Full Breakdown
Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers Renew Media Rights with FanDuel Sports Network for 2026 Season
11/6/2025, 1:57:50 PM
Overview of Renewals
The Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers have opted to extend their local media rights agreements with FanDuel Sports Network for the 2026 MLB season. Main Street Sports Group, the owner of the network, confirmed these renewals, emphasizing the importance of providing fans with dependable coverage and innovative storytelling across multiple platforms.
Key Statements from Team Executives
Phil Castellini, President and CEO of the Cincinnati Reds, highlighted the partnership with FanDuel Sports Network, stating, “It’s a priority to give Reds fans dependable coverage, great storytelling, and the ability to watch Reds baseball across a variety of platforms.” Similarly, Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman expressed the significance of connecting with fans, noting that their viewership continues to rank among the best in baseball.
Broadcast Accessibility and Options
The renewed agreements will allow fans to watch games through various platforms, including cable, satellite, and streaming services. The Royals will also continue to offer their games via Amazon Prime Video as an add-on subscription. The Reds have introduced a direct-to-consumer streaming option, allowing fans to access games without local blackouts.
Performance Metrics and Audience Growth
Main Street Sports Group reported a significant increase in viewership, with their regional sports networks averaging 1.5 million viewers per night. The Royals noted that their games ranked No. 1 in primetime in the Kansas City area and were among the top 10 in MLB for household ratings. The overall audience for MLB games on FanDuel Sports Network saw an 18% improvement, with streaming impressions more than doubling.
Criticism & Opposition
Despite the positive outlook, some industry analysts have raised concerns about the sustainability of traditional regional sports networks amid ongoing cord-cutting trends. While the current agreements provide stability, there is uncertainty regarding the long-term viability of such models as MLB explores more nationalized local rights solutions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the renewals have been confirmed, specific financial terms and the length of the extensions have not been disclosed. Additionally, it remains unclear whether other MLB teams will negotiate extensions with Main Street Sports Group or seek alternative broadcasting arrangements.
What's Next
As the 2026 season approaches, teams will continue to evaluate their broadcasting strategies. The Royals have indicated they will reassess their options next offseason, while the Reds and Brewers will aim to build on their recent successes in viewership and fan engagement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s a priority to give Reds fans dependable coverage, great storytelling, and the ability to watch Reds baseball across a variety of platforms,” — Phil Castellini, President & CEO, Cincinnati Reds
- “There is nothing more important to us than connecting with and making our games available to our great fans,” — John Sherman, Chairman & CEO, Kansas City Royals
- “Our multiplatform strategy drove strong viewership growth last season, and we look forward to working together to expand their audience reach and drive fan engagement.” — Sarah Tourville, Executive Vice President, FanDuel Sports Network
