New York area fans hoping to stream Yankees games in the summer and Knicks and Rangers games in the winter will now have one more place to do so.
Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment (GAME), the digital-focused joint venture between MSG Networks and YES Networks, announced Wednesday that the soon-to-launch Gotham Sports app will be the exclusive regional online service for its properties, which also include the Brooklyn Nets, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.
Cable TV subscribers will be able to authenticate their status and stream games through the app. Other subscribers can subscribe separately to MSG+ ($30 per month, $280 per year) or YES ($25 per month, $240 per year), or get a “Gotham package” that offers both services for $42 per month, $360 per year. MSG+ will continue to offer a separate Game Pass for $10.
“The Gotham Sports app will give our teams' fans easy access to New York area sporting events from MSG Network and YES Network in one place,” Andrea Greenberg, president and CEO of MSG Network, said in a statement.
The switch is expected to take place between the end of the Yankees' regular season and the start of the NBA and NHL regular seasons. Initially, the new app will be available on iOS and Android mobile devices, Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku TV-based platforms, as well as on the web.
YES and MSG first announced the overall joint venture in January. GAME was also formed to work with third parties interested in leveraging the technical know-how of the two larger RSN companies, although no such projects have been made public.
The Gotham Sports app will integrate features such as live stats, free games and a 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.
More NHL and NBA teams are announcing over-the-air partnerships or their own direct-to-consumer products this offseason, but the long-term outlook for Diamond Sports Group and cable bundles overall remains unclear. The New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers are among the franchises trying out new strategies this year.