We are a few months away from spring training and still unsure where the bulk of Pittsburgh Pirates will air in the Pirate’s local market after AT&T shut down the Pirate’s RSN in the offseason. Currently, there are a few likely outcomes for next season. The Pirates will either join the Penguins on SportsNet Pittsburgh, owned by Fenway Sports Group, or air on a regional network owned by MLB. While we still have some time, the Pirates’ first 2024 Spring Training game is on February 24 against the Twins, and opening day is only a little more than a month after that. That leaves only 2-3 months before a decision must be made.
What We Know So Far
Regardless of who picks up the Pirates regional broadcasts, it will only affect local Pirates fans in the Pirates TV Market of nearly all of Pennsylvania (outside the Philadelphia market), almost all of West Virginia (except the Eastern Panhandle), western Maryland, eastern Ohio, southwestern border areas of New York and Ashland, Kentucky.
Pirates fans living outside of those areas will still be able to watch most Pirates games with a subscription to MLB.TV. Fox, ESPN, and TBS, will still have exclusive National TV rights to MLB games, a few of which will likely include Pirates games. Sling would be the most affordable option to watch the Pirates when part of a national broadcast on those networks. However, Sling only carries Fox in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, DC, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston, Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Gainesville, Austin, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix, and Seattle.
Outside of those areas, you will probably want to go with either DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV for Pirates games on Fox, ESPN, and TBS. MLB Network will also air games this season. If you have MLB.TV, then those games will be available through MLB.TV. Otherwise, go with Sling, and DIRECTV STREAM. Those three streaming services carry MLB Network, while Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV do not.
I’ll update this article as the season nears and the Pirates 2024 broadcast picture becomes clearer.
