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 YES Network, will launch a new bundled app in the fall that will stream home games of 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 one package.
Gotham Sports app to launch before NBA and NHL seasons. Locals can 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 package that gives access to all those teams will cost $359.99 annually and $41.99 monthly, almost identical to the monthly price of Fox, Disney and Warner Bros. DiscoveryVenu's joint streaming service was blocked with a temporary injunction earlier this month.
Customers who only watch some of those teams can also purchase access to either 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 get Gotham Sports App services at no additional charge.
“With the increasing fragmentation of channels carrying fan-favorite sports programming, the Gotham Sports app allows fans of our teams an easy access point to New York area sporting events from MSG Networks and YES Network,” MSG Networks President and CEO Andrea Greenberg said in a press release.
It's worth noting that SportsNet New York, the regional sports network that broadcasts the New York Mets, is not included in this joint venture. It is only available through FuboTV, DirecTV streaming and online login for people who pay for cable.
Sterling Entertainment Companies, Comcast and Letter co-owner of SportsNet New York.
The regional sports broadcast business has undergone dramatic changes in recent years. The local Boston cable network that broadcast Red Sox and Bruins games launched the first standalone regional streaming service in 2022, with other markets following suit.
Diamond Sports Group, the largest owner of regional sports networks, filed for bankruptcy in March 2023, prompting many professional teams across all leagues to change the way they broadcast their games.
A handful of 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 opted to have the league produce their games.
The Gotham Sports app isn’t the first regional sports streaming option that New York metropolitan area residents have. Both YES Network and MSG Networks launched separate streaming services last year, and customers who only want one of the networks’ services and not the bundled package can pay a cheaper rate.
Not all new regional sports streaming services are following the subscription model. The NHL’s Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks announced that their games would be broadcast locally on Victory+, a free, ad-supported streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co.
Previously, both teams had their home games broadcast on a regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of CNBC.
