OKC Thunder 'Prepared' in Wake of Latest FanDuel Sports News

Major League Baseball Clubs terminated their contracts with Main Street Sports, the owners of the TV streaming service FanDuel Sports, after missed payments. The Oklahoma City Thunder are 'prepared' in the wake of this news.

Jan 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) speaks to the media following their game against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The latest news in the world of sports media rights saw all nine MLB franchises, still in deals with FanDuel Sports, terminate their contracts on Wednesday, signaling the end of their TV partnership ahead of the 2026 baseball season.

This leaves the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers needing a new broadcast home.

Per a report from Evan Drellich of The Athletic: “By exiting their existing contracts, the MLB teams are attempting to safeguard themselves from the possibility Main Street files for bankruptcy, which would limit how clubs that hold contracts with Main Street could maneuver.”

The writing has been on the wall for FanDuel, as the company has seemingly changed hands and filled for bankruptcy with Main Street Sports after a reported deal with DAZN fell off the table.

Now, these nine MLB clubs will likely elect to have their broadcast run by Major League Baseball, something that the organization has done for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres among others in recent years.

If these nine clubs remain away from Main Street Sports' FanDuel Sports TV, the question becomes whether the network can keep the lights on for the remainder of the NBA and NHL season with no baseball broadcasts on the horizon.

It has been no surprise to see their dwindling coverage of teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, and Texas Rangers all going away from Main Street Sports over the past year in favor of in-house streaming networks and over-the-air TV.

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered a multi-season deal with KSBI starting in 2024, allowing Griffin Media to simulcast select games on over-the-air TV as well as FanDuel Sports. The next two simulcasts will air on KWTV (OKC) and KOTV (Tulsa) with affiliate reach all over the state of Oklahoma, up into Kansas, Missouri and North Texas, will be next Saturday, Jan. 17, against the Miami Heat and Feb. 20 against the Brooklyn Nets.

With the future of Main Street Sports, the Thunder's TV partner, up in the air, Thunder on SI requested a comment on these recent contract terminations in Major League Baseball.

"We are prepared for any scenario to ensure that our fans will be able to continue to watch and enjoy all Thunder games," Oklahoma City Thunder VP of Broadcast and Corporate Communications Dan Mahoney told Thunder on SI.

Thunder on SI has learned that the broadcast crew of Nick Gallo, Paris Lawson, Royce Young, Michael Cage, and Chris Fisher will remain intact regardless of where Oklahoma City's TV contract ends up.