MSG Networks and YES Network announce streaming partnership with their new 'Gotham Sports App'
MSG Networks and the YES Network are partnering on a new app service called the Gotham Sports App, which will stream both networks' content.
The YES Network and MSG Networks announced on Wednesday a new app that will offer live digital streaming of six of the area’s seven MLB, NBA and NHL teams.
“The Gotham Sports App” will put the Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Islanders, Rangers and Devils under one digital umbrella.
It is another milestone in the evolution of live sports to streaming. In January, YES and MSG announced a joint venture called “GAME,” for Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment, which was viewed as the first step toward a programming partnership of some sort.
That partnership has arrived in the form of the Gotham Sports App, which will allow fans in the two networks’ regional coverage territories to see both networks’ teams.
"With the increased fragmentation of outlets carrying fan favorite sports programming, the Gotham Sports App allows fans of our teams one easy access point for New York area sporting events from MSG Networks and the YES Network," MSG Networks president and CEO Andrea Greenberg said in the news release.
The programming is free to those who subscribe to the channels through traditional cable and satellite packages. Those who do not can buy the Gotham app package that includes the MSG+ and YES apps for $359.99 per year or $41.99 per month.
That is less than the combined costs of the two networks' current app offerings when purchased individually, which is $279.99 per year or $29.99 per month for MSG+ and $239.99 or $24.99 for YES.
The combined app will launch before the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons.
“The new Gotham Sports App will deploy GAME’s best-in-class technology to deliver a greatly enhanced fan experience, showcasing the best in New York sports all in one place,” YES Network CEO Jon Litner said in the release. “The app, which will be free to our distributors’ authenticated customers, will provide one convenient digital destination for our programming services and for fans of some of the most iconic teams in all of sports.”
The lone local MLB, NBA or NHL team it will not include is the Mets, who are on SNY, which has not announced a streaming-only option.
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.
