Streaming news roundup: Pacers put 15 games on local TV and free DAZN, MLB Division Series continues tonight, and Bucks+ debuts

Pacers put 15 games on local TV and free DAZN. MLB ALDS Game 2 is tonight on TBS/HBO Max. Bucks+ debuts; Paramount–WBD still targets Oct. 6.

StreamCaddy · Monday, October 5, 2026

The gist: The Pacers and Nexstar are putting 15 regular-season games on local TV — and the same broadcasts stream free on DAZN — starting October 23 against Dallas. MLB's Division Series is underway, with ALDS Game 2 tonight on TBS / HBO Max. Bucks+ tips off tonight for Wisconsin fans. And Paramount's Warner Bros. Discovery deal is still pointed at tomorrow for closing, with no announced change yet to where games air.

Around the Markets

Indianapolis: 15 Pacers games on local TV — and free on DAZN

On October 1, Nexstar Media Group and DAZN announced a partnership that puts 15 Indiana Pacers regular-season games on Nexstar local stations, with each of those games simulcast free on DAZN. Fans can watch the same live broadcast over the air, through a TV provider that carries the station, or on a connected device via DAZN.

What you need to know:

• How many: 15 regular-season games (Nexstar / DAZN announcement).
• First game: Friday, October 23, Pacers vs. Dallas Mavericks.
• Named stations (confirmed carriage): WTTV-TV (CBS) and WXIN-TV (FOX) in Indianapolis; WTVW-TV (CW) in Evansville; WCIX-TV (MyNet) in Champaign, Illinois. RBR notes WTTV and WXIN will not air the same game at the same time; the full station-by-station game list is still forthcoming.
• More stations: Nexstar intends to add stations in other parts of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. That is intent only — further details "in the coming weeks." Do not assume carriage outside the named markets yet.
• Everything else local: the rest of the Pacers' locally produced season stays on paid DAZN (dazn.com/Pacers per the release). Sporting News's 2026-27 Pacers-on-DAZN guide lists Standard at $19.99/month or $119.99/season, Ultimate at $24.99/month or $139.99/season, and an Early Bird Season Pass Standard at $59.99 if purchased by October 15, 2026 (prices as listed in that guide; they can change).

This sits on top of the team's earlier move naming DAZN as its exclusive local streaming home for 2026-27 (covered in our August 21 roundup). The new piece for fans is the local-TV path for those 15 games — not a replacement for the paid DAZN slate.

Out-of-market fans still use NBA League Pass / Team Pass for non-national Pacers games outside the local territory; those products black out in-market local games.

Milwaukee: Bucks+ debuts tonight

Quick update from Friday's roundup: Bucks+ starts with tonight's preseason opener vs. Minnesota at Fiserv Forum (7 p.m. CT). Wisconsin fans stream locally televised games via the NBA app or bucks.com/bucksplus at $19.99/month or $99.99/season (as of the Oct. 1 launch). Same games remain on the team's MY24 over-the-air package and Wisconsin affiliates. No new price or carriage change since Friday — just the debut tip.

St. Louis: Blue Note+ linear gaps still open

No new price for Blue Note+. After the national opener on TNT (Friday), the local picture is unchanged in the ways that matter for Spectrum / Prime / Fubo — and still incomplete for several big distributors. Per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Oct. 2, via Sports Business Journal Oct. 4), DirecTV had been expected soon for Blue Note+ but that deal was not reached over the opener weekend, and Dish, Comcast, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV were still not contracted as of that report. Streaming paths remain: Prime Video add-on ($19.99/mo or $99.99/yr on top of any Prime tier — no Prime tier includes Blue Note+) and Fubo (Pro or Sports; My Local Sports add-on path on Fubo Sports). Details in our Blue Note+ on Fubo post.

National

MLB Division Series: ALDS Game 2 tonight

The Division Series opened Saturday. Per FOX Sports (updated Oct. 4) and CBS Sports (Oct. 5):

Series status heading into Monday:

• White Sox lead Guardians 1–0
• Rays lead Yankees 1–0
• Brewers lead Padres 2–0
• Braves and Dodgers are tied 1–1

Tonight — Monday, October 5 (ALDS Game 2):

Map for the round (unchanged from Friday / Wednesday):

• ALDS / ALCS: TBS (plus truTV / HBO Max on listed windows).
• NLDS / NLCS: FOX and FS1 (different networks, different games), FOX Deportes, FOX One. NLDS Game 3 is Tuesday on FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One (Dodgers at Braves 6 p.m. ET; Brewers at Padres 9:30 p.m. ET per FOX Sports).
• World Series: FOX and FOX One, starting Friday, October 23.

Our round-by-round MLB playoffs guide still holds for who carries what after the Wild Card.

Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery: still aimed at tomorrow

Update from Friday: the companies still say the merger is expected to close October 6, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions (WBD / Paramount IR, Sept. 30). It has not closed as of Monday morning. Today (Oct. 5), Paramount and Ynon Kreiz announced the expected post-close CEO leadership team for the combined company (to be named Skydance); Kreiz's Paramount start date was October 5, with co-CEO status at closing (company releases Sept. 30 / Oct. 5).

