Local cable TV customers waiting for their carrier to get the Reds games this season can see their favorite team host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 3 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.
The Reds play on TV again at 4:05 p.m. this Sunday, March 8, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s one of seven free Reds.TV streaming games under the team’s new production and distribution deal with Major League Baseball.
Just one month ago, the Reds announced it was dropping the financially troubled FanDuel Sports Network and were partnering with MLB for production and distribution of its TV games. So on Feb. 2, MLB and the Reds had to re-invent the wheel to arrange for TV talent, producers, camera operators, TV production trucks, distribution partners and advertisers.
Here’s an update on Reds TV, with Opening Day three weeks away:
- ANNOUNCERS: John Sadak and Jeff Brantley returned to Reds booth for the spring TV premiere on March 2. According to the Reds website, all the game announcers seen on last year’s FanDuel Sports telecasts are back for the MLB-produced games this year: Sadak, Brantley, Barry Larkin, Chris Welsh and Jim Day. Tommy Thrall, Brantley and Welsh will do radio.
Brian Giesenschlag and former Reds pitcher Sam LeCure will do the pregame show. (I’m hearing there might not be a half-hour postgame show after every telecast.) Annie Sabo announced last month she won't be part of the pregame team this year.
- CABLE UPDATE: Both Spectrum and Altafiber say they’re talking with the Reds about carrying the games — but there are no deals yet.
“We want to keep carrying the Reds, and we’re in discussions with MLB to hopefully make that happen,” a Spectrum spokesman told me Wednesday.
Two weeks ago, Altafiber emailed customers to say that “as a local company in a historic baseball town, we know how important Reds baseball is to our community. We have begun negotiations with MLB to broadcast the Reds games for the upcoming season. Look for further announcements and follow up communication in the coming weeks.”
Altafiber and the Reds did not respond to a request Wednesday for an update.
- OPENING DAY: If Opening Day is simulcast on free, over-the-air Cincinnati TV, it will be on WXIX-TV like last year.
Managers of the three other TV stations — WLWT-TV, WCPO-TV and WKRC-TV — tell me that they won’t be broadcasting the Reds-Red Sox game at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 26. (Channels 12 and 5 have aired the game in the past.)
They said Channel 19 could air Opening Day as part of a package of games also airing on sister Gray Media stations, similar to last year. Channel 19 simulcast nine Reds games on Tuesday nights April through September in 2025. The Reds also aired on Gray stations in Lexington, Louisville, Charleston-Huntington and Nashville, and on the Cleveland-based Rock Entertainment Sports Network which programs WXIX-TV’s Channel 19.3.
Jennifer Rieffer, WXIX-TV general manager, has not responded to requests for information this week.
- WEATHER DEAL: There’s a change in the weather for the Reds. I’m hearing that Fox 19 will not be the Reds' official provider of weather forecasts this year, after the retirement of chief meteorologist Steve Hortstmeyer.
- FREE REDS.TV GAMES: After Sunday’s game, Reds.TV will stream three more free games:
Tuesday, March 17 at 9:05 p.m.: Reds vs. Guardians (Cleveland announcers)
Wednesday, March 18 at 4:05 p.m.: Reds vs. Rockies
Sunday, March 22 at 3:05 p.m.: Reds vs. Guardians (Cleveland announcers)
Fans can subscribe to a full-season of Reds.TV streaming for $99.99.
- RADIO: All Reds games will air on WLW-AM (700) or WSAI-AM (1360). The Thursday and Saturday games will be broadcast on WSAI-AM at 3 p.m. Friday’s game will air on WLW-AM at 3 p.m.
Starting Sunday, due to the switch to Daylight Saving Time, games will air at 4 p.m. Sunday’s Reds-Diamondbacks will be heard on WLW-AM.
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