AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh has reportedly found a new owner in Fenway Sports Group (FSG). The deal, expected to close in October, will see the cable channel being bought by Fenway, who already own the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Premier League club Liverpool.
While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, this acquisition could potentially have implications for how games are broadcast for both the Penguins and Pirates.
Fenway's ownership of AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh is significant given their experience with regional sports networks through their majority ownership of New England Sports Network (NESN). This familiarity puts them in a strong position to take over operations smoothly and continue providing fans with high-quality coverage.
However, it remains unclear what will happen regarding the broadcast rights for Pirates games. One possibility is that they may negotiate an agreement with Fenway to remain on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. Alternatively, they could choose to hand their television rights over to MLB itself. In this scenario, MLB would handle production and find cable distribution while paying approximately 80% of the team's current rights fee back to them.
It seems likely that a decision on which course of action will be taken won't be made until closer to the start of the 2024 season.
With regards specifically to AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh itself, there are expectations that its name may change under Fenway's ownership. Additionally intriguing is whether or not Fenway will launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service for this channel as they did last year with Red Sox content.
Representatives from Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment on the potential sale but have previously expressed a desire to minimize any negative impact on viewers during their exit from RSN business.
Regional sports networks have faced challenges in recent years as the cost of sports rights has increased and fewer viewers tune in. With more people cutting the cord on cable subscriptions, RSNs are experiencing double-digit annual declines in subscribership, resulting in reduced income streams.
Overall, this acquisition by Fenway Sports Group represents an exciting development for Pittsburgh sports fans. It remains to be seen how exactly the landscape will change under new ownership, but with Fenway's expertise and experience, there is reason to be optimistic about continued high-quality coverage of Penguins games along with potential improvements for Pirates broadcasts.
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