Two major local sports companies, YES Network and MSG Network, are hoping to bring to New York sports what some of the bigger companies are still struggling to achieve on a national scale.
The digital joint venture formed by MSG Network and YES Network earlier this year plans to launch a streaming sports hub, the Gotham Sports App, this fall ahead of the start of the NHL and NBA regular seasons. The app will bring together each company's mobile apps onto one platform and will feature streaming games from the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees.
Fans with local YES or MSG network subscriptions will receive the Gotham Sports app at no additional cost, and customers without traditional cable TV subscriptions can purchase their existing YES or MSG service through the new Gotham app or purchase a combined Gotham Sports package that includes offerings for both services.
The combined package costs $359.99 per year or $41.99 per month.
“With fan-favorite sports programming being distributed across multiple media outlets, the Gotham Sports app provides one easy place for our teams' fans to access New York-area sporting events from MSG Network and YES Network,” Andrea Greenberg, president and CEO of MSG Network, said in a statement.
The timing of the three companies' new services is interesting. Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have proposed launching a new streaming joint venture called Venu to bring sports networks to subscribers. The new service would target younger consumers who don't rely on cable or satellite services for entertainment and access to video content. Venu was expected to debut before the start of the next NFL season, but those plans were halted, possibly temporarily, by a court order that found the merger anti-competitive. Disney, Warner and Fox have already appealed the decision.
MSG Networks and YES in January formed a joint venture called Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment to explore ways to monetize the companies' streaming products.
The new Gotham Sports app will feature a live stats package, free-to-play real-time games and a rewards loyalty program.
“The new Gotham Sports app introduces GAME's best-in-class technology to deliver a significantly enhanced fan experience, showcasing the best of New York sports all in one place,” YES Network CEO John Ritenour said in a statement.