On Thursday, the YES Network and MSG Networks announced a new joint venture that will “capitalize on technical and operational synergies associated with YES’ and MSGN’s streaming services.”
The venture, called Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment (GAME), aims to “offer turn-key digital content distribution services, including platform technology, operational support and comprehensive data analytics” to clients.
The CEOs of both YES and MSG, New York’s two most prominent regional sports networks (RSNs), issued statements about GAME.
“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,” said Jon Litner, CEO of the YES Network. “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.”
Andrea Greenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of MSG Networks, said: “This joint venture with YES will combine the streaming expertise of two of the largest regional sports networks in the country. 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. We are excited to partner with YES to create solutions for third-party content providers looking for a seamless way to reach new audiences.”
Reporting on GAME’s launch, the New York Post opined that this could eventually lead to a combined direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service between YES and MSG, covering all New York teams aside from the Mets (whose games air on SNY). MSG’s Greenberg told the Post that “it’s just a little too early to talk about what this will ultimately look like, but suffice it to say, we are going to explore all avenues for elevating the customer experience.”
More than anything, this seems like a way for YES and MSG to line their pockets a bit more and help smaller RSNs get direct-to-consumer streaming services off the ground. Take MASN for instance, which was eons behind the competition in even launching authenticated, in-market streaming. Partnering with a company like GAME could take much of the pain of launching a DTC streaming service off the table.
We could see similar situations in Seattle, where the Mariners bought out Warner Bros. Discovery’s remaining stake in Root Sports Northwest to take full control over the RSN, and Denver, where the Kroenke-owned Altitude Sports and Entertainment has been involved in numerous carriage disputes over the years with several providers and still hasn’t launched a DTC service for fans of the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets.
[GAME]
