Comcast and regional sports network SportsNet Pittsburgh struck a deal to keep local games on the provider’s system with one pricey change.
SportsNet Pittsburgh, home of the Penguins and Pirates games, will move from Comcast Xfinity’s Popular TV package to the Ultimate TV package.
The Popular TV package costs about $70, while the Ultimate TV package costs around $90, but includes more sports content and channels.
This comes after Comcast moved RSN Root Sports Northwest — home of the Blazers, Mariners, and Kraken — to its Ultimate package in October. Customers voiced their displeasure on Reddit.
RSNs have been hit hard by cord cutting. As viewers flock to streaming services, pay TV providers have watched carriage fees drop, and with it, the fees paid to RSNs. This has led RSNs to seek deals with live streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu Live, but some live streamers think RSNs are too expensive.
“Most of our customers who receive the network today already have Ultimate TV, and our viewership information shows that they are the ones primarily watching it, so that’s why we’re making this change,” Comcast said in statement. “We appreciate SportsNet Pittsburgh working with us to find a solution that balances cost and consumer choice to watch local sports in this changing video marketplace.”
The cable TV provider will special promotions for current customers who plan to upgrade from Popular TV to Ultimate TV.
If you don’t have cable, SportsNet Pittsburgh is available to watch on DIRECTV Stream $99.99 Choice Package and fuboTV’s Pro and Elite plans for $79.99 and $89.99, respectively.
The news was reported earlier by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Please follow us on Facebook and X for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.