Q: Verizon’s FiOS TV has apparently removed SportsNet Pittsburgh, the MLB Network and perhaps a couple of other channels from its lower-priced packages. (Full disclosure: I only know this because it affects us in Mt. Lebanon – we have the custom news and entertainment package).
The channels are big losses since they telecast the Penguins and Pirates games.
I spent upward of an hour on the phone with customer support yesterday seeking answers. They insisted the stations removed the channels for contractual reasons and there was some kind of “negotiation” going on to restore the channels. I suspect otherwise.
I know that when contract issues lead to a channel being pulled, cable companies are upfront letting subscribers know that it was beyond their control and they are trying to resolve the issue. Not in this case. The message displayed on what had been 576 SportsNet and 586 MLB simply says we are not subscribed. (We’ve subscribed for more than 15 years.)
Additionally, I bumped into this notice from another nearby municipality, Blawnox. It says Verizon notified local officials that it had removed SportsNet from certain packages. No mention of any contract dispute.
The same customer service rep who suggested there was a contract issue also suggested I consider a package upgrade, costing anywhere from $40 to $80 more a month depending on “discounts.”
Personally, I think the company is being very deceptive in explaining this, but that’s neither here nor there.
What struck me is they are doing this as the Penguins try to reach the playoffs and a better-than-expected Pirates team is starting the season. No replacement channels were offered and there was no reduction in our price. They say a message was sent to subscribers but I could not find one sent to us and the rep I talked with could not provide the date it was sent or the exact language.
— Bill, via email
Rob: I first received questions about SportsNet Pittsburgh moving to a different tier on Verizon FiOS TV about a month ago. Casey Blosson, a representative for SNP told me on March 28, “SNP has not been changed to a different tier w/Verizon FiOS and remains on the expanded basic package as it has been.”
When I put the question to Verizon, I did not get a response until I asked a second time when Bill’s email arrived this week.
Even then, the SNP rep said, “This isn’t a widespread issue. It is more nuanced from a Verizon business perspective.”
Per Verizon’s Caroline Brooks, “On Monday, March 4, changes from a 2023 renewal agreement with the programmer, SportsNet Pittsburgh, went into effect, resulting in the removal of SportsNet Pittsburgh from select FiOS packages. Customers were notified in October and November of these changes. It is currently available in our new in-market packages, Your, More, and Most.
“The changes were to FiOS customers in Western Pennsylvania who also had those [select FiOS] packages; customers were notified via Message Center Notification.”
I tried to get clarity on what the “select FiOS packages” were.
“SNP was available on some Classic packages, including some Custom packages, as well as Mix & Max match packages Your, More, Most. It is still available in some Classic packages and on the current in-market Mix & Max packages. You can find plan pricing details on the Fios website.”
That’s all clear as mud because the Verizon website does not mention any tiers by the names Classic, Custom, the Custom News and Entertainment package Bill mentioned or even the “expanded basic” mentioned by the SNP rep.
Current pricing for Your FiOS TV is $85, More FiOS TV is $109 and The Most FiOS TV is $129.
Brooks did not respond to a request for the pricing of the former FiOS TV tiers and she did not answer when asked how many Verizon customers this change impacted.
Presumably, this is all fallout from last year’s change in SNP’s ownership, which had been Warner Bros. Discovery but is now Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Penguins.
Xfinity cable customers saw a similar change in January when SNP also moved to a more expensive tier on Comcast cable systems in Western Pennsylvania.
Q: Who controls how many advertisem*nts are put on TV: Comcast or the stations?
It is almost unbearable to try and enjoy TV other than Channel 13. Not only are there so many of them; they’re the same ads over and over again.
I am sure the people in the Senior Living ads wanting you to move into their facilities are dead by now; these commercials have been running for years.
— Sandy, via email
Rob: TV stations/networks determine the amount, frequency and timing of what’s on their air, including commercials.
Q: Several people I know have purchased VSeeBoxes. While the box seems to be a good purchase, I am curious to learn how the box can air programs that are pay-for-channel without paying or out of the Pittsburgh viewing market. The people made a one-time payment for the box, which allows them to cancel their subscription from their cable provider. I appreciate any insight you may have.
— Dave, Washington
Rob: Things that sound too good to be true usually are. I’d never heard of this Android contraption but a look at its website suggests it’s a Hong Kong-based company.
A Canadian news outlet reported that because these types of boxes don’t involve downloads but streaming, it’s a gray area of law. I have to think that American networks and global platforms will try to find a way to clarify the law and shut these sort of devices down.
Already Amazon and Walmart stopped selling similar devices in 2022 due to the threat of piracy.
You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow @RobOwenTV on Threads, X, Bluesky and Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.
