Pittsburgh Pirates' games to remain on SportsNet Pittsburgh; team to jointly own network with Penguins
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will stay on SportsNet Pittsburgh when next season begins.
The team has reached an agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins to jointly own the regional sports network, the Pirates said in a statement.
The agreement begins on Jan. 1, 2024.
"Above all else, this was the right thing to do for our fans," Pittsburgh Pirates President Travis Williams said. "From the outset of this process, the most important thing to us was to ensure that our fans have the same level of access to Pirates game telecasts and the same high-quality production that they enjoy today. This agreement accomplishes that and more as we enable Pittsburgh sports fans to continue to enjoy a two-team, 24/7 sports channel."
While the network will broadcast both Penguins and Pirates' games, its daily operations will continue to be managed by New England Sports Network, the team said.
"We are thrilled that the Pirates are joining the SportsNet Pittsburgh partnership," NESN President & CEO Sean McGrail said. "Over 150 Pirates games in addition to the Penguins telecasts makes SportsNet Pittsburgh a must-have sports destination for Pittsburgh fans."
The team said fans will be able to continue watching games "seamlessly" on cable, satellite or streaming providers.
The Penguins announced the acquisition of SportsNet Pittsburgh, then called AT&T Sports, at the end of August. It was rebranded by dropping "AT&T" from its name, when it was formally acquired from Warner Bros. Discovery effective on Oct. 2.