Another MLB team has found a new home in the latest major shakeup for the sport, and an NHL team is joining in.
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment today announced the rollout of Detroit SportsNet, described as a year-round broadcast home for the city’s teams and the place to watch locally televised Detroit Tigers games this season and Detroit Red Wings games starting in 2026-27. The announcement notes both traditional carriage (cable/satellite) talks and a direct in-market streaming product.
What to Know About Detroit SportsNet
- Detroit SportsNet’s in-market streaming is being sold through MLB’s platforms and is available as a monthly or annual subscription
- Pricing listed at launch: $19.99/month or $189.99/year (annual saves roughly 20% across 12 months). Early-signup promotions include a trial that lets fans pay $0 for Tigers games through April 1 if they join by the March 22 deadline.
- The network’s year-round streaming is integrated with the MLB App for Tigers coverage. Details about watching Red Wings content through the same offering will be shared later this summer.
- Subscribe now and save: If you’re in Detroit’s local market, lock in the intro offer today and stream the full 2026 coverage of the Tigers and most 2026-27 Red Wings games before the April 1, 2027 renewal date.
MLB’s Media Future Continues to Reshape
Carriage negotiations for Detroit SportsNet with cable and satellite providers are ongoing, but the channel should eventually appear in traditional lineups across Michigan. Exact providers and channel numbers will be shared once deals are finalized. In the meantime, streaming is the immediate option for in-market viewers.
This move is part of a larger pattern in 2026 as several MLB clubs and regional broadcasts are reshuffling how games reach fans, with many leaving third-party networks and launching team-controlled channels, or shifting streaming partners.
“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,” Ryan Gustafson, president and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, said in a press release.
The Tigers join multiple MLB teams that moved away from unstable third-party networks as FanDuel Sports Network’s future became uncertain. Some clubs are going fully in-house (the Atlanta Braves launched BravesVision), or otherwise renegotiating local deals to regain control of distribution and revenue. That shift also includes teams like the Kansas City Royals expanding their free TV footprint throughout the Midwest with partnerships with over-the-air providers.
At the same time, the MLB has made massive changes to its media strategy on the national-level. For 2026, ESPN has a new role with MLB.TV, with out-of-market games available to stream inside the ESPN app. NBC, Apple TV, FOX, and Netflix are also set to broadcast games, reshaping how fans will access games in 2026 with more free-to-air and hybrid distribution.
Detroit SportsNet gives Tigers and (soon) Red Wings fans a clear local destination for games and demonstrates the Ilitch organization’s push to own how local content is delivered. For fans, that can mean better control over local coverage and a direct subscription option for viewers inside the market. For the wider media landscape, it’s one more sign that teams are reclaiming control and experimenting with streaming-first, hybrid distribution strategies as legacy networks and middlemen evolve or fade.
“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,” Gustafson said.
