Reds Reject $42 Million TV Offer and Hand Broadcast Rights to MLB
The Cincinnati Reds have opted to turn down a $42 million television rights proposal from Main Street Sports Group—the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network—and instead place their local broadcast rights under the control of Major League Baseball for the 2026 season. According to The Athletic, the $42 million offer represented a reduced, renegotiated figure from a previously agreed-upon $52 million deal between the two parties.
Main Street Sports Group has been facing significant financial instability and is reportedly attempting to stay afloat long enough to secure a buyer. However, recent struggles—including missed payments—have caused concern across the league. As a result, the Reds, along with several other franchises, have chosen to disengage from negotiations with the company and move their broadcasting arrangements directly to MLB.
While not all clubs have formally announced their decisions, the Reds confirmed on Monday evening that MLB will serve as their broadcaster beginning in 2026. In total, 12 teams will fall under MLB’s direct broadcast umbrella next season: the Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, and Miami Marlins.
Timing played a major role in the decision. With spring training set to begin in roughly a week, teams needed clarity in order to begin marketing subscription packages and communicating with advertisers. There was also considerable risk associated with accepting a smaller payout from a company whose financial future appears uncertain. By choosing MLB-produced broadcasts, teams gain stability, predictability, and reassurance that their broadcast partner will not collapse midseason or fail to meet financial obligations—factors that significantly affect business planning and operations.
What This Means for Reds Fans
The Reds also released details outlining how fans will be able to watch games under the new arrangement. According to the team’s press release, viewers within the Reds’ home television territory will be able to watch all locally distributed games through traditional cable or satellite providers, or stream them digitally via Reds.tv, with no local blackouts. (Nationally exclusive broadcasts—such as games aired on ESPN, Fox, NBC, TBS, FS1, or similar outlets—are excluded.)
Subscriptions for Reds.tv are expected to launch soon. Pricing is projected at $99.99 for the full season or $19.99 per month.
In other MLB markets that previously adopted similar models, fans were also offered a bundled option that combined MLB.tv with a team-specific package at a slightly higher cost, eliminating blackouts entirely. For example, the San Diego Padres offered a $199.99 bundle last season, alongside $99.99 seasonal and $19.99 monthly team-only options. At this time, the Reds have not confirmed whether a comparable bundled package will be available. Fans can register on the Reds’ website to receive email notifications when subscription details are finalized.
To clarify blackout rules: Reds.tv subscribers in the greater Cincinnati area will be able to watch all games not claimed by another national rights-holder without blackout restrictions. However, the Reds.tv package will not provide access to games broadcast exclusively on other networks, which will still require separate access through those platforms.
For fans outside the Reds’ local television market, the standard MLB.tv subscription will continue to provide access to Reds games, as it has in the past. That said, blackout restrictions may still apply when the Reds play road games against teams whose local markets overlap with the viewer’s location.
Fan Reactions and Broader Debate
The announcement sparked wide-ranging discussion among fans, touching on everything from subscription access and streaming platforms to competitive balance and MLB’s financial structure. Some fans expressed concern about whether services like DirecTV, YouTube TV, or Roku would continue to carry games, while others welcomed the MLB streaming experience as an improvement over previous regional sports networks.
The broader conversation also reignited debate over MLB’s economic system, including revenue sharing, large-market versus small-market spending disparities, and the possibility of future collective bargaining changes. Comparisons were drawn to massive local TV deals such as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ long-term contract, as well as to salary cap models used in other professional leagues.
Despite differing opinions, many agreed that the Reds’ decision reflects a desire for financial certainty and operational stability amid an increasingly uncertain regional sports network landscape.
