SportsNet Pittsburgh

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SportsNet Pittsburgh
Internet Protocol television

SportsNet Pittsburgh is an American

Greater Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. It is the exclusive home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Pittsburgh Pirates.[2]

The channel was first launched by

Fox Sports Net
upon its establishment in 1996.

After a corporate restructuring that brought Liberty's networks under DirecTV, the channel was rebranded as Root Sports Pittsburgh in 2011, and then AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh under the AT&T SportsNet brand after DirecTV was acquired by AT&T. In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it would sell or shut down its regional sports networks: in August 2023, it was announced that the Penguins would acquire the network and rebrand it as SportsNet Pittsburgh in October 2023, with NESN—a sister via the Penguins' owner Fenway Sports Group—assuming day-to-day operations.

As of August 2013, SportsNet Pittsburgh is available on

satellite via DirecTV
.

History

The channel launched on April 13, 1986, as Pirates Cable Network, exclusively serving the

Pittsburgh metropolitan area; its first sports event telecast on that date was a Major League Baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs from Three Rivers Stadium, announced by Mike Lange
, in which the Pirates shut out the Cubs, 8–0.

The network commenced full-time broadcasts on April 24, 1986, as the KBL Entertainment Network, in order to allow other sports besides the Pirates to be included on the network. Its first regular broadcast was a Pirates home game against the New York Mets.[4] The network was initially owned by Tele-Communications Inc. (now part of Comcast), then the largest cable television provider in the Pittsburgh market. KBL quickly expanded its cable coverage. As early as May 9, 1986, its cable footprint roughly approximated its present six-state coverage area.

While it primarily carried sports-related programming, KBL also served as a general entertainment cable channel while under TCI ownership, essentially filling the void left after

independent station WPGH-TV (channel 53) became a charter affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company seven months after KBL's debut. It aired children's programming for part of the day, including reruns of the John Candy animated series Camp Candy.[4]

In 1994, TCI transferred the channel to its corporate parent

SportsChannel America regional sports network groups. In 1995, Prime Network's retail subsidiary, Prime Sports Merchandising, purchased some sports apparel stores located inside shopping malls and rebranded them as Prime Sports Shops, promoting them on its networks including KBL.[5]

Map of SportsNet Pittsburgh coverage area, taken during its tenure as a Fox Sports Networks-branded outlet.

In 1996,

News Corporation, which formed a sports division for the Fox network two years earlier after it obtained the broadcast rights to the National Football Conference and sought to create a group of regional sports networks, acquired a 50% interest in the Prime Network from TCI parent Liberty Media.[6] Later that year on November 1, News Corporation and Liberty Media relaunched the Prime Network affiliates as part of the new Fox Sports Net group, with Prime Sports KBL officially rebranding as Fox Sports Pittsburgh.[7] The deal temporarily ended the Prime SportsChannel partnership, although News Corporation subsequently acquired most of the SportsChannel networks the following year;[8]
the retail stores, meanwhile, retained the "Prime Sports" name for many years after the rebranding of the regional networks as part of Fox Sports Net. The channel was rebranded as Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh in 2000, as part of a collective brand modification of the FSN networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner; subsequently in 2004, the channel shortened its name to FSN Pittsburgh, through the networks' de-emphasis of the "Fox Sports Net" brand.

On December 22, 2006, News Corporation sold its interest in FSN Pittsburgh and sister networks

DirecTV Sports Networks,[10] a new division formed when the split off from Liberty Media was completed on November 19, 2009.[11]

On December 17, 2010, DirecTV Sports Networks announced that its four Fox Sports Networks-affiliated regional outlets would be relaunched under the "

Root Sports" brand.[12] The network officially rebranded as Root Sports Pittsburgh on April 1, 2011, coinciding with the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. For nominal purposes, the Root Sports networks continued to carry programming distributed mainly to the Fox Sports regional networks to provide supplementary sports and entertainment programming. On April 8, 2016, DirecTV Sports Networks rebranded under the AT&T name as AT&T Sports Networks.[13]

On June 12, 2017, AT&T Sports Networks announced that the network, along with Root Sports Southwest, and Root Sports Rocky Mountain, would rebrand as AT&T SportsNet with the channel becoming AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. All network programming and on-air talent remained intact, with the exception of Paul Steigerwald, who was replaced in October 2017 by Steve Mears as the play-by-play announcer of the Penguins.[14][15][16] The name change took effect on July 14, 2017.

