Key Points
- DIRECTV expanded its MLB deal to carry local broadcasts from nine additional teams moving off FanDuel Sports Network.
- The agreement gives DIRECTV access to 28 of 29 U.S.-based MLB teams for the 2026 season.
- The channels will be available to residential and commercial customers, including sports bars and restaurants.
DIRECTV has expanded its agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) to offer locally-televised games from nine baseball teams this season, most of which are moving off FanDuel Sports Network this year.
The deal covers the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals, with each channel delivering in-market access to live games and shoulder programming for fans within their home territories.
The agreement ensures that DIRECTV customers will have access to local broadcasts for 28 of the 29 U.S.-based MLB teams at the start of the 2026 season, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
DIRECTV previously partnered with the league to launch team-specific channels for the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, followed by the Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins.
With the addition of nine more teams, the distributor now carries 14 MLB-operated channels, representing nearly half of the league. The newly-added team channels will be available across more than 300,000 commercial locations served by DIRECTV for Business, including sports bars, restaurants and hotels, where the daily cadence of the 162-game season remains a key driver of customer traffic.
Beyond local coverage, DIRECTV continues to emphasize flexibility for out-of-market viewers. Streaming customers can subscribe to MLB.TV to access games from all 30 teams, while satellite and commercial subscribers retain access through MLB Extra Innings. Outside traditional pay TV, MLB.TV is available as an add-on to ESPN Unlimited, though a subscription to ESPN Unlimited isn’t required to continue watching out-of-market baseball games.
DIRECTV’s MLB footprint extends beyond league-operated channels. The company continues to carry a wide range of team-specific regional networks, including those serving the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants alongside independently operated channels for teams like the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox.
To learn more about DIRECTV’s satellite and streaming plans, click or tap here.
