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SportsNet Pittsburgh
SportsNet Pittsburgh
SportsNet Pittsburgh
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SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) is an American regional sports network serving Greater Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Jointly owned by Fenway Sports Group and Robert Nutting via the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates respectively, it serves as the regional broadcaster of both teams. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with some of its operations handled from the facilities of sister network NESN in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Key Information

The channel was first launched by Tele-Communications Inc in April 1986 as the KBL Entertainment Network, which featured a mixture of sports and entertainment programming. After being transferred to TCI subsidiary Liberty Media, KBL was rebranded as part of its Prime Sports chain of regional sports networks in 1994, and subsequently became a charter member of 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' parent company Fenway Sports Group—assuming day-to-day operations. Prior to their 2024 season, the Pirates also acquired a stake in the network.

As of August 2023, SportsNet Pittsburgh is available on cable providers throughout nearly all of Pennsylvania (outside the Philadelphia market), almost all of West Virginia, western Maryland, eastern Ohio, southwestern border areas of New York and Ashland, Kentucky, reaching more than 2.4 million homes; it is also available in the Columbus, Ohio, market through DirecTV Stream, though Penguins broadcasts are blacked out due to the presence of the Columbus Blue Jackets.[1] It is also available nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.

History

[edit]

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.[2] 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.[2]

In 1994, TCI transferred the channel to its corporate parent Liberty Media; KBL then immediately dropped all entertainment programming and converted the renamed Prime Sports KBL into an affiliate of Prime SportsChannel America, a partnership between Liberty's Prime Network and the Cablevision/NBC-owned 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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5] The deal temporarily ended the Prime SportsChannel partnership, although News Corporation subsequently acquired most of the SportsChannel networks the following year;[6] 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 FSN Utah, FSN Northwest and FSN Rocky Mountain to Liberty Media, in an asset trade in which News Corporation also traded its 38.5% ownership stake in satellite provider DirecTV for $550 million in cash and stock, in exchange for Liberty Media's 16.3% stake in the company.[7] On May 4, 2009, DirecTV Group Inc. announced it would become a part of Liberty's entertainment unit, part of which would then be spun off into the separate company under the DirecTV name, in a deal in which Liberty would increase its share in DirecTV from 48% to 54%, with Liberty owner John Malone and his family owning a 24% interest. DirecTV would operate its newly acquired FSN-affiliated networks through DirecTV Sports Networks,[8] a new division formed when the split off from Liberty Media was completed on November 19, 2009.[9]

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.[10] 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.[11]

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.[12][13][14] 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 Time Warner, as well as rolling out 5G on its cell phone networks. Two potential suitors included Sinclair Broadcast Group, which had acquired Fox Sports Networks (with 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.[15][16]

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.[17]

On February 24, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to exit the RSN business, informing the teams that AT&T Sports Networks would file for 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.[18][19][20] 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.[21][22] 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.[23][24]

On August 28, 2023, it was reported that the Penguins had reached an agreement to acquire AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.[25] 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.[26] 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.[25] 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.[27] Team president Travis Williams stated that Major League Baseball was not worried about any conflict of interest concerns.[28]

On April 29, 2024, the network launched SNP 360 as its over-the-top streaming platform. Modelled after NESN 360, the service allows viewers to stream live and video on-demand content and event coverage. It is available at no additional charge to SportsNet Pittsburgh subscribers on television providers, and sold as a direct-to-consumer subscription service priced at $17.99 per-month.[29]

Programming

[edit]

SportsNet Pittsburgh carries Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, and other area professional, collegiate, and high-school sporting events. To fill out its schedule outside local sports, the network carries live coverage of the Professional Women's Hockey League, college ice hockey, and the British Basketball League, as well as tape-delayed coverage of pro footvolley, kickboxing, poker, MMA, boxing, padel, jai alai, and World Chase Tag. The network also airs golf programming, sports betting programs, Savannah Bananas baseball, regional outdoor programming, and several documentary and discussion-based shows, including Sports Stars of Tomorrow and In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Professional sports

[edit]

Pittsburgh Penguins

[edit]
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.[30]

Pittsburgh Pirates

[edit]

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.[31]

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 Passion

[edit]

Sportsnet’s partnership with the Pittsburgh Passion of the Women’s Football Alliance began in the late 2000’s.[32] Telecasts were initially condensed game replays, showing highlights of the previous game in a fast-paced, one-hour time window.[33] As of 2024, the Passion have returned to the network after a decade-long hiatus.[citation needed]

Pittsburgh Steelers

[edit]

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.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

[edit]

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 CBS owned independent station WPKD-TV (KDKA+).[34]

NBA Basketball

[edit]

As Pittsburgh does not have an NBA team of its own, SportsNet Pittsburgh carries select Saturday and holiday regular season NBA games during the Basketball season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers the most frequent.