In July 2019, it was reported that AT&T was looking to sell its regional sports networks to reduce debt related to its acquisition of

Entertainment Studios) amid the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney (and already had a decades-long presence in the Pittsburgh market as the owners of WPGH-TV/WPNT), as well as NBCUniversal, which owns regional networks via its NBC Sports division, and whose parent company Comcast is the cable provider in Pittsburgh.[17][18]

On October 1, 2021, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, along with sister networks AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, and Root Sports Northwest, was removed from Dish Network satellite and Sling streaming TV services.[19]

On February 24, 2023,

chapter 7 bankruptcy unless deals were made for them to exit or take over the channels. Root Sports Northwest was not affected, as it is majority-owned by the Seattle Mariners.[20][21][22] While originally setting a deadline of March 31, it later reached an agreement to keep the networks operational through at least the end of the 2023 Major League Baseball season.[23][24] The Athletic noted that Penguins owner Fenway Sports Group had experience in the RSN business via its operation of NESN in Boston, and reported that the channel could be integrated with or replaced by a local feed of NESN.[25][26]

On August 28, 2023, it was reported that the Penguins had reached an agreement to acquire AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.[27] Two days later, it was announced that the network would be acquired by Fenway Sports Group via the Pittsburgh Penguins, and would be rebranded as SportsNet Pittsburgh on October 2. NESN will handle the day-to-day operations of the network.[28] It was initially uncertain whether the Pirates would continue to be televised by the channel, with sportswriters citing potential conflict of interest concerns with FSG being the parent company of a competing MLB team, the Boston Red Sox.[27] On December 13, 2023, the Pirates announced that they had acquired a stake in SportsNet Pittsburgh, and confirmed that it would remain the team's home beginning in the 2024 season.[29] Team president Travis Williams stated that Major League Baseball was not worried about any conflict of interest concerns.[30]

Programming

SportsNet Pittsburgh carries Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC soccer, and area collegiate and high school sports programming. To fill out its schedule outside various local sports, the network also carries syndicated sports events, documentary and magazine programs including outdoor programming, pro footvolley, kickboxing, poker, MMA, boxing, padel, jai alai, golf programming, sports betting programs, Savannah Bananas baseball, BBL basketball, PWHL hockey, Sports Stars of Tomorrow and In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Professional sports

Pittsburgh Penguins

Root Sports technicians during a November 19, 2011, game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers.

SportsNet Pittsburgh maintains exclusive regional rights to most regular season and any early-round Stanley Cup playoff games involving the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins; it also carries pre- and postgame coverage and Penguins-related programs such as classic game re-airs, historical programming, Penguins in 2 (condensed game replays), Inside Penguins Hockey, The Raw Tapes, and Penguins Game Plan.

On April 27, 2011, the network reached a contract extension with the Penguins, allowing the network to continue carrying most of the team's NHL game telecasts through the end of the 2028–29 NHL season.[31]

Pittsburgh Pirates

The network holds the regional cable television rights to the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball, carrying over 150 regular season and Spring training games annually, as well as pre- and postgame coverage, rebroadcasts of recent games (as part of Pirates Instant Replay), classic game re-airs, and the team analysis program Inside Pirates Baseball presented by Allegheny Health Network.[32]

