Arizona Coyotes Launch ‘Coyotes Central’ Streaming Service for In-Market Fans

When the Arizona Coyotes first broke away from Bally Sports Arizona to show their games on local broadcast channels, the team promised than an in-market streaming service was also forthcoming. That promise has now become a reality, as the NHL team announced on Friday, Feb. 16 that it was officially offering a new streamer for Arizona-area fans: Coyotes Central, which is available now.

• Coyotes Central will stream all Arizona Coyotes games not appearing on national TV channels.
• The service will cost $11.99 per month, or $24.99 for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
• Coyotes Central has been created by Kiswe, which is also responsible for the Suns Live service which carries the Phoenix Suns.

What is Coyotes Central?

Coyotes Central is a streaming platform intended especially for fans in the Arizona market. It will carry each and every Arizona Coyotes game not being shown on a national channel like ESPN or TNT, and the streamer will cost $11.99 per month, or $24.99 for the rest of the season. Fans will be able to watch highlights, analysis, and other content throughout the summer on Coyotes Central, but since the NHL regular season ends on April 18, fans who are only interested in viewing live regular-season games will be better off going month-to-month if they subscribe now. All Stanley Cup Playoff games air on national channels, and thus won’t be shown on Coyotes Central.

The Coyotes first departed from Bally Sports Arizona in October, when they decided to air their games on channel 15.2 (KNXV.2). This pulled the team off cable and placed them on local broadcast channels, widening the availability of the team and ensuring fans no longer needed an expensive pay-TV subscription to watch the team.

“We are excited to launch Coyotes Central, a new streaming platform that allows Arizona Coyotes fans to watch Coyotes games and original content at their convenience,” said Arizona Coyotes CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez. “This innovative direct-to-consumer option is a key component to our overall media strategy, and this partnership with Scripps Sports and Kiswe will enable us to deliver a flexible viewing option in our local broadcast market to our fans and ‘fans in waiting.”

What Other Arizona Sports Are Available on Local Broadcast Channels and In-Market Streamers?

The Phoenix Suns left Bally Sports Arizona in summer of 2023, and ever since have been shown on KTVK in the Phoenix market. That team also has an in-market streaming platform in Suns Live, which was created by the same company responsible for Coyotes Central: Kiswe.

Indeed, Kiswe stands ready to assist any team who wishes to create an in-market streaming service. Kiswe has been in the video business for more than a decade, and the company works with major international pop stars like BTS, social media content creators like Smosh and the Try Guys, and numerous sports teams and leagues around the world.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are also no longer partnered with Bally Sports Arizona, but they have not made their way to broadcast TV as of yet. MLB will continue to produce and distribute Diamondbacks games in 2024, and will likely seek its own partnerships with cable and satellite providers to keep games on cable as it did last season. The Diamondbacks will also likely stream with a special, in-market plan of MLB.TV this year, as the Colorado Rockies recently announced they would do.

The Coyotes may not be in the best position to push for the playoffs this year, but fans will want to give Coyotes Central a try if only to determine whether or not it’s the best option for their budget and needs. Coyotes Central is available now and will cost $11.99 per month or $24.99 for the rest of this season.