If you tried to watch the Tigers on TV last year, you already know the situation was a mess. FanDuel Sports Network Detroit was losing carriage deals left and right, and the Diamond Sports bankruptcy left fans scrambling. The good news for 2026 is that the chaos is over. The bad news is that the replacement is entirely new, and you need to know where to find it.
Detroit SportsNet: The New Home
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment partnered with MLB Local Media to launch Detroit SportsNet on February 9, 2026. It is the year-round broadcast home for both the Tigers and the Red Wings, with Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson on play-by-play and Andy Dirks and Dan Petry as analysts.
The in-market streaming subscription runs $19.99 per month or $189.99 per year through the MLB App. There are no local blackout restrictions for subscribers, which is a major improvement over the old RSN model. Fans who signed up before March 22 got a free trial through April 1, which included Opening Day.
A bundle with MLB.TV (for out-of-market games across the league) is available at $39.99 per month or $199.99 per season.
The Cable Situation Is Still in Flux
Here is the catch: because Detroit SportsNet is brand new, cable and satellite carriage agreements were still being finalized as of March 2026. YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and other live streaming services do not currently carry Detroit SportsNet. That may change as the season progresses, but for now, the MLB App is the only guaranteed way to stream Tigers games without cable.
This is frustrating if you prefer a traditional channel-surfing experience, but it also means the barrier to entry is low. Download the MLB App, pay $19.99, and you are watching the game tonight.
Free Games With an Antenna
Select Tigers games will air on Fox 2 Detroit and other local over-the-air stations in 2026. Historically that has been around 10 games per season, though the full OTA schedule had not been released as of early March. National broadcasts on Fox (Saturday games) and NBC (Sunday Night Baseball, new for 2026) are also available free with a basic HDTV antenna.
An indoor antenna costs $15-30 and picks up local channels in HD with no monthly fee. Between local OTA broadcasts and national windows, you can catch a meaningful number of games for free.
Outside Michigan?
MLB.TV covers all Tigers games outside the blackout territory at $19.99 per month or $99.99 per season. It is now available through both the MLB App and the ESPN app.
What This Costs You
| Option | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit SportsNet (MLB App) | $19.99/mo or $189.99/yr | All Tigers + Red Wings games, no blackouts |
| Detroit SportsNet + MLB.TV | $39.99/mo or $199.99/season | Tigers + every out-of-market game |
| HDTV antenna | $15-30 one-time | ~10 local OTA games + national broadcasts |
| MLB.TV (out-of-market) | $19.99/mo or $99.99/season | All games outside Michigan |
Making It Work
The transition to Detroit SportsNet is bumpy, but the end result is actually simpler than what Tigers fans had before. One app, one subscription, no blackouts. At $19.99 per month it is among the cheapest local streaming options in baseball.
What it does not cover is the daily information you need as a fan: tonight's pitching matchup and game time, last night's box score, where the Tigers sit in the AL Central, who just came off the IL. Small Ball is a free daily Tigers email that delivers all of that to your inbox every morning before you start your day. Think of it as the pregame briefing that pairs with whatever streaming setup you land on.