From the 2013 to 2018 seasons, Sportsnet's telecasts of Pirates games were blacked out on DirecTV in many portions of the Pirates' claimed territory, including the Columbus, Ohio, market, for reasons not released publicly. Despite the blackout, DirecTV did not allow Pirates games to be shown in the blacked-out area on its MLB Extra Innings package. The blackout was lifted in time for the 2019 season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The network formerly served as the cable home of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, broadcasting team-related magazine and analysis programs such as weekly press conferences held by coach Mike Tomlin during the regular season and the team coach's show The Mike Tomlin Show (both were hosted by Stan Savran). This continued through the 2016 season. KDKA-TV now airs The Mike Tomlin Show, while Tomlin's Tuesday press conference is no longer televised live. Although regular Steelers coverage is no longer part of the network's lineup, team documentary programming continues to air from time to time, usually focused on historical figures such as Art Rooney and Chuck Noll. National NFL content from VSIN and Pro Football Weekly is also aired by SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Minor league sports

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The network currently serves as the cable home of the

DMAs
.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Beginning with the 2024 season, Sportsnet airs select matches from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC of the USL Championship. The network shares the local broadcast rights to the Riverhounds with independent station WPKD-TV.[33]

College sports

Current Programming

Former Programming

SportsNet Pittsburgh formerly carried the exclusive rights to the West Virginia Mountaineers, carrying all football and men's basketball games not picked up by a national network, as well as select women's basketball games, select other live events (women's soccer, baseball, etc.), and the football team's weekly Tuesday press conferences. Although the network lost rights to the live events portion of their WVU coverage to ESPN+ beginning with the 2020-2021 season, a coaches show involving all Mountaineer sports and Mountaineer Gameday Live, a live pregame show for Mountaineer football and men's basketball, still air on the channel.[38]

Similarly, the network formerly carried football, men's and women's basketball, and other events featuring the

Fox Sports South and Raycom Sports once the Panthers moved to the ACC.[39] Additionally, the network aired a number of Panthers-related insider programs, including Pat Narduzzi's weekly press conferences, The Pat Narduzzi Show with Larry Richert, and the magazine program Beyond The Script, which was hosted by the network's Rob King.[40][41]
The partnership ended following the 2020-21 athletic year.

Additional collegiate programming formerly carried by SportsNet has included:

High school & youth sports

West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission high school football, baseball, softball, and boys' and girls' basketball championship games, as well as occasional broadcasts of regular-season WVSSAC football contests, are carried by SportsNet Pittsburgh.[42][43]

The network is the regional home of the annual PONY League World Series, which is held locally in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Former Pirates' play-by-play announcer Lanny Frattare calls most games.[44][45]

SportsNet also provides extensive coverage of Pittsburgh-area high school athletics. Notable events broadcast by the network include the Pittsburgh City League boys’ and girls’ basketball championships, the Penguins Cup, and the Serra Catholic Baseball Invitational.[46]

Until 2019, Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League regular season, playoff, and championship football games were a network staple. WPCW took over the rights to all 6 championship games in 2018, and the rights to additional playoff and regular season games in 2019.[47]

Studio Programming

The network provides live pre- and postgame coverage for all Penguins and Pirates games, including games aired on other networks. With the sale of the network to Fenway Sports Group, pre- and postgame coverage has been expanded from 30 minutes to an hour before and after each game as of October 2023.

Since 2021, SportsNet has served as the local affiliate of

The Rich Eisen Show and The Dan Patrick Show
in similar time slots.

Throughout the previous 2 decades, locally-produced studio programming has been drastically reduced from nightly programs to pre- and postgame coverage only. Savran on SportsBeat, Pittsburgh Sports Tonight, and live Steelers coverage are just some of the local studio shows that were cancelled during the network's ownership under Liberty Media in the late 2000s.[49] Nationally distributed Fox Sports studio shows also aired in both live and tape-delay until they were moved to Fox Sports 1 upon its 2013 launch.

