timeline.” The Seattle Mariners also announced cable carriers and channels earlier on Wednesday.
Streaming Options Available
Fans can pay $19.99 per month or $189.99 for a full year for streaming. Further details are available at Tigers.com/detroitsportsnet and DetroitRedWings.com/detroitsportsnet.
- Fans can pay $19.99 per month
- Or pay $189.99 for a full year
- Approximately $50 cheaper over a 12-month span
Detroit SportsNet will carry approximately 140 broadcasts this season. The Tigers are slated to have at least 16 games broadcast nationally with MLB’s other partners, including Fox, NBC (and its streaming service, Peacock) and TBS. Netflix also signed up with MLB this season, but its three-year deal only covers “special event games”. This season, that’s the Opening Day matchup between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.