New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
Erick W. Rasco | Sports Illustrated | Getty Images
Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment, the joint venture between MSG Networks and the YES Network, is launching a new app this fall that will stream local games for seven New York area teams.
The package announced Wednesday is believed to be the first time two regional sports networks have combined their apps into a team option.
The Gotham Sports app will launch before the NBA and NHL seasons. Locals will be able to watch the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees with a subscription.
The Gotham bundle that gives access to all these teams will cost $359.99 per year and $41.99 per month, almost identical to the monthly price Fox, Disney and Discovery by Warner Brosof shared streaming service Venu which was blocked by an interim injunction earlier this month.
Customers who watch only some of these groups can also purchase access to only the MSG+ or YES App services for $29.99 and $24.99 per month, respectively. If they already have MSG Networks and YES Network through their pay TV subscription, they will receive Gotham Sports App services at no additional charge.
“With the increased fragmentation of outlets carrying fan-favorite sports programming, the Gotham Sports app allows fans of our teams an easy access point for New York area sporting events from MSG Networks and the YES Network,” said President and MSG Networks CEO Andrea Greenberg. a press release.
Notably, SportsNet New York — the regional sports network that broadcasts the New York Mets — is not included in this joint venture. It’s only available through FuboTV, DirecTV streaming, and internet connection for people who pay for cable.
Sterling Entertainment Enterprises, Comcast and Charter co-owner of SportsNet New York;
The business of regional sports networks has undergone dramatic changes in recent years. The local Boston cable network that aired Red Sox and Bruins games launched the first standalone regional streaming service in 2022, with other purchases to follow.
Diamond Sports Group, the largest owner of regional sports networks, filed for bankruptcy in March 2023, leading many professional teams in various leagues to change the way they broadcast their games.
A few NBA, WNBA and NHL teams have turned to local broadcasters, most recently the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
Some MLB teams have chosen to have their games produced by the league.
The Gotham Sports app isn’t the first regional sports streaming option that residents of the greater New York area have had. YES Network and MSG Networks launched separate streaming services last year, and customers who want just one of the networks’ services rather than the combined package can pay a cheaper price.
Not all new regional sports streaming services follow the subscription model. The NHL Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks Both announced that their games will be streamed locally on Victory+, a free ad-supported streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co.
Both teams previously had their local games carried by a regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of CNBC.
