Baseball

John Rigas of Coudersport, Pa., a cable television executive, has gained city approval to buy the Pittsburgh Pirates and keep them from moving.

He must now get approval from major league baseball, which may frown upon more crossties between baseball and television.

A prospective buyer of the Pirates had been Larry Lucchino, a Pittsburgh-born attorney who was once the Baltimore Orioles’ chief executive officer. He dropped out to help Texas software tycoon John Moores try to buy the San Diego Padres.