Status: settlement approved last week; close still company-anticipated for tomorrow, not completed. Fan bottom line: no announced changes to where baseball, hockey, or other sports air, or what they cost. TNT Sports (AL playoffs on TBS / truTV / HBO Max) would share an owner with CBS Sports and Paramount+ after close — packaging and carriage for fans still TBD. Nothing to rearrange today.

Canada: Saturday Night Hockey replaces Hockey Night for NHL

For Canadian NHL viewers: Sportsnet debuted Saturday Night Hockey on October 3 after Rogers and the CBC did not renew their NHL sublicensing deal. The NHL version of Hockey Night in Canada is off CBC; the CBC is keeping the Hockey Night name for PWHL games this season (Canadian Press / Global News, Oct. 3). Related Rogers/Sportsnet notes from that report: a national Canadian schedule of more than 550 games with many regional blackouts lifted; Monday Night Hockey exclusive on Sportsnet+; Amazon's former Monday package shifted to Wednesdays. US local/national NHL windows are unchanged by this Canadian rebrand.

Not sure which of this week's games you can already watch? StreamCaddy maps the cheapest correct way to watch all of your teams and events for your exact location and subscriptions.

Sources

1. Nexstar Media Group, "Nexstar Media Group and DAZN Announce Agreement To Televise and Live Stream 15 Indiana Pacers Games for Fans Across Central Indiana" (15 RS games; free DAZN simulcast; first Oct. 23 vs DAL; WTTV/WXIN Indy, WTVW Evansville, WCIX Champaign; additional stations intent only; remainder on paid DAZN.com/Pacers), October 1, 2026: https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-media-group-and-dazn-announce-agreement-to-televise-and-live-stream-15-indiana-pacers-games-for-fans-across-central-indiana/
2. Radio & Television Business Report, "Select Pacers Games Heading To Nexstar Broadcast TV Stations" (15 games; WTTV/WXIN will not air the same game simultaneously; schedule forthcoming; Evansville/Champaign; extended-territory intent), October 1, 2026: https://rbr.com/pacers-nxst-311550-2/
3. Sports Business Journal, "NBA Media Notes: At least 15 Pacers games returning to free over-the-air TV" (trade note summarizing IBJ; "at least 15" and CBS4/Fox59 split — under-credited; PR is controlling for counts/stations), October 2, 2026: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/10/02/nba-media-notes-at-least-15-pacers-games-returning-to-free-over-the-air-tv/
4. Sporting News, "How to watch the Pacers on DAZN: Prices, plans, features" (Standard $19.99/mo or $119.99/season; Ultimate $24.99/$139.99; Early Bird $59.99 by Oct. 15; free trial; free-game window on DAZN app), 2026-27 season guide: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/indiana-pacers/news/watch-pacers-dazn-prices-plans-features-indiana-nba-streaming/6b04e4d5b3c4086db236e013
5. FOX Sports, "2026 MLB Playoff Schedule: Dates, Rounds, World Series" (DS results through Oct. 4; ALDS Game 2 times Oct. 5; AL on TBS/truTV/HBO Max; NL on FOX/FS1/FOX One; NLDS Game 3 Tue on FS1), updated October 4, 2026: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-mlb-playoff-schedule-dates-rounds-how-watch
6. CBS Sports, "2026 MLB playoff bracket: Schedule, scores, where to watch" (series status into Mon; ALDS Game 2 on TBS/HBO Max), October 5, 2026: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2026-mlb-playoff-bracket-schedule-scores-results-how-to-watch/
7. WISN / Bucks launch coverage, "Milwaukee Bucks add statewide streaming option" ($19.99/$99.99; NBA app / bucks.com/bucksplus; debut Oct. 5 7 p.m. vs MIN), October 1, 2026: https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-add-statewide-streaming-option-for-2026-27-season/73984227
8. Sports Business Journal, "Wild call out Comcast in TV carriage fight" (also: Blue Note+ DirecTV not reached; Dish/Comcast/YouTube TV/Hulu + Live TV not contracted per St. Louis Post-Dispatch Oct. 2), October 4, 2026: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/10/04/wild-call-out-comcast-in-tv-carriage-fight/
9. Warner Bros. Discovery IR / PR Newswire, "Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery Announce Anticipated Closing Date of Paramount Merger" (expected close Oct. 6, subject to customary conditions), September 30, 2026: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paramount-skydance-and-warner-bros-discovery-announce-anticipated-closing-date-of-paramount-merger-302895095.html
10. Paramount / PR Newswire, "David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz Announce their CEO Leadership Team…" (Kreiz as Co-CEO; leadership team; anticipated close of WBD acquisition; Oct. 5, 2026): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/david-ellison-and-ynon-kreiz-announce-their-ceo-leadership-team-for-skydance-following-anticipated-close-of-warner-bros-discovery-acquisition-302898350.html
11. Canadian Press / Global News, "'Saturday Night Hockey' debuts on Sportsnet" (HNIC NHL off CBC; Sportsnet Saturday Night Hockey; related Rogers/Sportsnet+ notes), October 3, 2026: https://globalnews.ca/news/12086850/saturday-night-hockey-debuts-on-sportsnet/