Updated January 9, 2026, 4:50 p.m. ET
The nine Major League Baseball teams supported by FanDuel Sports Network, including the Tigers, have canceled their television contracts amid continued financial difficulties in the regional sports network industry.
The move was widely expected on the heels of FanDuel Sports Network’s parent company, Main Street Sports Group, announcing plans to cease operations at some point in 2026 if it cannot find a buyer for the company.
Parent company RSN emerged from bankruptcy in early 2025 and continued to broadcast games from dozens of MLB, NHL and NBA teams, including the Red Wings and Pistons. But money problems remain, including missed payments to MLB teams in recent weeks. It’s unclear whether Main Street Sports Group missed its latest payment to the Tigers.
The Tigers have not commented publicly on the situation, but they are known to be preparing for alternative options, should the FanDuel Sports Network situation ultimately implode – taking more control over their broadcasts in 2025, including making play-by-play man Jason Benetti a team employee.
The contract waiver gives the Tigers flexibility for 2026 should Main Street decide to file for bankruptcy again. Those options could include more live broadcasts or streaming through MLB’s platform, a scenario that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has long said the league is prepared to take on, and he confirmed as much in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday evening.
“No matter what happens, whether it’s Main Street, a third party or the MLB media, the fans will get the games,” Manfred said in New York on Thursday.
In recent years, MLB has picked up broadcasts of the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins. The Seattle Mariners are expected to join this list for 2026, and possibly the Washington Nationals as well.
The RSN industry has struggled mightily in recent years as more sports fans have cut the traditional cable cord and turned to more streaming options. FanDuel Sports Network has beefed up its streaming subscription offerings, including partnering with Amazon Prime, but that hasn’t been enough to stop the bleeding.
The Tigers also threatened to leave FanDuel Sports Network after the 2024 season with the bankruptcy case still pending in court, but ultimately returned for the 2025 season – albeit with a significant reduction in their annual rights. It could return in 2026 but would probably have to undergo a further reduction; a release this year seems more realistic than last year. The exact amount of the Tigers’ television rights has not been made public, but it is estimated that they were worth more than $50 million a year less than a decade ago. Royalties were a significant source of revenue for the ball club’s payroll and remain so, even in their significantly reduced state.
A move to MLB’s broadcast umbrella could bring long-sought stability to teams, but it’s unlikely to prove as lucrative as the pinnacle rights deals, at least not in the short term.
“The clubs control the timing. They can make the decision to join MLB Media because of the current contractual status,” Manfred said in the AP interview. “I think what’s happening right now is clubs are evaluating their alternatives. Obviously they’ve already made significant financial commitments and they’re evaluating alternatives to find the best source of revenue for the year and the best outlet in terms of providing quality broadcasts to their fans.”
The Red Wings, like the Ilitch family-owned Tigers, and Pistons have also returned to FanDuel Sports Network for this current season, also at reduced rights fees. If Main Street does eventually cease operations, it will likely occur after the current NHL and NBA regular seasons, although a mid-season shutdown is also a possibility.
Main Street has been looking for a buyer in recent weeks and appeared to have one interested in London-based streamer DAZN, but those talks are said to have stalled. Fubo, a pay TV streamer, has apparently entered the picture, according to a report from Sports Business Journal.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