On-air staff

Current on-air staff

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Pirates

College Sports

  • Tim Benz - basketball and ice hockey play-by-play announcer
  • Josh Taylor - basketball play-by-play announcer
  • Alex Panormios - basketball play-by-play announcer
  • Ellis Cannon - Duquesne men’s basketball color commentator
  • Tad Maurey - Duquesne women's basketball color commentator
  • Rachel Zimmerman - Duquesne women’s basketball color commentator
  • Mike Prisuta
    - Robert Morris men’s ice hockey color commentator

Studio anchors

  • Dan Potash
  • Hailey Hunter
  • Rob King

Notable former on-air staff

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Pirates

  • Tim Neverett – play-by-play announcer (now with the Los Angeles Dodgers)
  • Lanny Frattare – play-by-play announcer (semi-retired, currently the play-by-play announcer for PONY League World Series telecasts)
  • Steve Blass – color commentator (retired after 2019 Pirates' season)
  • Ken Macha – studio analyst
  • Kent Tekulve – studio analyst (retired after 2017 Pirates' season)
  • Lacee Collins – field reporter
  • Robby Incmikoski - field reporter[50]
  • Aly Cohen - studio host

West Virginia University

  • Warren Baker – men's basketball color commentator (now with ESPN+)
  • Marc Bulger – football color commentator[51]
  • Mike Logan – football color commentator
  • Rasheed Marshall – football color commentator[52]
  • Meg Bulger – football sideline reporter[53] (still occasionally appears on the network as a sideline reporter for Mountain East basketball)

