Pistons first to move to free TV after FanDuel fallout

The Pistons are making a notable move as the local TV landscape continues to shift.

Detroit announced a new media rights agreement with Scripps Sports that will return games to free, over-the-air television beginning with the 2026-27 season. The team said WMYD TV20 Detroit will serve as the primary broadcast home, with all locally available preseason and regular-season games airing there.

The deal marks the Pistons’ first return to a primarily local broadcast channel since 2005. It also removes the need for a paid subscription to watch games, a point the organization emphasized throughout its announcement.

“This move is for our fans,” owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “We want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey.”

Scripps will also involve WXYZ, Detroit’s ABC affiliate, as part of the coverage, with plans for pregame and postgame shows, a weekly team program and additional digital content.

The timing is not coincidental.

As previously reported by Hoops Wire, the NBA informed 13 teams tied to FanDuel Sports Network that they would be free to pursue new local broadcast deals for next season, per Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal. That group included the Pistons, Cavaliers, Bucks and several others, all impacted by the expected shutdown of Main Street Sports Group’s regional network operations.

In other words, this is likely just the beginning.

Teams across the league have been exploring a mix of over-the-air and streaming options in an effort to reach more fans. The Pistons are the first from that group to formally land on a new home, and they have made accessibility the centerpiece.

More changes are coming. Detroit just got there first.