00:00Hello Tigers and Wings fans, big news just dropped from Eilich Sports Plus Entertainment,
00:06they've just announced a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind partnership with Major League Baseball,
00:10this deal is set to completely reshape how we watch our teams, here's what it means for you.
00:15Starting with the 2026 MLB season for the Detroit Tigers, and the 2026-27 NHL season for the
00:23Detroit Red Wings, MLB will step in to provide major broadcast support, the goal is a brand
00:28new platform so fans all across Michigan and our home TV territory can watch games and extra content
00:34whenever and wherever you want. Now don't worry about sudden changes, if you're within the local
00:39TV market, you'll still be able to catch Tigers and Red Wings games through the same cable or
00:45satellite options you've used recently, details about those providers and any new direct-to-consumer
00:50streaming subscriptions will come later. Ryan Gustafson, president and CEO of Eilich Sports
00:56Plus Entertainment Spoa, spoke on this he said, given recent uncertainty throughout the regional
01:01sports broadcasting industry we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent
01:06year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey. He added, we have two of the top
01:12rated broadcasts in our respective sports, what we've heard includes making sure our games are
01:17available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast
01:22that's informative and entertaining, this is a great path forward. So, bottom line, unless a game
01:29is picked up for national TV, every Tigers and Red Wings game will air right here in our market.
01:34You'll have your choice. A traditional cable satellite package or a streaming subscription,
01:39let's break it down by team. For us Detroit Tigers fans, Major League Baseball will now handle
01:44producing and distributing the games. That means they'll run the broadcast production, negotiate the
01:50distribution deals, and operate a direct-to-consumer streaming service. And the best part, our
01:55incredible broadcast team is staying put. The voices we love, led by play-by-play announcers Jason
02:01Benetti and Dan Dickerson, along with analysts Andy Dirks and Dan Petri, considered one of the best
02:07groups in baseball, are all expected back for the 2026 season. This new partnership comes on the heels of a
02:13huge, 2025 season. For viewership, the Tigers saw a 121% increase in per-game streamers, and a 101% jump in per-game
02:23household impressions. Last season, only five U.S.-based MLB teams had higher per-game viewership, and only two
02:30had a higher average rating. That's massive growth. For our Detroit Red Wings, the transition happens after the
02:362025-26 NHL season wraps up. Ilich Sports Plus Entertainment will handle the broadcast production,
02:42with MLB assisting on the processes. Coverage on the FanDuel Sports Network is expected to continue
02:48through this current season, with more details about 2026-27 coming later, and we get to keep our
02:54legendary broadcast duo, voted the top NHL broadcast in back-to-back seasons, 22-24-25, via the Athletics
03:03Annual Fan Survey. Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue leading Red Wings telecasts
03:09for the foreseeable future. Planning for the future production will kick off after the 2025-26 season
03:15concludes. So, a new era of watching our teams is on the horizon, designed with fan access and a great
03:21broadcast experience at its core. What part of this new setup are you most excited about?
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