If you’ve lived in the Valley for more than a minute, you know the drill. You sit down, crack a drink, flip on the TV to catch the Suns or the D-backs, and—boom—blackout. Or worse, you realize the channel you paid fifty bucks for last month doesn't even carry the game anymore. Honestly, keeping up with sports on tv phoenix az has become a part-time job.
Things have changed fast.
The old days of "Bally Sports everything" are dead and buried. Now, we’re in this weird, fragmented world where you need an antenna for some games, a specific app for others, and a prayer for the rest. But here’s the good news: it's actually getting cheaper if you know where to look.
The Phoenix Suns and Mercury: Free is the New Black
Mat Ishbia basically flipped the table on the old regional sports network (RSN) model. Instead of hiding games behind a massive cable paywall, the Suns and Mercury signed a massive extension with Gray Media. This is huge. It means if you are looking for sports on tv phoenix az regarding basketball, you can literally get most of it for the price of a one-time antenna purchase.
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Most games air on KTVK (3TV) or Arizona’s Family Sports (Channel 44). If you’re in a spot where the signal is flaky, they’ve got the Suns+ and Merc+ streaming apps. It’s about $15 a month for the Mercury side, and the Suns' ratings have basically doubled since they made this move. It’s a win for the fans who were tired of the "login with your provider" nightmare.
Diamondbacks and the MLB.TV Shakeup
Baseball is where it gets a bit "inside baseball," pun intended. After the whole Bally Sports bankruptcy mess, MLB took over the production. For the 2026 season, you’ve got a few specific paths.
- D-backs.TV: This is the direct-to-consumer streaming option. It’s usually around $19.99 a month. No cable required.
- The ESPN Factor: There's a new deal where ESPN is starting to integrate these in-market packages. For now, you can still buy the D-backs standalone, but don't be shocked if the ESPN app becomes mandatory by 2027.
- NBC’s Sunday Night: NBC is taking over Sunday Night Baseball. The 2026 season actually kicks off with the Diamondbacks facing the Dodgers on March 26 on NBC.
Basically, if you want every single game, you’re either buying the team-specific streaming package or sticking with a big bundle like Fubo or Cox that carries the local feeds.
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The Cardinals: Still the Kings of Network TV
The NFL is the easiest to find but the hardest to stream on the go. The Arizona Cardinals are still mostly on FOX (KSAZ) and CBS (KPHO).
If it’s a Sunday afternoon, you just need rabbit ears. But the "Thursday Night Football" games are still locked behind Amazon Prime Video. If they land a Monday night slot, you’re looking at ESPN.
A pro tip for 2026: if you have Paramount+, you can stream any Cardinals game that is airing on your local CBS station. It’s a cheap workaround if you don't want to mess with a physical antenna. For the out-of-market fans or those who want every game on their phone, NFL+ is the move, but remember it’s mobile-only for the live local stuff.
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What Happened to the Coyotes?
The hockey situation has been a rollercoaster. Currently, the Coyotes are partnered with Scripps Sports. This means games are broadcast over-the-air on Channel 61 (KASW) in Phoenix.
If you’re on Cox, it’s usually Channel 95. It’s a similar vibe to the Suns—trying to reach as many people as possible without forcing them into a $100 cable package. They also have a monthly show called "Coyotes Insider" that airs on ABC15 if you’re into the behind-the-scenes stuff.
Sun Devil Nation and the Big 12 Move
Since ASU moved to the Big 12, the TV schedule is a bit more varied. You aren't just stuck on the Pac-12 Network anymore (which was a nightmare to find anyway).
- Football: Most games land on FOX, FS1, or ESPN/ESPN2.
- The "Plus" Trap: Expect at least a couple of games a year to be exclusive to ESPN+. If you’re a die-hard Sun Devil, you basically have to have that $11/month subscription in your budget.
- Radio: If you're stuck in traffic on the I-10, 98.7 FM Arizona Sports is still the flagship for football and men’s hoops.
Actionable Steps to Get Your Setup Ready
Don't just keep paying for a massive cable bundle if you only watch local sports. Here is exactly how to optimize your sports on tv phoenix az experience:
- Buy a high-quality digital antenna. Seriously. Spend $40 once. You’ll get the Suns, Mercury, Coyotes, and most Cardinals games in HD for free forever.
- Audit your streaming. If you only watch the Diamondbacks, cancel the $90/month cable and just pay the $20/month for the D-backs streaming app during the season.
- Check for "Plus" services. If you follow ASU or the Rising (Phoenix’s soccer team), you’ll need ESPN+.
- Use the "Arizona Sports" App. It’s free and gives you the radio broadcast for almost everything when you can't get to a TV.
The landscape of sports on tv phoenix az is actually more fan-friendly now than it was five years ago. You just have to stop thinking like a cable subscriber and start thinking like a cord-cutter. Pick the teams you love, get an antenna for the basics, and fill in the gaps with the specific team apps.