MSG Networks-Altice dispute: How to watch the Knicks, Rangers and Islanders if sides don't reach agreement
MSG Networks and Altice, the parent company of Optimum TV, are in a carriage dispute that knocked MSG off the cable service when its current deal expired at midnight Tuesday.
Optimum customers who are fans of the Knicks, Islanders, Rangers or Devils are no longer able to watch those games on cable.
A carriage dispute is a disagreement over compensation between the distributor, which is Altice, to carry a channel from the provider, which is MSG Networks.
First up: The Knicks, who on Wednesday night will take their eight-game winning streak into a game at Madison Square Garden against the Utah Jazz. The Islanders and Rangers follow with games on Thursday night.
Fans have more alternatives for watching games after MSG went dark on Optimum at midnight, including direct-to-consumer streaming options.
MSG programming can be purchased through the Gotham Sports app for $279.99 per year, $29.99 per month or $9.95 per game. (The YES Network also is available through the app and can be purchased along with MSG at a higher cost.)
For households in Altice’s geographical footprint, MSG also can be accessed via Verizon Fios, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and fuboTV. MSG lists consumers’ options based on zip code at the website “keepmsg.com.”
Traditionally, such squabbles are settled before the deadline or shortly thereafter, but the process has grown more fraught as regional sports networks such as MSG and cable distributors such as Altice deal with the shrinking universe of traditional cable bundle subscribers.
Comcast dropped MSG more than three years ago, which affected some homes in New Jersey and Connecticut. But Altice, the dominant cable distributor on Long Island, would be a far bigger blow to MSG’s overall distribution.
The two sides both issued statements on Monday night, each accusing the other of being unreasonable. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the sides remained at odds in negotiations.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
More sports media
