The St. Louis Blues are gearing up for a significant change in how most of their games will be televised starting with the 2026-27 NHL season. Their longtime regional sports network partner, FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (operated by Main Street Sports Group, formerly known as Diamond Sports Group), is shutting down operations after carrying first-round Stanley Cup playoff games this spring.
The Blues wrapped up their 2025-26 regular season without making the playoffs and have just two remaining games left on the schedule—both airing nationally. Monday’s game marked what appears to be the final local broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Midwest.
In a statement shared with local media, Blues President and CEO of Business Operations Chris Zimmerman emphasized the team’s proactive stance: “As we continue to navigate the dynamic broadcast situation, our organization is focused on building new partnerships that will best serve the passionate Blues fanbase and our consistently strong viewing audience for future seasons.” He added that the team’s management has been preparing for this outcome for years amid broader industry shifts, and they plan to announce future broadcast plans this summer.
This development stems from ongoing financial struggles at Main Street Sports Group, which has been dealing with bankruptcy-related issues that have already disrupted broadcasts for multiple NHL and NBA teams. FanDuel Sports Network Midwest had been the exclusive regional home for Blues games, airing 68 regular-season matchups this season alongside 14 national telecasts on ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu, and TNT.
The Blues aren’t the only St. Louis sports team affected. The St. Louis Cardinals recently ended their relationship with the same network and shifted to a new model for the 2026 MLB season: Cardinals.TV, a streaming platform produced under the MLB umbrella. Those games are also available on select cable providers, offering a hybrid approach that blends direct-to-consumer streaming with traditional distribution.
Similar transitions have played out elsewhere in the NHL. For instance, the Detroit Red Wings—another team previously tied to a Main Street Sports Group regional network—partnered with the Detroit Tigers (MLB) to launch Detroit SportsNet, a direct-to-consumer network. This model gives fans streaming access without relying on a traditional cable RSN.
At least six NHL teams are now in the same boat as the Blues, searching for new local broadcast solutions for 2026-27.
The Blues have not yet revealed specifics, but industry speculation and fan discussions point to several possibilities based on recent trends:
- A direct-to-consumer streaming option, similar to the Cardinals’ setup or the Victory+ platform the Blues already used experimentally for some preseason and select games.
- A potential collaboration with the Cardinals, creating a joint St. Louis sports streaming service that could benefit both teams and reduce costs.
- Over-the-air or hybrid TV partnerships, such as expanded use of local stations like those from Gray Media (e.g., KMOV or Matrix Midwest), which already simulcast a handful of Blues games this season.
- Maintaining some cable/satellite availability while prioritizing streaming, with an eye toward minimizing blackouts for out-of-market fans.
Whatever the final plan, the goal will likely be to keep games accessible and affordable for the team’s loyal local audience, which has shown strong viewership numbers even amid RSN industry turbulence. Audio broadcasts on 101 ESPN and the Blues app are expected to continue uninterrupted.
A full announcement is anticipated this summer, well ahead of the 2026-27 puck drop.
