Three MLB teams announce intent to return to FanDuel channels
Three MLB teams announce intent to return to FanDuel channels
The Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals will all continue on their respective FanDuel Sports Network channels in 2026.
The average person may not be ready to say goodbye to 2025 yet, but MLB teams are already thinking about 2026 in a major way. Teams without a broadcast partner for next year are trying to sort out how they will distribute games, and face a decision of whether or not to re-team with regional sports networks that fewer and fewer big-name distributors are carrying these days. MLB itself has been hoping to gather the local broadcast rights to as many teams as possible, but it will have to wait at least one more season to get its hands on rights for Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals games, as those teams are all re-upping with FanDuel Sports Networks for another year.
Key Details:
- Still fans: The Brewers, Reds, and Royals will all appear on FanDuel Sports Network RSNs in 2026.
- How much longer?: The announcement did not specify how long the teams were signed with these RSN partners for.
- Still time: MLB wants to have as many local rights as possible gathered under its umbrella before 2029
The Brewers, Reds, and Royals will all continue to play on their respective FanDuel Sports Network channels in 2026, as announced on Wednesday in a joint statement with the channels’ parent company, Main Street Sports Group. The Brewers are found on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, the Reds on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, and the Royals on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City. The three teams will also be available on the FanDuel Sports Network direct-to-consumer service in their respective markets.
The renewals mean that fans of these teams will not have to seek out a new channel or streaming service to find their chosen clubs next year. FanDuel Sports Network channels are available on DIRECTV and Fubo, and viewers can sign up for the FanDuel Sports Network DTC service directly or through Prime Video.
“These renewals reflect the confidence in what Main Street Sports Group set out to build: a local, innovative, fan-first multi-platform business that helps teams grow their audience while ensuring clarity and consistency for their fans,” said David DeVoe, President of Main Street Sports Group. “The Brewers, Reds, and Royals are fantastic partners who share a commitment to accessibility and excellence. We are excited to work together as we reinvent the local sports media landscape by delivering a new viewing standard for teams and their hometown fans.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has made it abundantly clear that he wants to collect all MLB local rights — or at least as many as he can — and put them under league control ahead of 2028. That’s when the league goes to market with its national rights, and it would like to be able to sell all rights at once.
The Boston Red Sox have already signaled they’ll support such a scheme, but the buy-in of other big major league teams that make a large amount of revenue from their regional sports network partners will be key in making Manfred’s dream a reality. The Brewers, Reds, and Royals clearly aren’t ready to turn their rights over to MLB just yet, but there’s still time if Manfred can convince them to join the fun by 2028.
FanDuel Sports Network
FanDuel Sports Network is a direct-to-consumer streaming service that offers live games for those who want access to your local FanDuel Sports Network RSN without subscribing to a cable or satellite package. It was most recently known as Bally Sports, and prior to that, Fox Sports Network.