The Pistons are coming off a 60-win season and vying for a spot in the Eastern Conference finals. And beginning next season, they'll be free to watch.
The Pistons announced on Wednesday a new local TV rights agreement with Scripps Sports that will return their games to free, over-the-air television, for the first time since 2005, throughout the state of Michigan.
WMYD-TV20 Detroit, owned and operated by The E.W. Scripps Company, will become the official local broadcast home of the Pistons starting in the 2026-27 season. The network will produce and air all locally available pre-season and regular season games, i.e. those not on national networks like ESPN/ABC and NBC and national streaming services like Amazon Prime and Peacock.
“This move is for our fans," said Pistons owner Tom Gores. "They have been huge all season and throughout this playoff run. Their energy and support have lifted our team and helped fuel our resurgence. It’s a new era of Pistons basketball and we want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey.”
The agreement removes barriers for fans by eliminating the need for a paid TV/streaming subscription to watch local games, as is now the case with the Red Wings and Tigers on the newly-created Detroit Sports Network following the end of Fan Duel Sports Detroit. DSN subscriptions cost $19.99 per month or $189.99 per year.
“Basketball has always been deeply woven into the fabric of our city, and we’re proud to expand access to our games," said Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Pistons.
The Pistons and Scripps Sports will combine to produce comprehensive game‑day coverage, including pregame, in‑game and postgame programming. The agreement also includes a weekly, half‑hour Pistons show, along with original team‑focused content integrated across the Scripps’ family of channels.
“Over-the-air broadcasting has proven to be one of the most powerful ways to connect sports teams with their fans,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “As we are seeing right now, the fandom around the Pistons is high and every fan deserves to have access to Detroit Pistons games."
The Pistons and Scripps Sports are also planning a direct‑to‑consumer streaming application, with further details to be announced at a later date.