Minor league sports

[edit]

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

[edit]

The network currently serves as the cable home of the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, broadcasting weekend home games during the regular season. Prior to the network acquiring the rights to the games, the team had no television coverage in either Pittsburgh's or Wilkes-Barre's DMAs.

Indianapolis Indians

[edit]

Sportsnet airs select games featuring the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A minor league affiliate of the Pirates.

Altoona Curve

[edit]

Sportsnet airs select games featuring the Altoona Curve, the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Pirates.

College sports

[edit]

Current Programming

[edit]

Former Programming

[edit]

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.[39]

Similarly, the network formerly carried football, men's and women's basketball, and other events featuring the Pittsburgh Panthers, which were produced first by ESPN Regional Television and later by Fox Sports South and Raycom Sports once the Panthers moved to the ACC.[40] 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.[41][42] The partnership ended following the 2020-21 athletic year.

Additional collegiate programming formerly carried by SportsNet has included:

High school & youth sports

[edit]

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.[43][44]

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.[45][46]

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.[47] The network also provides coverage of Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) boys' and girls' regular season basketball.

Until 2019, WPIAL 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.[48]

Studio Programming

[edit]

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 VSIN's Follow The Money, a 3-hour sports betting program that airs weekdays from 7-10am.[49] Additional content from VSIN was added in the fall of 2023, including The Lombardi Line and betting-oriented NFL and college football gameday programming. Previously, the network aired simulcasts of Audience Network's 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.[50] 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

[edit]

Current on-air staff

[edit]

Pittsburgh Penguins

[edit]

Pittsburgh Pirates

[edit]

College Sports

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

Studio anchors

[edit]
  • Dan Potash
  • Hailey Hunter
  • Rob King

Notable former on-air staff

[edit]

Pittsburgh Penguins

[edit]

Pittsburgh Pirates

[edit]
  • 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[52]
  • Aly Cohen - studio host

West Virginia University

[edit]
  • Warren Baker – men's basketball color commentator (now with ESPN+)
  • Marc Bulger – football color commentator[53]
  • Mike Logan – football color commentator
  • Rasheed Marshall – football color commentator[54]
  • Meg Bulger – football sideline reporter[55] (still occasionally appears on the network as a sideline reporter for Mountain East basketball)

High School Football

[edit]

Studio Anchors & Analysts

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

SportsNet Pittsburgh

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
SportsNet Pittsburgh is an American headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dedicated to broadcasting live games, pregame, and postgame coverage of the city's major professional sports teams, including the NHL's and MLB's , as well as select content for the NFL's . Launched in 2023 following a rebranding from AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, the network serves viewers throughout Greater Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania via cable, satellite, and streaming platforms. It is jointly owned by the and , with (FSG)—which controls the Penguins—holding an 80% stake, while the Pirates own the remaining 20%. The acquisition and rebranding stemmed from FSG's purchase of the network from in August 2023, aiming to stabilize regional sports broadcasting amid industry challenges. Operated in partnership with —a Boston-based network also under FSG ownership—SportsNet Pittsburgh airs over 150 games annually, all regionally televised games, and select Steelers content, supplemented by original programming, analysis, and highlights. Viewers can access the network through traditional providers like Optimum and , as well as the SNP 360 streaming app, which offers live games and on-demand content for authenticated subscribers.

History

Launch and Early Operations

KBL Entertainment, founded by Pittsburgh media executive Gil Lucas, established the Pirates Cable Network in 1986 as a dedicated outlet for Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. This venture marked one of the early examples of a team-specific regional sports network, aimed at providing cable subscribers with access to games not covered by over-the-air broadcasters like KDKA-TV. The network's creation reflected the growing popularity of cable television in the 1980s, allowing for targeted sports coverage in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The channel officially launched on April 13, 1986, with its inaugural broadcast being a Pirates game, and was initially available on local cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) across western Pennsylvania. Carriage was limited to the Pittsburgh region, serving approximately 200,000 households at the outset, and focused exclusively on Pirates content to build a loyal fanbase. Early operations emphasized live game telecasts, with play-by-play commentary provided by announcers such as Mike Lange and Steve Blass, marking the network's role as the team's primary cable partner. Programming in the network's formative years remained streamlined, consisting mainly of Pirates regular-season and postseason games, along with rudimentary pre- and post-game studio shows featuring analysis and highlights. No broader multi-team coverage was offered initially, as the focus stayed on establishing the Pirates' broadcast rights and production infrastructure.