High School Football

Studio Anchors & Analysts

References

  1. ^ "Pirates join Penguins as joint owners of SportsNet Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "Pirates join Penguins as joint owners of SportsNet Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  3. ^ "Territory Map".
  4. ^ a b Barbara Vancheri (June 22, 1999). "Analysis: What happens if Armstrong takes over Penguins broadcast rights?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  5. Businesswire. August 7, 1995. Archived from the original
    on April 13, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2013 – via The Free Library.
  6. ^ R. Thomas Umstead (July 8, 1996). "Liberty Sports regionals will become Fox Sports net". Multichannel News. The Walt Disney Company. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "FOX SPORTS NET DEBUTS ON NOV. 1". The Columbian. Columbian Publishing Company. Associated Press. September 13, 1996. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  8. ^ "Fox putting together national Sports Net // Changes ahead for SportsChannel". Chicago Sun-Times. June 24, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  9. ^ "News Corp. Reaches Deal with Liberty Media". The New York Times. December 22, 2006. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  10. ^ Todd Spangler (May 4, 2009). "DirecTV, Liberty Media Announce Spin-Off Plan". Multichannel News. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  11. ^ Mike Reynolds (November 20, 2009). "Liberty Sports Rebrands As DirecTV Sports Networks". Multichannel News. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  12. ^ "'Root Sports' new name for sports networks". Denver Business Journal. American City Business Journals. December 17, 2010.
  13. ^ "Root Sports regional nets now part of AT&T Sports Networks". Awful Announcing. Ken Fang. April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  14. ^ "Root Sports regional nets now part of "AT&T Sports Networks"". Awful Announcing. April 9, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  15. ^ "AT&T SPORTS NETWORKS WILL REBRAND ROOT SPORTS IN SUMMER 2017". ROOT SPORTS. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  16. ^ "Steve Mears Joins ROOT SPORTS As Play-By-Play Broadcaster for the Pens". NHL.com. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  17. ^ "A twist in the Pirates' television rights negotiations: The possible sale of the network". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  18. ^ "SBJ Media: RSNs Never Part Of AT&T's Future". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  19. ^ "DISH removes AT&T SportsNet". AT&T SportsNet. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  20. ^ "Warner Bros. Discovery tells teams it is leaving RSN business". Sports Business Journal. February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  21. ^ Weprin, Alex (February 24, 2023). "Warner Bros. Discovery Seeks to Exit Regional Sports Networks Business". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  22. ^ "ROOT Sports Northwest says it's not impacted by Warner Bros. Discovery exiting local sports business". The Seattle Times. February 24, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  23. ^ Lucia, Joe (April 10, 2023). "Warner Bros. Discovery, MLB nearing deal to keep RSNs running through 2023 season". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Barron, David (March 14, 2023). "Astros, Rockets negotiating to take over AT&T SportsNet Southwest". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  25. ^ "Penguins, Pirates reportedly may find new TV home with Boston teams via Fenway Sports Group-owned NESN". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  26. ^ Kaplan, Daniel. "RSN armageddon? What fans can expect as likely Bally Sports bankruptcy looms". The Athletic. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Ourand, John (August 28, 2023). "Sports Media: WBD Sports closer to exit from nearly all of its RSN business". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  28. ^ "Penguins Announce 'SportsNet Pittsburgh' as Regional Sports Network". NHL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  29. ^ "SportsNet Pittsburgh to remain television home of the Pirates". MLB.com. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  30. ^ "Inside the Pirates' TV rights decision and what it means for the future". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  31. ^ "Root Sports Pittsburgh to carry Penguins through 2028-29 season". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 27, 2011.
  32. ^ The official medical provider of the Pittsburgh Pirates and fans like you.
  33. ^ "KDKA+, SportsNet Pittsburgh to air Hounds matches". Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  34. ^ DiPaola, Jerry (October 30, 2023). "Duquesne basketball reaches agreement with SportsNet Pittsburgh to broadcast 21 men's, women's games". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  35. ^ "RMU Men's & Women's Hockey Announce Partnership with SportsNet Pittsburgh". Robert Morris University Athletics. November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  36. ^ "Saturday's Saint Francis Men's Basketball Game At LIU Will Now Air On SportsNet Pittsburgh". Saint Francis University Athletics. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  37. ^ "West Virginia State-Frostburg State Set For Live Broadcast on MASN and SportsNet Pittsburgh". mountaineast.org. October 10, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  38. ^ "AT&T SportsNet, WVU Men's Hoops Ready For Final Sign-Off on Saturday". West Virginia University Athletics. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  39. ^ FearTheStache (July 2, 2013). "ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh, WTAE partner with the ACC". Cardiac Hill. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  40. ^ "Pitt: Beyond the Script". University of Pittsburgh Athletics. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  41. ^ ""Pat Narduzzi Show presented by Dollar Energy Fund" Debuts August 28". Pitt Panthers #H2P. August 26, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  42. ^ "WPIAL football championships won't air on AT&T SportsNet". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  43. ^ "WV MetroNews – 2018 SSAC Kickoff: Morgantown vs. Parkersburg airing live on AT&T SportsNet". wvmetronews.com. July 26, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  44. ^ "Pittsburgh Live Official Site". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008.
  45. ^ [email protected], Joe Tuscano Staff writer (August 5, 2022). "Pony World Series widens its reach through cable". Observer-Reporter. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  46. ^ Everett, Brad (February 16, 2024). "City League basketball championships will be shown on TV, streamed for free online". Pittsburgh Union Progress. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  47. ^ "Pittsburgh's CW extends WPIAL Partnership With Three-Year contract". October 15, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  48. ^ Miller, George (February 10, 2021). "VSiN's 'Follow the Money' Sports Betting and Entertainment Morning Show to Air Weekdays on AT&T Pittsburgh". Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  49. ^ "'Stan, Guy, love the show': Ten years gone, SportsBeat remains in the hearts of Pittsburgh fans".
  50. ^ Gorman, Kevin (December 14, 2023). "Popular sideline reporter Robby Incmikoski won't join Pirates coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  51. ^ Now, WV Sports (May 27, 2018). "Top 10 Quarterbacks in WVU History". WV Sports Now. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  52. ^ Virginian, Matt Welch Times West (September 27, 2015). "Former Mountaineer Rasheed Marshall thankful for recent opportunities". Times West Virginian. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  53. ^ "The Bulgers are a Mountaineer Family • Mountaineer Sports". mountaineersports.com. September 12, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.