Bally Sports Sun — the home of Lightning and Rays local broadcasts — shut down in 2026. Tampa Bay fans are scrambling. PlayMaxTV delivers all Tampa sports on 25,000+ channels over your existing internet, with no cable contract and a free 24-hour trial.
Bally Sports Sun — the regional sports network serving Tampa Bay, Orlando, and South Florida — collapsed as part of the FanDuel Sports Networks bankruptcy in 2026. For Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Rays fans, this meant losing the channel that carried the majority of their local game broadcasts overnight.
Cable providers in Tampa (Spectrum, Xfinity) couldn't fill the gap quickly. And traditional cord-cutting alternatives like YouTube TV and Hulu Live never carried Bally Sports Sun at all — so subscribers were already missing local Lightning and Rays games before the shutdown.
PlayMaxTV delivers a complete solution. Every national sports broadcaster — ESPN, TNT, ABC, CBS, Fox, NFL Network, NHL Network, MLB Network — is included in every plan. Tampa Bay fans never miss a Bucs, Lightning, or Rays game on national TV.
Bucs games air on CBS, Fox, ESPN, NBC, and NFL Network throughout the season. Fox carries most NFC South matchups. PlayMaxTV includes all five NFL broadcasters plus NFL RedZone — so you get every Bucs game plus every other game on Sundays simultaneously.
Post-Bally Sports Sun, Lightning games now depend primarily on national broadcasts. ESPN, TNT, and NHL Network carry Lightning games throughout the regular season and playoffs. PlayMaxTV covers all three, giving Lightning fans full access to national broadcasts.
Rays national games air on ESPN, Fox, TBS, and MLB Network. The 162-game season means many Rays games remain on national TV. PlayMaxTV includes every MLB national broadcaster, so Rays fans stay connected through a full season and into the postseason.
| Service | Monthly Cost | Local RSN | All Sports Nets | 4K | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlayMaxTV | From $20 | N/A (RSN gone) | ✅ All nationals | ✅ Yes | ❌ None |
| Spectrum / Xfinity | $80–$115+ | ⚠️ In flux | ✅ Most | ⚠️ Some | ✅ 1–2 year |
| YouTube TV | $72.99 | ❌ Never carried | ⚠️ Partial | ⚠️ Limited | ❌ None |
| Hulu Live TV | $82.99 | ❌ Never carried | ⚠️ Partial | ❌ No | ❌ None |
| Sling TV Orange+Blue | $55 | ❌ No | ⚠️ Partial | ❌ No | ❌ None |
PlayMaxTV carries all national sports networks broadcasting Lightning and Rays games — ESPN, TNT, MLB Network, and NHL Network. While local RSN coverage was disrupted by the Bally shutdown, national game access is complete.
Yes. All five NFL broadcasters (CBS, Fox, ESPN, NBC, NFL Network) are included — covering every Bucs regular season and playoff game.
Yes. PlayMaxTV streams over your internet connection and is fully compatible with Spectrum, Xfinity, and all other ISPs serving the Tampa Bay area.
Yes — 24-hour free trial with full access to all channels. No credit card required to start.
Yes. MLB Network and ESPN carry spring training games, and both are included in every PlayMaxTV plan.
Bally Sports Sun is gone, but your sports aren't. PlayMaxTV delivers every Bucs, Lightning, and Rays national broadcast plus 25,000+ channels — starting at $20/month.
Start Free 24-Hour Trial →No credit card required. Cancel anytime.