NBC Sports Philadelphia not being sold after Comcast announces deal for NBC Sports Washington
Comcast currently owns 75% of NBC Sports Philadelphia, with the remainder owned by the Phillies.
Comcast isn’t interested in selling NBC Sports Philadelphia after the media giant agreed to sell its sister station NBC Sports Washington to Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Comcast owns a 67% stake in NBC Sports Washington, while Monumental has owned 33% of the network since 2016. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close by late September, were not disclosed.
NBC Sports Washington is one of six regional sports networks owned by Comcast, which includes NBC Sports Philadelphia. But according to a network source not authorized to speak publicly, the Washington deal was a one-off and Comcast has no intention at the moment of unloading its remaining five regional sports networks.
Comcast’s relationship with NBC Sports Philadelphia is a bit more complex. The media giant owns 75% of NBC Sports Philadelphia; the Phillies own the remainder. Comcast also owns the Flyers under Comcast Spectator, which also owns and manages the Wells Fargo Center, the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League, and the Philadelphia Fusion of the esports Overwatch League.
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NBC Sports Philadelphia holds the local television rights to air Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers games, but has made been forced to make cuts due to the pandemic and the impact of cord-cutting.
In August 2020, NBC Sports Philadelphia laid off 17 employees — including Gregg Murphy and Derrick Gunn — as it eliminated sideline reporters and refocused almost exclusively on game coverage. The network recently launched a new daily studio show called Birds Huddle, hosted by former Eagles offensive lineman Barrett Brooks, and has aired Sixers Outsiders the last two seasons, hosted by 97.5 the Fanatic host Tyrone Johnson and Krystle Rich.
At one point, Comcast was reportedly interested in making all of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s content — including live games — available to stream on Peacock. But the plan was halted over internal concerns over NBC’s broader streaming strategy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Back in February, NBCUniversal Local was forced to walk back a statement that indicated the company would be launching a streaming product for its regional sports networks.
For cord-cutters, the cheapest way to stream local games on NBC Sports Philadelphia is through a subscription to YouTube TV, which charges $64.99 a month. The network is also available on fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV, which both charge $69.99 a month. Last year, Comcast raised the cost of its regional sports fee on Xfinity to $12.70 a month, up from $3 in 2016.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is primarily owned by managing partner Ted Leonsis and owns the NHL Washington Capitals, the NBA Washington Wizards, the WNBA Washington Mystics, and the Capital One Arena. According to a source, the sale was an opportunity to sell to a rights-holder interested in full ownership. Leonsis is expected to merge NBC Sports Washington with the company’s streaming service, Monumental Sports Network, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Leonsis is also reportedly in the mix to purchase the Washington Nationals, according to the Washington Post. Back in April, the Lerner family announced that it was exploring the possibility of selling the franchise it has owned since 2006.
In addition to NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Washington, Comcast owns four other regional sports networks: NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California (both based in San Francisco), NBC Sports Boston, and NBC Sports Chicago. It also owns a portion of SportsNet New York.
Before a 2017 rebranding, NBC Sports Philadelphia was known as Comcast SportsNet, which was launched in Philadelphia on Oct. 1, 1997. The Phillies purchased their 25% stake in 2014 as part of the team’s 25-year, $2.5 billion deal to broadcast games on the network through 2041.