Amidst the transition of several regional sports networks, DIRECTV offers hometown fans of 28 of the 29 U.S.-based franchises their favorite Team on Opening Day.
DIRECTV today announced a new agreement to deliver the Rays’ new MLB-operated channel across the team’s entire home territory, ensuring all fans enjoy uninterrupted access to future local games. Rays fans who subscribe to DIRECTV can continue watching games on channels 652 (streaming and satellite) and 1719 (U-verse).
“Rays fans can continue to rely on DIRECTV to deliver their favorite team’s live games,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer at DIRECTV. “We remain committed to working with the league and its clubs to keep loyal fans connected.”
A New Home for the Rays
Under the new agreement, DIRECTV will deliver every locally available Rays game on the new MLB Tampa Bay Rays channel, which will appear in the on-screen guide as RAYS. Coverage will include MLB-produced pregame and postgame programming.
Availability remains unchanged across the Rays’ established home television territory, spanning the entire state of Florida, including key cities such as Tampa-St. Petersburg, Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee, among others.
The Rays previously aired on FanDuel Sports Sun, operated by Main Street Sports, which is expected to shut down following the conclusion of the current NBA and NHL seasons in mid-April.
DIRECTV has the most live baseball games across any TV or streaming plan – with RSNs, dedicated MLB offerings including MLB Network and MLB Network Strike Zone, and top collegiate action from powerhouse baseball conferences like the ACC, Big 12, SEC, and others, all in one place.
DIRECTV’s National MLB Commitment & Playoff Availability
DIRECTV offers all of MLB’s major national baseball media partners, including both linear channels and streaming services, meaning any Rays national telecasts during the regular season or postseason playoffs will also be available. This includes NBC and Peacock’s new Sunday Leadoff games, Sunday Night Baseball, and Wild Card playoffs. TBS will continue its Tuesday Night Baseball and its extensive coverage of the Division Series and League Championship Series. FS1 and FOX will continue their Baseball Night in America Saturday and weekday games, as well as coverage of the Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series. ESPN shifts its Sunday night games to select midweek games, and Apple TV continues with its Friday night doubleheaders.
Out-of-Market Access for Transplanted Rays Fans
Today’s announcement also enables transplanted Rays fans who are DIRECTV streaming customers to add MLB.TV to watch out-of-market regular-season games from all 30 teams. MLB.TV subscribers can catch all the action on smart TVs, smartphones, and consoles. Out-of-market games remain available to DIRECTV’s residential and commercial satellite subscribers via MLB Extra Innings.
Flexible Sports Options for Rays and Other Sports Fans
DIRECTV continues to expand consumer choice, control, and flexibility for the nation’s baseball and other sports fans through its industry-first MySports, a less-expensive, sports-focused offering introduced to streaming homes in January 2025. MySports is an all-inclusive, one-stop shopping sports streaming service that includes MLB Network and all the major national channels and streaming services currently slated to provide MLB playoff games in October and early November.
In addition to its MLB coverage, MySports features the most popular national sports networks, league and conference channels, local broadcast stations, and a host of other sports programming. DIRECTV has also ensured that anyone receiving ESPN can also utilize the new ESPN stream app and recently added seven curated channels of ESPN+ content to residential satellite and streaming, and DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS customers.
On MLB Opening Day last season, DIRECTV introduced MyHome Team, a $19.99-per-month add-on for MySports subscribers that gives customers access to their favorite local MLB, NBA, or NHL team. Fans of the Rays can get their local games through MyHome Team, so long as they live within the team’s home territory.
Serving Rays Fans at Home and Away
Rays pregame, postgame, and live in-game coverage will also be available to sports bars, restaurants, hotels, and any of the more than 300,000 commercial venues serviced by DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, the industry leader in out-of-home sports distribution, that lie within the home territory. The 162-game baseball season is especially important because it allows commercial establishments to promote game availability nearly daily, helping build consistent patronage during the extended March-November season.
Free MLB Content for All Baseball Fans
DIRECTV recently added the MLB FAST channel to MyFree DIRECTV, allowing anyone to stream MLB news, highlights, replays, condensed games, select Minor League games, and other MLB programming free of charge to customers. MyFree DIRECTV features more than 150 channels, including over 35 sports-focused networks from ESPN, NBC Sports, FOX Sports, collegiate conferences, and a wide range of specialty sports services.
