The Tigers officially entered a new era of broadcast on Monday with the launch of Detroit SportsNet, a year-round TV and streaming home for the Tigers and Red Wings.
While the broadcasts will look familiar with play-by-play voices Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson, along with analysts Andy Dirks and Dan Petry, the broadcasts will be found in a different spot. Tigers games will stream through the MLB App on the web, mobile and connected TV platforms. The network will also be available through cable, satellite and streaming providers once agreements are finalized.
A select number of Tigers Spring Training games will be available to stream in market for free, including two games produced by the Tigers and select simulcasts of opposing team telecasts. Fans can sign up for a Detroit SportsNet subscription until March 22 for a free trial until April 1. The trial period includes the first five games of the regular season, including Opening Day on March 26 in San Diego.
On April 1, subscriptions will be available for $19.99 per month or $189.99 for a full year, which will include Red Wings broadcasts starting next season.
Detroit SportsNet is the next chapter in the Tigers’ long broadcasting history, which began in 1927 with the first Tigers radio broadcast and 1947 with the first Tigers telecasts. The Tigers have had a pay-TV home since ON-TV in 1981, but this is the first time the Tigers have brought their production in-house through MLB.
The MLB app is the new streaming home of not just Tigers broadcasts, but also highlights, stats and news from the Tigers and across MLB.
“Given recent uncertainty throughout the regional sports broadcasting industry, we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent, year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey,” Ryan Gustafson, president and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, said in a press release. “We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them. What we’ve heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that’s informative and entertaining in all the right ways. This is a great path forward in those areas, allowing us to provide a great experience for fans throughout our local market.”
For more information, visit tigers.com/detroitsportsnet.