SportsNet Pittsburgh’s coverage of the Pittsburgh Pirates this season was bolstered with new additions for this season. TribLive reported that three new analysts and a new sideline reporter will join the crew for Pirates telecasts in 2024.
Three former players, including Jordy Mercer, will join the network’s studio broadcast team. Mercer, Alex Pressley, and Steven Brault will all appear this season with studio host Rob King. Bob Walk, John Wehner, Kevin Young, Matt Capps, Michael McKenry, and Neil Walker will be part of the team again this coming season.
Also joining the party is former Big Ten Network personality Hannah Mears. Mears will be the team’s dugout reporter, replacing Robby Incmikoski, who had the same position. TribLive writes that Mears is a Pennsylvania native and a Penn State alum.
Last December, it was announced that the Pirates became joint owners of SportsNet Pittsburgh. The Buccos made this move amid hysteria over the crisis around regional sports networks and their long-term health and viability. By making that move, they secured their media rights for the now and the future. It at least saves them from ambiguity and unknown, something some MLB teams have had to deal with over the past year or so.
Nonetheless, if you’re a Pirates fan, be prepared to see some new faces on your television this year.
[TribLive]
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022