The Detroit Tigers are set to feature in at least 16 nationally televised games during the 2026 season, which accounts for approximately ten percent of their regular schedule. This announcement comes from recent programming details shared by networks like Fox, NBC, and TBS. There’s a possibility that even more Tigers games may also be included in national broadcasts.
Fox has released a substantial part of its regular-season lineup, while NBC, now collaborating with Major League Baseball as the new home for "Sunday Night Baseball," has unveiled its schedule as well. Furthermore, TBS has made its first-half schedule public. However, fans are still waiting for information regarding Friday night games on Apple TV, midweek matchups on ESPN, and additional scheduling from MLB Network.
So far, here’s a list of Tigers games confirmed for national airing in 2026:
- vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 5, 7 PM, on Peacock
- at Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, April 8, 7:30 PM, on FS1
- at Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, April 25, 7 PM, on Fox
- at Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, April 28, 7 PM, on TBS
- vs. Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 2, 7 PM, on Fox
- vs. Rangers, Sunday, May 3, 7 PM, on Peacock
- at Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 10, 7 PM, on Peacock
- at New York Mets, Tuesday, May 12, 7 PM, on TBS
- vs. Cleveland Guardians, Monday, May 18, 6:30 PM, on FS1
- at Houston Astros, Tuesday, June 16, 8 PM, on TBS
- at New York Yankees, Tuesday, June 30, 7 PM, on TBS
- at Rangers, Sunday, July 5, 3:30 PM, on Peacock
- at San Francisco Giants, Saturday, August 8, 7 PM, on Fox
- at Royals, Saturday, August 22, 7 PM, on Fox
- vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, August 24, 6:30 PM, on FS1
- at Guardians, Saturday, September 5, 7 PM, on Fox
In recent years, the Tigers have significantly raised their visibility on the national stage, having reached the playoffs consecutively for two seasons. This success has not only boosted local viewership ratings but has also attracted the attention of national broadcasting networks.
However, there remains uncertainty surrounding the Tigers' local television broadcasting arrangements. The team has opted out of their contract with FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, as the parent company, Main Street Sports Group, continues its search for a buyer amid ongoing financial challenges just a year after recovering from bankruptcy. By opting out, the Tigers have ensured flexibility in case Main Street fails to find a buyer and potentially ceases operations before the MLB season begins—a scenario that has been widely speculated.
If Main Street manages to secure a buyer for its regional sports network, which airs games for several teams across MLB, NHL, and NBA, including the Red Wings and Pistons, the Tigers will still need to negotiate a new rights-fee contract. Reports suggest they had already accepted a considerable reduction in rights fees to remain with FanDuel Sports Network for the 2025 season—around $10 million or more—and are preparing for another potential decrease in 2026 as the regional sports network industry grapples with the ongoing trend of cable subscription cancellations. Even the increase in direct subscriptions via FanDuel Sports Network and their partnership with Amazon Prime in 2025 haven’t managed to stabilize the situation for these networks.
Should Main Street face collapse, it’s likely that next season, the Tigers would shift to the league’s distribution platform, MLB.TV, compelling fans to opt for a monthly streaming subscription to watch most of their regular-season games.
Additionally, the Tigers are anticipated to air a selection of games on free over-the-air television through Fox 2 in 2026. In fact, during 2025, the team had 10 broadcasts on over-the-air channels, marking their first such appearances not related to Opening Day since 2006.
