CINCINNATI — We're at the start of a new Cincinnati Reds season, but for some fans the season's already slipping away because they can no longer watch the games on their TV.
Thousands of Reds fans who cut the cord from Spectrum cable a few years ago are discovering they are now unable to stream the games.
Caroline Duffy, a member of the Rosie Reds fan club, has been watching the team for 40 years. Lately, she's been streaming the games on YouTube TV.
"We have to change our TV service completely or pay out of pocket another $100 a month," she said.
YouTube, Hulu and other streaming services will also no longer carry the games, after a dispute with Fox Sports Ohio, which is now being renamed Bally Sports.
Duffy is upset.
"I can use AT&T or go to Spectrum," she said, "but I was trying not to change my streaming service again."
How to stream the Reds in 2021
So we checked with the Reds, who referred us to the website GetmyHometeams.com.
You enter your zip code -- in our case 45202 -- and learn you can watch the games on Cincinnati Bell Fioptics, DirecTV, or Spectrum.
There is one free-standing streaming option: AT&T TV, formerly DirectTV.
AT&T TV starts at $69 a month.
With the change from Fox Sports to Bally Sports, analysts say it's possible Bally could reach a new deal with the popular streamers sometime this year.
Duffy said this won't help the sport's popularity.
"There should be some way to stream on numerous services," she said.
Until then, she and her family might have to gather around 700 WLW radio, just like Grandpa did 75 years ago.
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