MSG Networks Says Still on Target to Launch Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Q1 Next Year

Good news for Rangers, Knicks, Devils, and Islanders fans – you will soon have a new option to stream games.

While MSG Networks had originally planned to launch its own streaming service prior to the end of 2022, earlier this year, the company announced that it had pushed the release until early 2023.

During Wednesday’s quarterly earnings call, MSG Networks’ president and CEO Andrea Greenberg confirmed that the network was still on track for the new target. “We are progressing in the design and development of our direct-to-consumer offering, and remain on track to launch in the second half of the current NBA and NHL seasons,” she said.

While MSG Networks hasn’t yet released details of the service, ahead of the 2022-23 NHL and NBA seasons, MSG+, changed its name to MSG Sportsnet (MSGSN), presumedly since the company will use the “Plus” as part of their new direct-to-consumer (DTC) service’s name.

The company has already seen some success on the streaming front. On the call, Greenberg said that MSG Go, the company’s TV Everywhere streaming app for authenticated customers, “had all-time high levels of viewership and engagement.”

For in-market customers, MSG and MSGSN are available to stream on both DIRECTV STREAM, as part of its $89.99 per month CHOICE package and fuboTV, as part of its $69.99 per month Pro Plan.

While pricing has not been revealed for MSG’s streaming service – there are a few comparable services already on the market. Bally Sports+, which offers in-market access to Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) costs $19.99 per month or $189.99 annually. NESN360, which offers in-market access to the RSN covering the Red Sox and Bruins, costs $29.99 monthly or $329.99 per year.

The one challenge that MSG will face is that unlike NESN and Bally Sports (in some markets), there is no live sports content on the channel for nearly four months over the summer since MSG Network doesn’t have any baseball broadcasting rights. But given that we are just a few months away from the second half of the NBA and NHL seasons, we will soon know the full details of what MSG has planned for streamers.