CSN Houston to televise 10 Astros spring games

HOUSTON -- The Astros will have 10 of their Spring Training games televised live this year on Comcast SportsNet Houston, a regional network partnership between the Astros, the NBA's Houston Rockets and the NBC Sports Group that launched Oct. 1. The games will have pre- and post-game shows.

Astros Spring Training coverage on CSN Houston includes games against 10 different opponents from both the American and National Leagues. Nine of the 10 televised games will be played at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla., while one will be the March 29 exhibition game at Minute Maid Park against the Cubs.

The first 2013 telecast will be on Feb. 28 against the Yankees (noon CT). CSN Houston will also debut a new edition of Astros Field Pass, the team's monthly magazine show, on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. CT.

Grapefruit League games set to air on Comcast are: Feb. 28 (Yankees), March 1 (Cardinals), March 7 (Nationals), March 8 (Braves), March 10 (Phillies), March 15 (Pirates), March 17 (Blue Jays), March 24 (Marlins) and March 25 (Nationals).

CSN Houston is currently only available in about 40 percent of the Houston TV market. The Astros are involved in negotiations to get the network carried on other providers, such as DirecTV, Dish Network and AT&T U-verse. The Astros own about 46.5 percent of the network.

Astros president and CEO George Postolos is confident the CSN Houston will have higher penetration in the market prior to the start of the regular season.

"CSN Houston is a great product," Postolos said. "We think eventually those things are going to get worked out in a way that favors the customer."