A Changing Landscape: MLB Local Media Brings Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels Into the Fold; ESPN Begins Distribution of MLB.TV

Broadcasts of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings will also be produced by the league at the start of the 2026-27 season

The regional-sports frontier is an ever-evolving one, and as Major League Baseball gets set for another season on the diamond, the league's media-rights agreements and broadcast plans are facing the proverbial curveball. Two clubs - the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels - are joining MLB Local Media's growing list of production partners, and on a national level, ESPN is distributing MLB.TV for the first time after agreeing to a deal in November 2025.

As of now, Major League Baseball will produce broadcasts for at least 14 teams this season, including the Tigers. During the offseason, they added the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, and Washington Nationals. They join the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, and San Diego Padres on the slate of teams with broadcasts produced by MLB Local Media.

Major League Baseball is also making in-market streaming subscriptions for 20 Clubs available today and handles local linear TV distribution for nearly all of those clubs.

Detroit Tigers Find New Home With MLB.TV

Ilitch Sports Entertainment has entered a partnership with Major League Baseball, which will provide broadcast support to the Detroit Tigers beginning with the 2026 MLB season. This partnership creates a new platform where fans throughout the team's home television territories, including all of Michigan, can watch games and other content when and where they want.

Maintaining consistency with years past, fans within the Clubs' home television territory will be able to watch Tigers games through the same options that have been recently available. Information on cable/satellite providers and direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions will be communicated at a later date.

Major League Baseball will now produce and distribute games for the Tigers - leading broadcast production, negotiating distribution agreements, operating a direct-to-consumer streaming product, and more.

In addition to the Tigers, the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League will make their transition into this partnership following the 2025-26 NHL season. Ilitch Sports Entertainment will assume broadcast production duties, while MLB assists with production processes. Red Wings coverage on FanDuel sports network is expected to continue through the end of this season. Additional details regarding the 2026-27 season will be announced when available.

Voted as the top NHL broadcast in back-to-back seasons (2024-25, via The Athletic's annual fan survey), the duo of Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue leading Red Wings telecasts for years to come. On the Tigers side, play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and analysts Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are also expected to return for the 2026 campaign.

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, says Ryan Gustafson, President and CEO of Ilitch Sports Entertainment. 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.

Los Angeles Angels Also Join MLB Local Media

Over on the west coast, the Los Angeles Angels announced plans for a new Angels.TV Seasonal Package, which allows fans to stream regular-season games in the Angels home territory with no blackouts (subject to national exclusivities). The package is available for $99.99 to Angels fans in the club's home television territory.

The Angels have partnered with MLB to provide in-market, direct-to-consumer streaming via the league's platform, although their pursuit of their own linear regional sports network could still be in play, according to SBJ.

Major League Baseball is making in-market streaming subscriptions for 20 Clubs - including the Angels - but the Angels are the only one of the 20 whose local games will not be produced by MLB or distributed by MLB through a local RSN. Information on cable and satellite providers, including specific channel locations, will be announced at a later date. Spring Training games will be available free as the Angels prep for the season at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Sources close to negotiations said the Angels opted into MLB Local Media Tuesday largely due to time restraints. Those sources said, because the Angels co-own FanDuel Sports Network West with Main Street Sports Group, they are contemplating buying out Main Street to launch their own network and had asked MLB for more time to decide.

SBJ also reports that the Angels decided to head to the MLB App now, while not potentially ruling out a linear network for this season or future years. Both the Angels and Braves were reported to be in discussions to form their own networks that could potentially involve the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, respectively. SBJ also says the Braves still plan to form their own RSN.

Subscription Pricing for Clubs Under MLB Local Media

Major League Baseball is making in-market streaming subscriptions for 20 Clubs available today for fans. Subscriptions for the following Clubs are available via the MLB App:

Arizona Diamondbacks: Dbacks.TV^

Athletics: Athletics.TV*

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/02/11/a-changing-landscape-mlb-local-...
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