The Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings are teaming up with MLB for their local broadcasts beginning this spring.
On Monday, the Tigers announced that Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, the company controlled by the Ilitch family that owns and operates the Tigers and Red Wings, will partner with MLB to produce and distribute local broadcasts for the team this upcoming season. The move comes after the Tigers were one of nine MLB clubs to exit its local broadcast deal with Main Street Sports Group, owner of the FanDuel Sports Networks, as the company faces imminent shutdown and liquidation.
However, in a unique twist, the Ilitch family and the Tigers are bringing the NHL’s Red Wings along for the ride. The Red Wings currently air on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, and the team intends to finish out the current season with Main Street assuming the company remains operational through April. But for the 2026-27 season, the Red Wings will join the Tigers under MLB’s media platform.
MLB will produce and distribute Tigers games and provide “broadcast support” for the Red Wings. It’s unclear exactly how distribution deals for the Red Wings will be negotiated, though the intention is to keep both teams on the same cable and satellite providers that currently carry FanDuel Sports Network Detroit.
“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 statement. “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.”
With the announcement, the Tigers become the seventh former Main Street team to join MLB’s production arm for the 2026 season. Only the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels have not yet made a decision, though reports indicate that both teams are looking to launch their own networks instead of linking up with the league.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.