Rebranding and Ownership Transitions

In the mid-1990s, the network experienced its first major corporate evolution through an alliance formed in 1995 between News Corporation, Liberty Media, and Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) to establish a competitive national sports cable network against ESPN. This partnership expanded the channel's resources and distribution, leading to its rebranding as Fox Sports Pittsburgh in 1996 as part of the newly launched Fox Sports Net group, which unified several regional sports outlets under a cohesive brand focused on local team coverage and national programming integration. The change broadened the network's scope by leveraging News Corporation's growing sports media infrastructure, including enhanced production capabilities and broader cable carriage deals, while maintaining emphasis on Pittsburgh's professional teams. Ownership shifted again in 2006 when sold its interests in Net Pittsburgh—along with sister networks in and —to as part of a larger asset exchange that included News Corporation's stake in Group. , which had co-owned the network since the , gained full control, allowing for operational streamlining but limited immediate changes to branding or programming scope. By 2011, a corporate transferred Liberty's regional sports assets to Sports Networks, prompting the rebrand to Root Sports Pittsburgh and integrating the channel into DirecTV's satellite distribution platform, which expanded its reach to over 4 million households in the region while prioritizing high-definition broadcasts and team-specific content. The 2015 acquisition of DirecTV by AT&T for $67 billion brought the network under the telecom giant's umbrella, enhancing technological integration such as mobile streaming pilots but not altering the on-air identity until 2017, when it was rebranded as AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh to align with AT&T's national branding strategy across its regional sports portfolio. This transition emphasized digital accessibility and cross-promotion with AT&T services, slightly widening the network's audience beyond traditional cable subscribers. In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery assumed ownership of the AT&T SportsNets as part of its merger with WarnerMedia from AT&T, inheriting the RSNs amid a broader media consolidation that temporarily stabilized operations but highlighted financial pressures in the regional sports sector. The pivotal 2023 sale from Warner Bros. Discovery to Fenway Sports Group—the ownership entity of the Pittsburgh Penguins—for an undisclosed sum marked a return to team-centric control, positioning the network for deeper collaboration with local franchises like the Pirates and refocusing its scope on sustainable, localized sports coverage. Throughout these shifts, the network sustained its core Pirates-centric programming, ensuring continuity in regional fan engagement.

Expansion and Recent Milestones

On October 2, 2023, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh officially rebranded to SportsNet Pittsburgh following an acquisition agreement by Fenway Sports Group, the primary owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, marking a shift to Penguins-led ownership while retaining its role as the regional sports network for Penguins games. This rebranding emphasized a localized identity, dropping the corporate "AT&T" prefix previously used under Warner Bros. Discovery. In December 2023, the announced an agreement to become joint owners of SportsNet Pittsburgh alongside , effective January 1, 2024, establishing a shared structure between and Pittsburgh Baseball, Inc., the Pirates' operating entity. This partnership ensured continued broadcast rights for Pirates games on the network, fostering collaborative operations managed day-to-day by . During , SportsNet Pittsburgh expanded its programming to include broadcasts of soccer matches from the , airing all 34 regular-season games in the market in partnership with KDKA+. The network also added select (PWHL) games, providing local access to three inaugural season matchups, including the league opener. In 2025, SportsNet Pittsburgh introduced a six-month Season Pass for its SNP 360 streaming app, priced at $99.99, offering subscribers access to live and games, local , and original programming. Additionally, the network secured agreements to broadcast 20 home games of the , the Pirates' Double-A affiliate, and the full regular-season schedule of matches. In September 2025, SportsNet Pittsburgh announced agreements to broadcast Robert Morris University Colonials football and hockey games for the 2025-26 season, expanding its local coverage.

