Where to watch the 2026 Detroit Tigers on TV? Here’s what we know

The Detroit Tigers are officially moving their broadcast to MLB Media – but what does that really mean?

Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E) announced on Monday, February 9, that the Tigers’ 2026 season broadcasts will transition from FanDuel Sports Network to MLB Media, while the Detroit Red Wings’ (also IS+E) 2026-27 season will also move to MLB Media.

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That means Tigers and Wings fans will no longer have FanDuel Sports Network, but what about the Detroit Pistons? Where will the Tigers-Red Wings game be broadcast? How much will fans have to pay for this new service?

We’ll answer all of these questions and more below.

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Why did the Tigers leave FanDuel?

Main Street Sports Group, the company that owns regional FanDuel Sports Networks, has been dealing with significant financial issues over the past two seasons and has failed to make monthly payments to many of its partner teams in recent months. As a result, FanDuel Sports Network’s remaining nine MLB teams (including the Tigers) have terminated their contracts with Main Street, with seven of the teams handing over broadcast rights to MLB Media.

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The Tigers first announced their departure from Main Street on February 2, but unlike the other six teams who subsequently announced their move to MLB Media, the Tigers waited a week to make the announcement. That’s because the Tigers need time to figure out their situation with the Red Wings, as both teams are part of IS+E and have contracts with Main Street.

Are the Red Wings leaving FanDuel?

Not yet, but they will soon.

IS+E announced that Red Wings games will continue to be televised on FanDuel Sports Network through the remainder of the 2025-26 season, with a new partnership with MLB Media beginning in the 2026-27 season. The Red Wings are the first NHL team to hand over broadcast rights to MLB Media, in what IS+E calls a “first-of-its-kind partnership.”

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What channel will Tigers be on?

This remains to be determined.

IS+E said fans will be able to watch Tigers and Red Wings games via direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions and through the “same recently available options” on cable and satellite packages, with information on those options to be released at a later date. While the Tigers have yet to announce pricing, app availability and streaming service details for the new partnership through 2026, they intend to offer fans a single subscription service that will allow them to watch the team play year-round.

In short, Tigers games will be broadcast on different television channels starting with the 2026 season, but the team wants to provide the same single-channel experience for all of its local games. Please stay tuned for updates.

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How much does it cost to watch a Tigers game?

Details on pricing, app availability and streaming options haven’t been released yet, but we have an idea of ​​how much the Tigers might charge based on other teams operated under the MLB Media umbrella.

For example, the Cleveland Guardians offer a direct-to-consumer streaming service (CLEGuardians.tv) and charge fans $100 to broadcast a full season of games locally through 2025. The Tigers may offer a similar service to Michigan fans, as well as a channel that could be an add-on to a typical cable or satellite package.

But those details, including pricing, have yet to be finalized.

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Where can I watch Tigers spring training?

This has also not yet been determined.

Tigers spring training begins on February 21st. That leaves teams with less than two weeks to determine the broadcast situation for non-national games, although many other MLB teams are currently in the same predicament.

When is Opening Day for the Tigers?

Opening Day is scheduled for March 26 at the San Diego Padres; and April 3 at UnionComm Park in Detroit against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Will Jason Benetti still call Tigers games?

That’s the expectation, yes.

While MLB Media is now taking over Tigers games, many familiar faces and voices should remain unchanged for 2025, with IS+E announcing that play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and color commentators Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are expected to return for the 2026 season.

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Will Ken Daniels and Mitch Redmond return?

Legendary Red Wings broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mitch Redmond are expected to remain in their current roles under the new partnership, IS+E reports.

“We have two of the most-watched broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to our fans and understanding what matters most to them,” said Ryan Gustafson, president of IS+E. “What we hear includes ensuring our games are available across markets, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing broadcasts that are informative and entertaining in all the right ways.”

Will Pistons games be streamed on FanDuel?

Main Street said it intends to honor its contracts with NHL and NBA partner teams, including the Pistons, through the end of the 2025-26 season. But there are currently no reports that the Pistons have plans to abandon FanDuel after this season.

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Sports Business Journal reported on Jan. 5 that Main Street failed to make January payments to NBA teams, so it would make sense for the Pistons to find a new broadcast partner for the 2026-27 season. However, while Pistons games are on FanDuel like Tigers and Red Wings games, the Pistons are not owned by IS+E like the Tigers and Red Wings, but are owned by Tom Gores, meaning all three teams may not end up on the same platform together.

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You can contact Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Where to watch the Detroit Tigers after leaving FanDuel Sports Network