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Pirates Announce New TV Deal

By Jeff Todd | October 4, 2019 at 2:30pm CDT

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.

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55 Comments

  1. TC06

    6 years ago

    That’s great! All 162 games televised but no one watching because they suck!

    2
    Reply
  2. TC06

    6 years ago

    That’s great! All 162 games televised but no one watching because of the totally inept front office!

    Reply
  3. Wilford Brimley

    6 years ago

    This is huge! The 2020 payroll has to go up at least $5… maybe $10? What say you, Tim Dierkes?

    2
    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      6 years ago

      ill take the under

      3
      Reply
  4. graysondecker

    6 years ago

    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.

    1
    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      6 years ago

      it’s an indictment in and of itself if one $10 million contract is tying their hands.

      1
      Reply
      • graysondecker

        6 years ago

        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.

        1
        Reply
        • scjohn92

          6 years ago

          Polanco, Archer & Marte all have 8 figure salaries for 2020, too. Only Marte has surplus value, which sadly isn’t much.

          Reply
        • dynasty in boston

          6 years ago

          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.

          Reply
        • graysondecker

          6 years ago

          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.

          Reply
    • bigjonliljon

      6 years ago

      Try being a Rays fan or an A’s fan. They got it worse

      1
      Reply
      • Android Dawesome

        6 years ago

        Im not sure that’s a good example… If anything that should make Pirate’s fans more frustrated.

        2
        Reply
      • tylerall5

        6 years ago

        They have cheap owners and are both in the playoffs.

        Reply
      • jtkuch

        6 years ago

        No they certainly don’t, those 2 at least have smart front offices.

        Reply
      • dynasty in boston

        6 years ago

        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.

        1
        Reply
      • phamdownbytheriver

        6 years ago

        Only because the stadiums suck. Both teams have excellent front offices and get the max per dollar spent.

        Reply
    • frustratedpittsburghpiratesfan

      6 years ago

      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.

      2
      Reply
    • Polish Hammer

      6 years ago

      And yet another reason for an actual salary cap, with floor and ceiling.

      1
      Reply
  5. Robertowannabe

    6 years ago

    If this is like their past local TV deals, they will not get tons of money from it.

    Reply
  6. Gwynning's Anal Lover

    6 years ago

    Does this mean that they can sign a new bat boy?

    Reply
  7. steelerbravenation

    6 years ago

    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

    1
    Reply
    • Pork Chop Pough

      6 years ago

      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.

      Reply
      • Polish Hammer

        6 years ago

        Imagine the “what ifs” if Steinbrenner bought the Tribe after he he agreed to a deal in the early 70s.

        Reply
        • cecildawg

          6 years ago

          PH – Yeah, doing ‘what ifs’ is so passe. (That’s an acute ‘E’, juss sayn).

          Reply
      • Justice1988

        6 years ago

        The pirates would never be moved out of Pittsburgh considering they are one of the oldest franchises anchored to 1 city

        Reply
        • Robertowannabe

          6 years ago

          They almost were gone until McClatchy bought them.

          Reply
  8. TJECK109

    6 years ago

    Honestly I’m surprised att is not charging the Pirates to show their games.

    3
    Reply
  9. money

    6 years ago

    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?

    Reply
  10. PrsKndy

    6 years ago

    Has there been any specifics on financials released and if not I assume they are under no requirement to do so.

    Reply
  11. SellNutting

    6 years ago

    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.

    Reply
  12. Julio Franco's Birth Certificate

    6 years ago

    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!”

    Reply
  13. CrewBrew

    6 years ago

    they televise PIT games? damn…learn something new everyday

    2
    Reply
  14. RichardJarzynka

    6 years ago

    Bring in a new team of announcers. John Wehner and Greg Brown are especially awful.

    Reply
  15. RichardJarzynka

    6 years ago

    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.

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      6 years ago

      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.

      1
      Reply
      • doublem

        6 years ago

        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.

        5
        Reply
        • retire21

          6 years ago

          Exactly this.

          1
          Reply
        • SellNutting

          6 years ago

          Truth. Best stadium in baseball would be laid to waste if the team moved. I do not see that happening.

          1
          Reply
    • jtkuch

      6 years ago

      That’s false. Did you watch the 2013 wild card game? One of the most electrifying crowds I’ve ever seen.

      2
      Reply
      • DonB34

        6 years ago

        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….). .

        Reply
    • Justice1988

      6 years ago

      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

      Reply
  16. bucketbrew35

    6 years ago

    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.

    Reply
    • retire21

      6 years ago

      Also, exactly this.

      Reply
  17. aberdeen101

    6 years ago

    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.

    Reply
  18. steelerbravenation

    6 years ago

    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

    1
    Reply
  19. Justice1988

    6 years ago

    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

    Reply
  20. 66TheNumberOfTheBest

    6 years ago

    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.

    1
    Reply
    • SellNutting

      6 years ago

      2026? Proof?

      Reply
      • Jkolti

        6 years ago

        I’m guessing 2026 is when the lease is up on the pirates for PNC

        Reply
  21. army123456

    6 years ago

    More money for bobs pocket. He will not invest in the team. Waste of time.

    Reply
  22. HarveyD82

    6 years ago

    when people stop buying season tickets, maybe bob will pay attention

    Reply
  23. Gwynning's Anal Lover

    6 years ago

    Heard the deal is for a black and white tube TV for the clubhouse. Couldn’t even spring for a 32″ 720p.

    Reply
  24. h0wmyd0ing

    6 years ago

    An actual salary structure — floor and ceiling — is the only way to get rid of Nutting

    He spend u less he is forced

    Reply
  25. markburgh

    6 years ago

    Att sports should of bud on Altoona Curve rights better watch I’m sure

    Reply
    • markburgh

      6 years ago

      Bid

      Reply

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