Ownership and Operations

Current Ownership Structure

SportsNet Pittsburgh is jointly owned by Fenway Sports Group, through its ownership of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Baseball, Inc., the entity controlled by Pittsburgh Pirates owner Robert Nutting. Fenway Sports Group holds an 80% stake, while the Pirates own the remaining 20%, with the Pirates' involvement effective January 1, 2024. The Penguins previously maintained an operational lead prior to the Pirates' involvement. As of November 2025, Fenway Sports Group is reportedly exploring the sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins, which could impact its controlling interest in the network, though no transaction has been completed. The network's daily operations, including production and distribution, are fully managed by the New England Sports Network (NESN), a sister majority-owned by . This affiliation leverages NESN's expertise in broadcasting and National Hockey League content, ensuring coordinated technical and programming support for SportsNet Pittsburgh. Revenue for SportsNet Pittsburgh is primarily generated through carriage fees negotiated with cable and satellite providers, which form the bulk of income for regional sports networks, supplemented by rights deals with the and Pirates for local game broadcasts. These streams provide financial stability, with carriage fees typically ranging from $3.50 to $8 per subscriber monthly across similar networks, though specific figures for SportsNet Pittsburgh remain proprietary.

Management and Technical Facilities

SportsNet Pittsburgh maintains its headquarters in , , at 323 North Shore Drive, Suite 200, where the network's primary production facilities are located. The Highmark Studio, a key component of these facilities, supports the creation of studio-based programming, including pregame and postgame shows for road games. The network broadcasts in high definition as its primary format, with a simultaneous downscaled standard definition feed available for legacy systems. Live game coverage includes multi-channel audio options, such as , to provide immersive viewing for sports events. Production operations are managed by the , which oversees technical workflows, including the deployment of remote production trucks for on-site coverage at home venues like and . For away games, integration with team facilities enables remote production from the studios, ensuring seamless feeds and commentary. The network reaches cable and satellite subscribers across (excluding the Philadelphia market), , eastern , and northern , with additional access via the SNP 360 streaming service for in-market viewers. This distribution covers a regional footprint serving millions of households through traditional providers and options.

Programming

Professional Sports Coverage

SportsNet Pittsburgh serves as the primary for live broadcasts of major professional teams in the area, holding exclusive rights to air games not subject to national television agreements. The network's coverage emphasizes high-quality production, including pregame and postgame analysis, to engage local fans with comprehensive access to their favorite franchises. The ' broadcasts form a cornerstone of the network's programming, with SportsNet Pittsburgh holding exclusive regional rights to all non-nationally televised National Hockey League games, including regular-season contests and early-round playoff matchups if they occur in the local market. This agreement, established following the network's in 2023, ensures that approximately 66 regular-season games are available to regional viewers each year, alongside extensive pre- and postgame coverage. For , SportsNet Pittsburgh provides full regional coverage of games not broadcast nationally, delivering over 150 regular-season telecasts annually to in-market audiences. The network also includes select games, broadcasting 12 home contests and seven additional matchups from opposing teams' feeds during the 2025 preseason schedule. This robust slate underscores the Pirates' partnership with the network, which was solidified through joint ownership arrangements in late 2023. Pittsburgh Steelers coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh is more limited, focusing primarily on preseason games under the team's local NFL broadcast rights, typically airing three exhibitions per season. The network features in-depth analysis and highlights. Additionally, the network expanded its soccer offerings in 2024 with coverage of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC matches in the USL Championship, providing live telecasts of 13 games during the 2025 regular season, including the home opener, via the SNP+ alternate channel to avoid conflicts with other programming.

Minor League and College Sports

SportsNet Pittsburgh provides coverage of select minor league baseball games affiliated with the , emphasizing the network's role in showcasing developmental talent from the organization's farm system. In 2025, the network broadcast 20 home games of the Double-A at , including the season opener on April 16 against the . These broadcasts highlight emerging prospects and maintain connections to the major league club, with twelve of the games featuring weekday afternoon starts to accommodate regional audiences. The network's college sports programming centers on regional institutions, featuring select football and basketball games from the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and Robert Morris University, along with occasional coverage of West Virginia University matchups. For Duquesne, SportsNet Pittsburgh aired football games in 2025, including potential Northeast Conference contests, and established a partnership for basketball broadcasts during the 2025-26 season. Robert Morris University games included all five home football contests, select men's and women's hockey series, and basketball matchups for 2025-26, continuing a partnership that began in 2023. Coverage extended to the University of Pittsburgh's football rivalry game against West Virginia on September 13, 2025, known as the Backyard Brawl, broadcast live from Morgantown. This programming underscores SportsNet Pittsburgh's commitment to regional rivalries and local athletics, with broadcasts often highlighting competitive matchups that resonate with Pittsburgh-area viewers and foster engagement through ties to professional affiliates like .

