Once fierce competitors in the New York/New Jersey tri-state area, YES Network and MSG Network are coming together with a broader streaming vision in mind.is
According to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment (GAME) is the entity created by the two networks, and the goal for the new company is to have the ability to offer streaming services to third parties nationwide.
YES and MSG already have direct-to-consumer offerings, and the hope is to be able to lend the technology driving those platforms to others in the space.
“As we continue to capitalize on the momentum created by YES’ award-winning digital offerings, we look forward to collaborating with MSG Networks to further elevate the fan experience,” YES Network CEO Jon Litner said in a statement. “With the launch of GAME, we are excited to develop new product offerings, and premium features and functionality, to serve audiences like never before, while also providing a scalable tech solution for third-party content owners seeking to deliver state-of-the-art streaming experiences to their customers.”
“This joint venture with YES will combine the streaming expertise of two of the largest regional sports networks in the country,” MSG Networks president and CEO Andrea Greenberg said. “With the formation of GAME, we seek to marry our collective insight, expertise and best-in-class technology not only to explore enhancements to our own products, but also to offer other networks, teams and sports properties an efficient way to launch a state-of-the-art streaming service.”
There’s speculation that this new venture could ultimately lead to all of the New York and New Jersey teams in YES and MSG territory being made available on one central platform without a cable subscription.
Fans wanting to watch games on the YES app directly pay $24.99 a month currently, while subscribers to MSG+ pay $29.99 a month. So there’s potential there to save fans money if the two apps come together.
