Full Breakdown
DAZN to Become Exclusive Streaming Home for MSG and YES Networks
7/30/2026, 1:02:18 AM
Core Transition for New York Sports Streaming
MSG Networks and the YES Network announced on July 29, 2026 that DAZN will serve as the exclusive direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform for all non-national broadcasts of the teams carried by the two regional sports networks. The migration will begin with the 2026-27 NBA and NHL seasons and will replace the Gotham Sports app, which launched in 2024 as a joint streaming venture. Current Gotham subscribers will retain uninterrupted access during the transition, after which they will be redirected to DAZN. Pay-TV subscribers who receive MSG or YES through their cable or satellite packages will continue to view the same content on DAZN at no additional charge.
Background & Context
The Gotham Sports app was created by MSG and YES in 2024 to bundle their regional sports rights. Technical glitches and mixed subscriber metrics prompted both networks to seek a partner with greater scale. DAZN, a London-based platform backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, has expanded its U.S. footprint through combat-sports and international soccer rights and is now targeting the American regional-sports market. The deal follows a broader industry shift as traditional RSNs confront cord-cutting pressures and look for sustainable digital distribution models.
Data & Statistics
- Gotham Sports app pricing: $34.99 per month or $299.99 per year for the combined YES/MSG bundle.
- MSG’s 2025-26 rights-fee reductions: Knicks fee cut 28 % (from $148.02 M to $106.56 M) and Rangers fee cut 18 % (from roughly $50 M to $41 M).
- YES reported a 33 % year-over-year increase in streaming audience after early-2026 price adjustments.
- DAZN streams more than 140,000 live events annually and airs 185+ fight nights each year.
Official Statements & Responses
DAZN CEO Shay Segev called the partnership “a defining moment” for the company’s U.S. expansion. MSG Networks senior vice-president Kevin Marotta highlighted DAZN’s “state-of-the-art platform.” YES Network president Jon Litner said the move continues the network’s dedication to elevating the streaming experience for DTC subscribers. MSG Networks’ spokesperson said the exact migration timeline will be announced in the coming months and that linear or digital programming will otherwise remain unchanged.
Why It Matters
The agreement illustrates the accelerating decline of the traditional regional-sports-network model and the rise of global streaming platforms as custodians of local broadcast rights. By securing the New York market—home to the Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders, Devils and Sabres—DAZN gains a high-profile foothold that could bolster its bid for the NBA’s planned centralized local-rights hub in 2027-28. For MSG and YES, the partnership provides technological stability and a potential revenue stream through undisclosed rights fees and shared advertising, addressing recent financial pressures on the networks.
