For the 24th year, the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon presented by Arbella Insurance is returning, and this time it comes with a notable twist. Coverage will stretch across Monday, Aug. 17, and Tuesday, Aug. 18, pulling in Red Sox fans not just through cable but also through free over-the-air television. The annual fundraiser benefits the Jimmy Fund and directly supports adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
This year, NESN has partnered with WSBK-TV Channel 38 to simulcast both Red Sox games against the Arizona Diamondbacks on those days. It marks a rare local over-the-air appearance for a regular-season game—something that hasn’t happened in Boston since 2005, according to reports. NESN said in a statement that the partnership “increases the Telethon’s reach and helps further the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission.” The move aims to bring stories of patients, families, and supporters to more viewers across New England.
The broadcast schedule is ambitious. NESN will air complete Telethon coverage from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. before each Red Sox game, while also providing ungated streaming access on its YouTube and X platforms, as well as its FAST platform, NESN NATION. Following each game, an hour-long “Best of the Jimmy Fund Telethon” will air on NESN, NESN NATION, YouTube, and X. NESN NATION is available on Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, Roku Channels, Prime Video, Plex, and Xumo Play.
Longtime distributor DIRECTV is also stepping up. The company will make the Jimmy Fund Telethon games available to its entire streaming and satellite customer base across the Red Sox’s multi-state home territory through a free preview. DIRECTV will add NESN to its MyFree DIRECTV service, and it will authorize all streaming and satellite homes that don’t currently receive NESN, helping the Red Sox generate broader support for Dana-Farber.
The two-day event will feature inspiring stories from Dana-Farber patients, families, care teams, and supporters. Appearances are expected from Jimmy Fund Co-Chairs Tom Caron and Brock Holt, Jimmy Fund Captain and Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock, celebrity guests, and members of the Boston sports community. On-field ceremonies are planned for both nights prior to the games, with adult and pediatric patients involved in ceremonial first pitches, singing the national anthem, announcing “play ball,” and other activities.
“This inspiring radio and television broadcast live from Fenway Park is an incredible way to bring together Red Sox fans and supporters to raise funds for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund,” Caron and Holt said in a joint statement. “Tune in on Aug. 17 and 18 to hear inspirational patient stories and make a gift of any size to help strike out cancer. We look forward to celebrating stories of hope and support for cancer care and research at Dana-Farber.”
Donations can be made at jimmyfund.gives/NESN. Since the Telethon launched in 2002, it has raised more than $80 million for Dana-Farber’s mission. In 2025, the event set a record by raising more than $5.76 million.
The broader context here is the shifting landscape of sports broadcasting. The Red Sox join a growing number of MLB teams that have expanded over-the-air presence in recent years. Back in 2021, only six teams broadcast any games over-the-air: the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. For some, it was minimal—the Guardians and Reds aired no more than two games each. Now, with the Red Sox’s announcement, only seven holdouts remain: the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Still, no MLB team has fully committed to over-the-air for all local games, unlike some NHL and NBA franchises. The Chicago White Sox briefly aired all their games over-the-air with the launch of the Chicago Sports Network, but a carriage dispute with Comcast Xfinity led to dropping over-the-air affiliates in Illinois, northern Indiana, and Kentucky. Fans in Iowa and Indianapolis can still watch all games, but for most baseball fans, the majority of telecasts remain on cable.
Cable cord-cutting continues to shrink audiences, making these free broadcasts all the more significant. For the Jimmy Fund, it’s a chance to reach more people. For the Red Sox, it’s a nod to fan accessibility. And for viewers in New England, it’s a rare opportunity to catch regular-season baseball without a subscription.
