Austin FC Suits in 2026 to Re-Air on KBVO All Through MLS Common Season: A Complete Guide

Austin FC has confirmed a significant media partnership extension, ensuring that fans across Central Texas will have extensive access to the team’s 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season matches. The club announced that KBVO, the Austin-based CW affiliate, will re-air all non-playoff MLS common season games. This agreement continues a foundational relationship with the station’s parent company, Nexstar Media Group, that dates back to the club’s inaugural season in 2021. This development is a key piece of the club’s local media strategy, providing robust traditional television coverage alongside the league’s national and streaming arrangements.

Introduction: Expanding Access to Austin FC Matches

For soccer fans in Austin and the surrounding region, following their MLS team has become significantly easier. The announcement that KBVO will re-air Austin FC matches throughout the entire 2026 MLS regular season solidifies a consistent, free-over-the-air broadcast option for games not shown live on national television. This partnership is more than a simple scheduling note; it represents a strategic investment in local market penetration, fan engagement, and brand building for one of MLS’s fastest-growing franchises. This article provides a comprehensive, SEO-friendly analysis of the announcement, its background, practical implications for viewers, and its place within the broader landscape of American soccer broadcasting.

Key Points: The 2026 KBVO Re-Air Agreement

The core facts of this media arrangement are straightforward but impactful. Here is a breakdown of the essential details:

• What is Happening: KBVO (channel 14 in Austin) will broadcast a re-air (rebroadcast) of every Austin FC regular season MLS match that is not part of the league’s national broadcast or streaming package.
• Season Scope: The coverage applies to the entire 2026 MLS common season, which typically runs from late February or March through October.
• Partnership History: This is a continuation of a media partnership that began with Austin FC’s first season in 2021, involving KBVO and its parent station, KXAN News (NBC affiliate), and the broader Nexstar Media Group network.
• Primary Beneficiary: The arrangement primarily serves fans in the Austin designated market area (DMA), providing free, over-the-air access via an antenna, as well as inclusion in most cable and satellite TV lineups.
• Nature of Broadcast: These are re-air broadcasts, meaning the game is shown after its original live conclusion. The timing is typically scheduled for evenings or weekends to maximize viewership.

Background: The Evolution of Austin FC’s Local Media Strategy

To understand the significance of the 2026 KBVO announcement, one must look at the media journey of Austin FC since its inception.

The Inaugural Partnership (2021)

When Austin FC kicked off in 2021, establishing a strong local television presence was a top priority. MLS’s national broadcast deals with Apple TV+, ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision cover select games, but a local rights holder is crucial for filling the schedule and connecting with the community. The club partnered with Nexstar Media Group, the largest local television station owner in the United States. Through its Austin properties—the news powerhouse KXAN (NBC) and the CW affiliate KBVO—the club secured a two-pronged approach: live pre/post-game shows and analysis on KXAN, and re-air broadcasts of full matches on KBVO. This leveraged Nexstar’s dominant reach across multiple platforms and demographics.

The MLS Broadcast Landscape

MLS operates under a complex, multi-layered broadcast model. At the national level, the league has a 10-year deal with Apple TV+ that makes it the exclusive home for all league-wide streaming and a significant portion of live matches. A smaller package of games is still distributed to traditional linear networks like ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision. This creates a gap: many matches each week are not nationally televised. For those games, MLS clubs are responsible for arranging local television coverage in their home markets. This is where partnerships like the one with KBVO become essential. They ensure that every single regular-season game a team plays is available to local fans through at least one medium, fulfilling a key league requirement and a fan service obligation.

Analysis: Implications of the Extended KBVO Partnership

The renewal of this partnership for the 2026 season has wide-ranging implications for the club, its fans, and the local media ecosystem.

For Fans: Accessibility and Convenience

The most direct impact is on the fan experience. The KBVO re-air means:

• No Subscription Required: Unlike the Apple TV+ subscription needed for most nationally televised games, KBVO is a free, over-the-air channel. This eliminates a cost barrier for casual viewers or those who have cut traditional cable.
• Reliable, Scheduled Viewing: The broadcast schedule is published in advance, allowing fans to plan their viewing. This is preferable for some over on-demand streaming, offering a shared, scheduled viewing experience.
• Local Focus: Re-air broadcasts on KBVO often include local advertising and may feature brief local news updates or weather breaks, maintaining a connection to the Austin market.

For Austin FC: Brand Building and Market Penetration

From the club’s perspective, this deal is a strategic marketing investment:

• Deepening Community Roots: Consistent presence on a local channel reinforces the club’s identity as “Austin’s team.” It keeps the Austin FC brand visible in households across the DMA, even on weeks without a live match.
• Advertising Revenue & Partnerships:

The club can sell advertising inventory within the KBVO broadcast package to local businesses, creating an additional revenue stream and fostering deeper ties with the corporate community.

• Complement to Digital Strategy: While the club aggressively pursues digital and social media engagement, linear TV still commands significant audience share, particularly among certain demographics. This partnership ensures no segment of the local fanbase is neglected.