Pittsburgh Pirates, Penguins launch local game streaming service | Wilnesh News

The regional sports network that broadcasts games from Pittsburgh’s MLB and NHL teams is launching a direct-to-consumer streaming service, the latest move as more and more fans cut the cord.

Pittsburgh SportsNet launched SNP 360 on Monday, making it $17.99 a month for fans in local markets to watch Buccaneers and Penguins games on top of their pay-TV packages. Viewers with a pay TV subscription can also access the app.

The streaming services for the Buccaneers and Penguins, the most-watched NHL teams in the 2023-24 regular season, come as regional sports network businesses, a key component of the professional leagues’ media rights model, are under pressure from broadcast to broadcast. blow. Pittsburgh Sports Network also underwent a shakeup last year.

The network came under new ownership last year when Warner Bros. Discovery Exited the regional sports networks business, which it will inherit when WarnerMedia merges with Discovery Channel in 2022.

The network is now owned by the Buccaneers and Penguins. Fenway Sports Group owns the Boston Red Sox, agree Will acquire controlling interest in the Penguins in 2021.

“Our desire is to reach fans wherever they are and provide them with the option to watch our club’s telecasts,” said Sean McGrail, CEO of NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh. “There are a lot of people who don’t subscribe to linear TV bundles right now. , we want to make sure they have the opportunity to interact with our team and become part of the fan base.”

McGrail said SNP 360 came together quickly over the past six months when NESN took over operations of Pittsburgh Sports Network. He said the network is offering service at “aggressive prices” that are lower than the cost of most other regional sports streaming plans, while it’s also building out content beyond the Buccaneers and Penguins.

NESN, which airs local games of the Red Sox and Bruins, is the first regional sports network to offer a streaming alternative to its markets in 2022. Dollar.

Last year, YES Network, home to the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, launched a $24.99-per-month streaming service. MSG Network, which broadcasts games of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, launched a new streaming service in 2023 for $29.99 per month.

Once-lucrative regional sports networks have been particularly squeezed as consumers choose to abandon traditional pay-TV bundles in favor of streaming.

Many companies are now offering streaming options to re-engage these customers. The networks remain cautious on pricing to avoid further disrupting the pay-TV model and breaching contracts with distributors.

Contracts with pay-TV distributors help support the billions of dollars that networks pay to broadcast games to professional sports teams.

Diamond Sports, owner of the largest portfolio of regional sports networks, also launched streaming services for some of its teams before filing for bankruptcy protection in 2023. Broadcasting fee.

“This is certainly a challenging time,” McGreal said. “But these are times of opportunity and you have to be proactive in thinking about your distribution strategy and how you approach distribution in the future. This addresses the needs of certain groups of people who don’t live in the physical world. We’re trying to stay flexible and make sure we support these fans.