How the new Sixers-Comcast deal will impact NBC Sports Philadelphia
NBC Sports Philadelphia isn't part of Comcast new deal with the Sixers to build an arena in South Philly. But that doesn't mean change isn't coming.
With Comcast now a minority owner of the Sixers and the two partnering on a new arena in South Philly, what does it mean for NBC Sports Philadelphia?
The short answer: not much.
NBC Sports Philadelphia, formerly Comcast SportsNet, is one of four regional sports networks owned by Comcast through NBCUniversal. The network broadcasts Sixers, Flyers, and Phillies games, and includes studio shows centered around the city’s four major sports teams.
There’s been a lot of talk about the decline of regional sports networks as viewers cut their cable subscriptions and move to streaming services. NBC hasn’t been immune to those pressures — in recent years the company shut down NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Northwest, and sold NBC Sports Washington to Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Comcast kept NBC Sports Philadelphia and its regional sports networks (along with NBC Sports Group) within NBCUniversal while it spun off cable channels like MSNBC, CNBC, and USA Network into a separate company currently called SpinCo.
Things are stable in Philadelphia, at least at the moment. The Sixers and Flyers have TV deals with NBC Sports Philadelphia that run almost all the way through to the end of the decade, according to network sources not authorized to speak on the record. The Phillies are in the middle of a 25-year, $2.5 billion deal to broadcast games on the network through 2041.
There are also numerous entanglements between Comcast and Philly’s sports teams. As part of the deal to build a new arena in South Philly, Comcast became a minority owner in the Sixers, though it’s unclear how big of a stake they took. Comcast also owns the Flyers under Comcast Spectacor, which owns and manages the Wells Fargo Center, the Wings of the National Lacrosse League, and the Seoul Infernal (formerly the Philadelphia Fusion) of the esports Overwatch League.
On top of that, the Phillies purchased a 25% stake in NBC Sports Philadelphia as part of their long-term TV deal.
Xfinity customers could pay more for NBC Sports Philadelphia
The big change for fans who watch NBC Sports Philadelphia on Xfinity will be a jump in price as NBC moves its regional sports networks to more expensive plans. In Boston fans began paying more this week, when Comcast moved NBC Sports Boston into the higher-priced Ultimate TV tier. NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California are making similar moves this week.
The move isn’t happening yet in Philadelphia, as NBC Sports Philadelphia is in the middle of an affiliate deal that runs for several more years, according to Puck’s John Ourand. But NBC Sports Philadelphia and SNY (which NBC owns a small stake in) are the only Comcast-owned regional sports networks that haven’t yet moved to a more-expensive plan.
Comcast declined to comment, as no move in Philadelphia has been announced.
Why is Comcast moving its regional sports networking into premium tiers that cost more? You can blame cord cutting, as viewers who don’t watch sports cut their cable bundle in favor of less-expensive offerings. While the moves mean sports fans pay more, viewers who don’t follow local sports teams will see their cable bill drop. In Massachusetts, the decrease will be $12.85, according to the Boston Globe’s Chad Finn.
In Philadelphia, Xfinity subscribers paid $14 a month for NBC Sports Philadelphia last year, up from just $3 in 2016. Currently that’s paid by every viewer, whether they watch a single Phillies game or not.
When will NBC Sports Philadelphia be available on Peacock?
That remains unclear. The Wall Street Journal and the Desk have reported NBC plans to put NBC Sports Philadelphia and its other regional sports networks on Peacock, the company’s subscription service, as soon as the first quarter of 2025. Network sources say details have not yet been finalized, and NBC has not made any announcements.
It’s been a long, complicated road to allow sports fans to stream games on Peacock.
A plan to put live games on Peacock was halted in 2021 over internal concerns over NBC’s broader streaming strategy, according to the Wall Street Journal. In 2022, NBCUniversal Local was forced to walk back a statement that indicated the company would be launching a streaming product for its regional sports networks.
NBCUniversal chairman Mark Lazarus said the company planned to put all its regional sports networks — including NBC Sports Philadelphia — on Peacock in 2023. We’re two weeks into 2025, and plans have yet to come together.
The least-expensive way to stream NBC Sports Philadelphia is through a subscription to Hulu + Live TV, which runs $81.99 a month. That’s $1 less than YouTubeTV, which now costs $82.99 a month.