Original and Local Programming

SportsNet Pittsburgh produces a variety of studio shows focused on analysis and highlights for its professional teams, including "Pirates Pregame" and "Pirates Postgame," which provide pre- and post-match breakdowns of games, featuring discussions on strategies, player performances, and key moments. Similarly, "Penguins Postgame" offers immediate post-match analysis for hockey games, recapping goals, saves, and team dynamics, while "Inside Penguins Hockey" delivers weekly previews and in-depth features on upcoming matchups and roster developments. These programs emphasize commentary from former players and analysts, such as Rob King hosting Pirates studio segments alongside alumni like , and Dan and Hailey Hunter anchoring Penguins in-studio coverage. The network also airs original local content centered on community and youth athletics, including broadcasts of high school sports events such as the High School Hoops Showcase for and Thursday Night Lights series for football, covering regional competitions and playoffs like PIAA championships with over 10 games annually. In addition, SportsNet Pittsburgh televises select soccer matches, accompanied by preview segments that highlight team news, player spotlights, and match preparations, fostering coverage of the city's professional soccer scene. Special programming includes annual events like Pirates Hall of Fame inductions, which feature ceremonies honoring franchise legends such as in 2024 and Vernon Law, , and in 2025, complete with retrospectives, interviews, and archival footage to celebrate Pittsburgh's heritage. These specials, along with team-focused retrospectives, underscore the network's commitment to Pittsburgh-centric storytelling.

On-Air Personnel

Current On-Air Talent

SportsNet Pittsburgh's current on-air talent features a mix of veteran broadcasters and former players providing coverage for the and , along with select local and college sports programming. The network employs personalities across various roles, ensuring comprehensive game telecasts, pre- and post-game analysis, and studio shows as of the 2025-26 season.

Pittsburgh Penguins Coverage

The Penguins' broadcast team is led by play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff, who has handled television duties since the 2023-24 season and continues in that role for 2025-26. Color commentary is shared by former Penguins forward and longtime analyst , following the departure of from the booth in August 2025 to streamline the team. Studio hosting and rinkside reporting are managed by Dan Potash, an Emmy-winning veteran in his third season with the network, and Hailey Hunter, who provides on-site interviews and contributes to pre- and post-game segments.

Pittsburgh Pirates Coverage

For Pirates games in 2025, Greg Brown serves as the primary play-by-play announcer, supported by Joe Block on select broadcasts. Color analysts in the booth include Pirates alumni and , alongside Kevin Young, , and , who rotate for in-game insights. Hannah Mears acts as the sideline reporter, delivering live updates and player interviews in her second full season with the network. In the studio, Rob King hosts the majority of pre- and post-game shows, joined by analysts such as , Steven Brault, Jordy Mercer, and Alex Presley, all former Pirates players offering expert commentary. Dan Potash and Hailey Hunter also contribute to Pirates studio and sideline duties, bridging coverage across teams.

Local and College Sports

Hailey Hunter extends her role beyond professional teams, serving as sideline reporter for and games, including football and basketball telecasts on SportsNet Pittsburgh. The network's local programming draws from its core talent pool, with studio analysts like those from the Pirates and rotations providing analysis for college and regional events, though specific dedicated hosts for high school or coverage are integrated into broader team affiliations.

