Observed Signal · Jul 23, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: Cord Cutters News · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Carolina Hurricanes to Launch Local Sports Network
The Carolina Hurricanes announced they will launch their own team-operated sports network to become the exclusive local television home for Hurricanes games following the collapse of their former RSN, FanDuel Sports Network. The network will be owned and operated by Hurricanes Holdings in collaboration with the NHL, with the team responsible for production, distribution, sales, and marketing. Broadcasts are planned for cable, satellite, and streaming; branding, distribution partners, channel locations, and direct-to-consumer pricing will be announced before the regular season. Longtime commentators Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy will continue as the team’s broadcast voices. The move follows bankruptcy and restructuring at Main Street Sports Group and is representative of teams moving away from the unstable RSN model toward owning their local broadcast distribution.
Team-owned local networks signal continued disruption of the RSN model and shifts how local sports inventory is distributed and monetized across cable, satellite, and streaming—relevant to broadcasters, advertisers, and local media monetization strategies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced they will launch their own sports network to be the exclusive local TV home for Hurricanes hockey.
- The network will be owned and operated by Hurricanes Holdings in collaboration with the NHL; the team will handle production, distribution, sales, and marketing.
- Broadcasts will be available via cable, satellite, and streaming; network name, branding, distribution partners, channel locations, and D2C pricing will be announced before the regular season.
- Play-by-play announcer Mike Maniscalco and analyst Tripp Tracy will continue calling Hurricanes games on the new network.
- The move follows the collapse of FanDuel Sports Network and the bankruptcy/restructuring of Main Street Sports Group, highlighting instability in the RSN model.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“In what’s another sign that the regional sports network model is still unraveling, the Hurricanes’ new setup follows the bankruptcy and rest...”
“The network will be owned and operated by Hurricanes Holdings in collaboration with the NHL, with the team handling production, distribution...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Charlotte Hornets Move Local Games to Free TV
The Charlotte Hornets announced that Cox Media Group’s WSOC Channel 9 and TV64 will become the team’s local broadcast home for the 2026–27 NBA season, airing every regular-season game not nationally televised free over the air in the Charlotte area. The agreement expands a prior experiment that put a small number of Hornets games on free TV in 2025 and a 12-game simulcast in 2025–26. The team says a direct-to-consumer streaming solution will be announced later as the NBA explores a centralized local streaming hub for local rights. The move is part of a broader league trend away from the traditional RSN model toward free broadcast and alternative streaming arrangements.
Fubo Adds Four NHL RSNs Ahead of Season
Fubo announced a distribution agreement with the NHL to add four regional sports networks (RSNs) to its lineup ahead of the 2026-27 hockey season. Subscribers in the markets of the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues will be able to watch their local teams' games on Fubo. This brings Fubo's total to over 50 RSNs in its base package, complementing its extensive sports content. The move addresses recent shifts in sports rights ownership and gives hockey fans another way to watch their teams without cable.
Angels and Kings Launch Joint Regional Sports Network
The Los Angeles Angels and NHL's Los Angeles Kings are partnering to launch a team-linked regional sports network that will replace FanDuel Sports Network on cable and satellite across Southern California. The Angels are purchasing a stake in Main Street Sports, the distressed parent of the FanDuel-branded RSNs; final terms are still being finalized with an official announcement expected soon. Local streaming distribution will use MLB's infrastructure, with reported pricing of $99.99 for Angels-only access or $199.99 for a full-league package. The move follows Main Street defaults and marks the Angels as the ninth MLB club to exit FanDuel/RSD deals, reflecting a broader shift from the legacy RSN model to a mix of league-managed broadcasts, team-owned networks, and direct-to-consumer streaming. Publication date: 2026-03-12.
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