The Pirates have announced a multi-year extension of their television rights fees agreement with AT&T Sports Networks. Financial terms and the length of the pact weren’t released publicly.
Clearly, the entities remain pleased with their relationship, as it has already lasted for over thirty years. Club president Frank Coonelly said that “the Pirates are extremely pleased” to carry on with the same essential framework.
There are plans to expand coverage to ensure that fans can access all Bucs contests. Coonelly explained that “all 162 games will be telecast either by AT&T SportsNet or one of our national television partners and that nearly all of our home Spring Training games will now be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.”
With a series of disappointing seasons, the Pirates have struggled to draw as many TV viewers. But it seems the sides still see a path to profitability. Putting a winner on the field would go a long way, though the Pirates are in an exceptionally tough roster situation and have overseen major year-over-year payroll reductions in each of the past three offseasons.
TC06
That’s great! All 162 games televised but no one watching because they suck!
TC06
That’s great! All 162 games televised but no one watching because of the totally inept front office!
Wilford Brimley
This is huge! The 2020 payroll has to go up at least $5… maybe $10? What say you, Tim Dierkes?
DarkSide830
ill take the under
graysondecker
The Cervelli contract ($10 million per year) will come off the books and they get a new TV deal, but the Pirates will still refuse to make any sort of financial investment into the roster. It’s pathetic that they’re this cheap, honestly.
DarkSide830
it’s an indictment in and of itself if one $10 million contract is tying their hands.
graysondecker
I don’t think the Cervelli contract was tying their hands specifically, I think Nutting is just so unwilling to spend any sort of money whatsoever that he takes every extra dollar he gets and puts it towards profit reports rather than giving it back into the team.
scjohn92
Polanco, Archer & Marte all have 8 figure salaries for 2020, too. Only Marte has surplus value, which sadly isn’t much.
dynasty in boston
Every one of these team owners are among the wealthiest people in the US. If your owner is pinching pennies (he is) and your product blows (yup)…it’s time for a new owner.
graysondecker
Marte is the only one of those three who earns 8 figures next year, but you’re right that he’s still the only one with positive value.
bigjonliljon
Try being a Rays fan or an A’s fan. They got it worse
Android Dawesome
Im not sure that’s a good example… If anything that should make Pirate’s fans more frustrated.
tylerall5
They have cheap owners and are both in the playoffs.
jtkuch
No they certainly don’t, those 2 at least have smart front offices.
dynasty in boston
The Rays would do better in Montreal. The A’s will spend money whereas this Nutting dude took a page from the former Marlins owner. He takes revenue from “sharing” and pockets it instead of reinvesting in the team.
phamdownbytheriver
Only because the stadiums suck. Both teams have excellent front offices and get the max per dollar spent.
frustratedpittsburghpiratesfan
More $$ in Nutting’s bank account. Pirates still looking at waiver wire for starters. Pirates fans have being getting a line of BS from Pirates Owner/ Management for 20 years.
Polish Hammer
And yet another reason for an actual salary cap, with floor and ceiling.
Robertowannabe
If this is like their past local TV deals, they will not get tons of money from it.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Does this mean that they can sign a new bat boy?
steelerbravenation
Mlb should force these owners to sell
They are a joke and Pittsburgh fans deserve better
Granted it’s a small market team but so many small market teams at least build a team with a window of contention its sustainability that these teams have trouble with
Pork Chop Pough
But how do you force someone with local interests to buy the team? Not to defend Nutting, but I think of the Indians ownership in the ’70s… they had no interest in putting a good product on the field, but I at least thank them in hindsight for maintaining a franchise I can root for today. If they’d been forced to sell the team at the time, it would have moved to New Orleans or Tampa.
Polish Hammer
Imagine the “what ifs” if Steinbrenner bought the Tribe after he he agreed to a deal in the early 70s.
cecildawg
PH – Yeah, doing ‘what ifs’ is so passe. (That’s an acute ‘E’, juss sayn).
Justice1988
The pirates would never be moved out of Pittsburgh considering they are one of the oldest franchises anchored to 1 city
Robertowannabe
They almost were gone until McClatchy bought them.
TJECK109
Honestly I’m surprised att is not charging the Pirates to show their games.
money
I agree a new pitching coach was needed also new scouting department and talent evaluation department. Opponents routinely throw 98 mile per hour starters and relievers at us ,but the Phillies don’t seem to be able to find these guys. Or very rarely.
If you pack the front office full of execs from the LA Angels, Orioles, and Mariners losing franchises what do you expect? Can Buck Showalter be far behind?
PrsKndy
Has there been any specifics on financials released and if not I assume they are under no requirement to do so.