Notable Former Personnel

Mike Lange served as the radio play-by-play announcer for the for 46 years, beginning in the 1974-75 season and concluding with his retirement prior to the 2021-22 season. His distinctive style and energetic delivery made him a beloved figure in sports broadcasting, calling five championships in 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, and 2017 while on radio. Lange's tenure overlapped with the network's predecessor, Fox Sports Pittsburgh, and his work laid foundational elements for SportsNet Pittsburgh's Penguins coverage upon its 2017 launch. Lange was renowned for his colorful "Langeisms," signature phrases that became synonymous with Penguins goals and victories, enhancing fan engagement over decades. Notable examples include "It's a Hockey Night in Pittsburgh!" as an opening call, "Get in the fast lane, grandma! The bingo game is ready to roll" after dynamic plays, and "Scratch my back with a hacksaw!" for emphatic scores. These idiosyncratic expressions, delivered with theatrical flair, helped define the auditory identity of Penguins broadcasts and influenced subsequent on-air talent like Phil Bourque, who partnered with him in the booth. Lanny Frattare held the role of play-by-play announcer for the for 33 seasons, from 1976 through his retirement following the campaign, marking the longest such tenure in franchise history. During this period, which included coverage on to SportsNet Pittsburgh, Frattare narrated over 5,000 games, capturing pivotal moments like the win. His steady, descriptive style provided continuity for Pirates fans amid the team's ups and downs. Frattare contributed to the network's broadcasting legacy through memorable calls that emphasized team spirit. Steve Blass transitioned from his playing career to become a color analyst for Pirates broadcasts starting in 1986, serving until his retirement after the 2019 season—a 34-year run that established him as the longest-tenured broadcaster in team history. As a hero, Blass offered insightful analysis drawn from his pitching experience, pairing effectively with play-by-play voices like Frattare and later Tim Neverett on what became SportsNet Pittsburgh. His folksy, relatable commentary endeared him to audiences, providing context on strategy and player mindset during broadcasts. Tim Neverett joined the Pirates as a play-by-play announcer in 2009, succeeding Frattare, and remained in the role through the 2015 season before departing for the Boston Red Sox. Over seven years on ROOT Sports —the direct predecessor to SportsNet Pittsburgh—Neverett called key games, including playoff appearances in , , and 2015, bringing a polished, energetic presence to the telecasts.

Digital and Streaming Services

Launch of SNP 360

SportsNet Pittsburgh launched its streaming service, SNP 360, on April 29, 2024, providing fans with a new way to access the network's content independently of traditional cable providers. The service was developed building on the streaming expertise of , which manages SportsNet Pittsburgh and operates its own successful platform, NESN 360. This launch marked a significant step in expanding access to sports coverage amid evolving viewer preferences for digital options. At its debut, SNP 360 offered live streaming of and games exclusively for in-market viewers in the network's designated territory, covering , , eastern , and parts of New York and . Initial features included on-demand access to game highlights and a growing video-on-demand library of archives, enabling fans to revisit key moments and full programming at their convenience. Authentication for the service required users to log in via a participating TV provider or purchase a direct subscription, ensuring compliance with existing distribution agreements. Additionally, standard restrictions applied, with blackouts enforced for games broadcast nationally on channels like or TNT. The platform integrated seamlessly with SportsNet Pittsburgh's traditional linear broadcasts, allowing authenticated TV subscribers to stream content via the SNP 360 app without interruption. SNP 360 supported multi-device access from launch, including dedicated apps for and Android mobile devices, as well as compatibility with connected TV platforms such as Apple TV and . This provided user flexibility, enabling viewing on desktops, smartphones, and smart TVs across the supported region.

Subscription Options and Features

SNP 360 offers subscription tiers designed to provide flexible access to SportsNet Pittsburgh's content for fans in the regional market. The standard monthly plan is priced at $21.99, billed on a recurring basis and cancellable at any time, allowing subscribers immediate access to live games and on-demand programming. In March 2025, SportsNet Pittsburgh introduced a six-month Season Pass for $99.99, offering over 20% savings compared to equivalent monthly billing and automatically renewing unless canceled, aimed at accommodating seasonal sports viewing for and fans. Key features of SNP 360 enhance user engagement with Pittsburgh sports content, including live streaming of over 220 Pirates and Penguins games annually, along with pre- and post-game coverage, college sports events, and original programming such as behind-the-scenes shows and exclusive player interviews. The platform supports full game replays and unlimited highlights, enabling viewers to revisit key moments at their convenience, while personalization options allow users to set favorites for easier navigation of schedules and content recommendations. Streaming is available on up to three devices simultaneously across a range of platforms, including , Android, web browsers, and smart TVs like , , Fire TV, and Google TV, with support for and for seamless integration. In 2025, SNP 360 expanded its accessibility with the addition of the Season Pass, Roku compatibility in March, and broader smart TV support. In May 2025, it introduced "Unobstructed Views," an alternative broadcast for select Pirates games airing exclusively on the SNP 360 app. However, the service faces challenges including strict regional restrictions, limiting access to viewers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and portions of New York and Maryland, enforced via IP geolocation to comply with broadcasting rights. Additionally, potential competition arises from official team apps and national streaming services that offer partial overlaps in highlights and news, though SNP 360 remains the primary source for full live regional game broadcasts.

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