How To Watch the Cincinnati Reds
A new viewing experience for Reds fans
The Cincinnati Reds made it to the National League Wild Card series last year, falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans will definitely want to tune in this season to see if the team can make an even deeper postseason run.
Watching the Reds will be a little different this year after the franchise moved away from FanDuel Sports Network. In-market fans have a new channel to put on their radar, Reds.TV, which is available directly through MLB’s digital platforms and participating pay-TV providers.
Whether you’re a die-hard Reds fan or a casual viewer just keeping tabs on the National League Central, I built this guide to help you catch as many games as possible. Keep reading for my expert recommendations on the best TV plans and streaming services for the 2026 season.
Spring into baseball with DIRECTV!
DIRECTV has the most MLB games, including Spring Training, period.* Not only that, but this season you can catch the World Baseball Classic and tons of college ball streaming on your favorite devices. With so much live action on deck, it's time to get your game together by scouting DIRECTV's packages today.
*Claim based on total games carried on Nat'l and combined local Regional Sports Networks. RSNs avail. with CHOICE package or higher. Avail. of RSNs varies by ZIP code and pkg. Blackouts apply.
Where to watch the Reds—local TV breakdown
Cincinnati is one of several teams that ditched FanDuel Sports Network and partnered with MLB to distribute its in-market games. Fans of the team who live in the broadcast region—which spans all or most of seven states, including Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia, and Mississippi—will need access to Reds.TV.
Fans who live anywhere outside that territory can stream regular-season games on MLB.TV or watch with MLB EXTRA INNINGS using a cable or satellite provider. Just keep in mind that these services are still subject to national TV blackouts.
| Channel | Starting price | Coverage | Available on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reds.TV | $99.99/season | Most in-market games | MLB app, DIRECTV |
| WXIX (FOX 19) | Free | 10 select in-market games | Over-the-air antenna (Cincinnati area) |
| MLB.TV | $29.99/mo. | Most out-of-market games | MLB and ESPN apps |
| MLB EXTRA INNINGS | $149.99/season | Most out-of-market games | Cable and satellite services |
Where to watch the Reds—national TV breakdown
| Network | Coverage | Available on |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV | Friday Night Baseball exclusive games | Apple TV subscription ($12.99/mo.) |
| ESPN | Select regular-season games | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| FOX | Saturday MLB games, select primetime matchups, All-Star Game, World Series | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| FS1 | Saturday regular-season games, select postseason games (Division Series, League Championship Series) | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| MLB Network | Regular-season national games, simulcasts, showcase matchups | Cable, satellite, select live TV streaming services |
| NBC | Select Sunday MLB games | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| Netflix | Exclusive events (Home Run Derby, MLB at Field of Dreams) | Netflix subscription ($7.99–$24.99/mo.) |
| Peacock | Exclusive Sunday MLB games | Peacock Premium subscription ($10.99–$16.99/mo.), NBCSN (simulcasts) |
| TBS | Regular-season Tuesday night games, select postseason games (Division Series, League Championship Series) | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
Best TV plans for watching the Cincinnati Reds
Catching every pitch of the Reds’ season requires a bit of a juggling act since MLB splits its broadcasts across multiple platforms. You’ll generally need a base live TV service for national broadcasts, plus a couple of standalone streaming apps to make sure all your bases are covered (pun absolutely intended).
For in-market fans, I recommend DIRECTV because it perfectly combines major national coverage with your local games. Reds.TV is a great standalone streaming option for local fans, too, but it won’t give you the national networks. Ultimately, Reds fans will need at least three services to watch all 162 games in 2026.
Best Overall
DIRECTV’s CHOICE™ plan or above (starting at $94.99/mo.) is the best TV service for local fans because it carries the national networks alongside the dedicated Reds team network on Channel 661.
Exclusive Games
Reds fans need Apple TV ($12.99/mo.) for any Friday Night Baseball broadcasts the team ends up on throughout the season.
Exclusive Games
The Reds will have several games stream on Peacock in 2026, and most of those are exclusive to the platform’s premium plans ($10.99–$16.99/mo.).
Out-of-Market Coverage
You’ll want MLB.TV ($149.99/season) to watch the Cincinnati Reds from anywhere beyond the team’s broadcast region.
Watch the Reds with a free trial
If you just want a little free baseball, an over-the-air antenna is great for catching the few Reds games that air on FOX or NBC. But to access the dedicated team channel and cable networks without paying, I recommend testing out free trials from live TV streaming services. I’ve broken down my favorites below.
| Packages | Price | ESPN | FOX | FS1 | NBC | TBS | MLB Network | RSNs* | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV | Five days free, then $89.99–$169.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | View Plans for DIRECTV STREAM |
| Fubo | Five days free, then $14.99–$94.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — | — | ✔ | ✔ | View Plans for FuboTV |
| YouTube TV | Varies, then $82.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — | — | View Plans for YouTube TV |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Avail. of RSNs varies by zip code and pkg.
Get tickets to see the Reds!
Buy Cincinnati Reds tickets through our partner, StubHub—your source for the best deals on Reds games and more.
How to watch the Cincinnati Reds FAQ
What channel are the Reds on?
You can watch in-market Reds baseball games on Reds.TV starting in 2026, either via MLB's streaming app or a participating cable or satellite provider. Cincinnati will also have nationally televised games on FOX, FS1, NBC, Peacock, and Apple TV.
Why are Reds games blacked out in my area?
MLB uses blackout restrictions to protect the exclusive rights of local networks. If you live in the team's broadcast market, you should only be using Reds.TV to watch in-market games. The out-of-market MLB.TV will black out those Reds.TV games due to the league's rules.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com junior sports writer, Alex Vejar, reviewed the details of the Cincinnati Reds’ 2026 schedule. He then researched which TV and streaming providers offered the most channels to watch Reds games. Using that information, he made a recommendation that he feels is best for Reds fans.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our review methods.
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