SellNutting
Sixth highest TV ratings should have garnered the sixth biggest local TV co tract. But no doubt Nutting is satisfied with some fiendishly small contract. Typical bs.
Julio Franco's Birth Certificate
Bob Nutting announced: “Excellent. I shall divert all of these proceeds to my Springfield Power Plant operations and my bankrupt Seven Springs ski resort”. “Then, I will only sign Lonnie Chisenhall to play in my taxpayer funded baseball palace. I am thrilled to get richer and hate the people of Pittsburgh. Smithers! Come here!”
CrewBrew
they televise PIT games? damn…learn something new everyday
RichardJarzynka
Bring in a new team of announcers. John Wehner and Greg Brown are especially awful.
RichardJarzynka
The Pirates need to move to a better market for baseball. Pittsburgh has NEVER supported the team – even when the Pirates have succeeded on the field.
DarkSide830
i feel distance from Philly is the main reason why Pittsburgh sports teams tend to exist. Western PA is so less dense in population, so they kinda have to rely on a wider geographical range for their fans. im not saying they should move, but maybe they would do better in Nashville or the Carolinas.
doublem
I couldn’t disagree more with these comments. Pittsburgh is one of the best sports cities in America. The Steelers and Penguins sell virtually every home game and have for over a decade. Travel as well as if not better than any other fan base in sports. And the city supports the Pirates far more than they deserve. Even in the lousy years (most of the last 20 years) the pirates have had a very healthy tv marketshare. And then as soon as the team shows promise, they flock back to the stadium. Cheap ownership and poor draft and development is virtually the only thing keeping fans away, and I don’t blame them one bit.
retire21
Exactly this.
SellNutting
Truth. Best stadium in baseball would be laid to waste if the team moved. I do not see that happening.
jtkuch
That’s false. Did you watch the 2013 wild card game? One of the most electrifying crowds I’ve ever seen.
DonB34
I’ll do this one better,… I was at the 2013 Wild Card game, and I still can’t think about that game without loud crowd noise in my head. It was 20 years of losing personified. Marlon Byrd stepped on the field to stretch and the crowd went crazy for 4 hours. Pirates also set attendance records in 2014 and 2015. The problem is, now you have garbage on the field again. No one wants to pay to see a garbage product. We had how many years where even the bobblehead nights were pathetic players like Ronnie Paulino and Paul Maholm, because those bums were the best players on an awful team. Nutting said if there was a contender on the field and people came out to support them, the payroll would go up. We all know now that was a lie. They didn’t even add a decent free agent in 2016 to help maintain the level of a 98-game winning 2015 team the prior season (unless you consider Ryan Vogelsong a big free agent signing….). .
Justice1988
Even if what you said were true, which it’s not, itll never be moved since the pirates are the second oldest team anchored to one city
bucketbrew35
Waiting for the usual lockstep here:
“Pirates Announce New TV Deal”
“Nutting Slashes Pirates Payroll by $20 Million.”
One of the worst owners in professional sports.
retire21
Also, exactly this.
aberdeen101
The TV deal will pay for the 2020 roster. Genius. In all seriousness, the TV deal isn’t good for the TV people. Terrible roster equals little interest.
steelerbravenation
I am from Jersey and a huge Steeler fan because of 1 trip to Pittsburgh in 92 and seen how the whole city supported the team. It was amazing to me stores shut down and put signs in the window will reopen after the game
In my opinion there is no better local fan base in sports and it doesn’t just turn off for baseball. Pirate fans are fed up with this ownership & rightly so.
You put out a winning product and the fans will thoroughly support them. And the thing to is about the fan base they know they are a small market team & they are not even asking to spend like the Yankees or the Red Sox Dodgers etc but at least put some money into scouting and stop drafting players on account of signability
Justice1988
Even if what you said were true, which it’s not, itll never be moved since the pirates are the second oldest team anchored to one city
66TheNumberOfTheBest
The cult leaders in the local media are trying to now convince the fans that they can boycott their way to getting a new owner.
These same people said that boycotting would lead to a higher payroll.
How did that work out?
Same as this one will…
The death spiral ends in 2026 when this team moves and PNC becomes the nicest AAA park in America.
SellNutting
2026? Proof?
Jkolti
I’m guessing 2026 is when the lease is up on the pirates for PNC
army123456
More money for bobs pocket. He will not invest in the team. Waste of time.
HarveyD82
when people stop buying season tickets, maybe bob will pay attention
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Heard the deal is for a black and white tube TV for the clubhouse. Couldn’t even spring for a 32″ 720p.
h0wmyd0ing
An actual salary structure — floor and ceiling — is the only way to get rid of Nutting
He spend u less he is forced
markburgh
Att sports should of bud on Altoona Curve rights better watch I’m sure
markburgh
Bid