The Tampa Bay Rays announced Monday that Major League Baseball will take over production and distribution of local television broadcasts beginning this season.
The Rays joined five other teams to partner with MLB after terminating deals with Main Street Sports Group, which did not make scheduled rights payments. Main Street Sports operates regional FanDuel Sports Network stations.
The move ensures all 162 regular-season games will be available through cable or satellite providers, or national broadcasts, as well as MLB’s streaming service.
The Rays said provider details and channel lineups will be released soon. Streaming will be available for purchase on MLB.com and the MLB app after subscriptions go on sale this month.
Tampa Bay opens the 2026 season March 26 at St. Louis.
“With MLB’s best‑in‑class streaming platform, Rays fans in our home market will finally be able to stream games on the MLB app without local blackouts,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a news release confirming the move. “And just as importantly, fans who prefer the tradition of watching Rays baseball on television will continue to find our games on cable and satellite. Every decision we make is done first and foremost with our fans in mind.”
In addition to Tampa Bay, the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals confirmed they will have their local television broadcasts produced and distributed by MLB this season.
ALSO READ: Rays end TV deal with troubled FanDuel. MLB prepared to produce and distribute broadcasts
The six clubs — along with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels — also terminated their deals with Main Street Sports Group, after rights payments were not made.
The Braves, Tigers and Angels have not decided local coverage plans. The Braves reportedly are looking into starting their own broadcast network.
“We appreciate the relationships we have had with our MLB partners and fans over many years, and we wish them the best,” Main Street said in a statement reported by the Sports Business Journal
MLB will produce broadcasts for at least 13 teams this season. It also added the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners during the offseason.
MLB has touted expanded market reach when it takes over production of teams due to a combination of being on local cable systems, satellite and direct-to-consumer streaming.
News of the split from Main Street was first reported Jan. 9.
According to multiple media reports, Main Street could file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy this month after unsuccessful talks to sell a majority stake to London-based DAZN. Amid those negotiations, Main Street demanded teams take massive pay cuts in rights payments after losing approximately $200 million in 2025, the New York Times reported.
ALSO READ: Rays could pay for half of new stadium cost as DeSantis plans to meet with MLB commissioner
Diamond Sports Group was the largest owner of regional sports networks when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023. At the time of the filing, Diamond operated 19 regional sports networks under the Bally Sports banner and had the rights to 42 professional teams, including the Rays and hockey’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
The regional networks emerged from bankruptcy proceedings last March under the Main Street Sports Group and rebranded as FanDuel Sports. However, the networks are on the verge of insolvency and going out of business if a new majority owner or investors are not found.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said local media provides more than 20% of industry revenue for major-league teams.
“Our focus, particularly given the point in the calendar, is to maximize the revenue that’s available to the clubs, whether that’s MLB Media or third party,” Manfred said in January. “The clubs have control over the timing. They can make a decision to move to MLB Media because of the contractual status now.
“The local media landscape is evolving very quickly. It’s still a very robust audience on the traditional cable model. But the economics are changing. They’re becoming more of a challenge," Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said.
"The bundle that fortified all of the large rights fees in the ecosystem of 15, 20 years old is changing, and we’re adapting to it. The universe is going to be there. There’s going to be a local game element to baseball.
"Whether that evolves from the typical RSN model to solely streaming or a hybrid or other forms, to be determined. I think the fans will have optionality for local games. There’s so many games that we deliver — 162 — there’s plenty for everybody. I feel good about the future, even though I can’t predict where it’s actually going to land and when it’s going to land.”
Main Street has 15 owned and operated networks under the FanDuel banner with the rights to 20 pro teams: 13 in the NBA and seven in the NHL.
ALSO READ: What if the Rays can't build on Hillsborough College land? Don't forget Orlando
The Lightning broke with FanDuel in May and signed a multiyear deal with E.W. Scripps Co. to show games on over-the-air WXPX-TV, with streaming available through a Lightning TV app for $66 a year.
The Orlando Magic remains partnered with Main Street, although the Orlando Sentinel reported the NBA team has been making contingency plans.
The Magic had already scheduled 10 games for over-the-air simulcast in the Tampa market on WMOR-TV. Six have aired, with the next simulcast scheduled for March 14 at Miami.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
