MSG Launches In-Market Streaming; New Tech Stack Powers New Flexibility The app is intended for both DTC consumers and cable subscribers By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Monday, October 16, 2023 - 2:09 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
It's a fresh new season for NBA and NHL fans, and, for those in the New York City area, there is a fresh new way to catch their favorite Tri-State-area teams: MSG , a new app from MSG Networks, features a new tech stack, the ability to subscribe per game vs. per month or year, and much more. It is also a single app experience designed for both DTC consumers and cable subscribers, who can access content via authentication.
We decided to combine [the DTC and cable] audiences into one app and focus on one premium experience, says David Schafer, SVP, product, technology and operations, MSG Networks. We were determined to develop one premium experience for our fans, regardless if they were a cable subscriber or a fan that wants to engage with us directly. This approach has enabled our teams to focus on our single mission without juggling various products and also mitigates risk with one product and one technical stack.
Subscribers will be able to access New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devil games broadcast on MSG across the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut). The Buffalo Sabres are also available on MSG in Western New York. Authenticated cable subscribers can access the action for free, and fans without cable can buy individual games for $9.99, a monthly subscription for $29.99, or a full-year subscription for $309.99. The app also features full season schedules and allows users to set reminders to subscribe to a game or tune in.
Having one app (MSG is currently available for iOS v15 and above for iPhone/iPad, Android v9 and above for Android phones or tablets, via the web, or on Samsung, AndroidTV, and Apple TV) and one technical stack offers efficiencies that ultimately make the experience better for the internal team and the fan. According to Schafer, the previous MSG GO tech stack dated to 2013, and, although it was stable, an entirely new stack opens up many new possibilities for services and more.
To build out a new tech stack, says Schafer, we engaged with premium partners - such as Intive, Quickplay, Harmonic, Evergent, mParticle, and Mixpanel - and continue to leverage our existing partnership with Freewheel.
He believes that, while engaging with many third-party vendors instead of relying on internal teams can present challenges, nurturing a culture as one team is crucial, with full transparency and open communication lines.
There are different approaches to outsourcing, including a full turnkey approach, Schafer notes, but MSG went down that path of driving the detailed roadmap with clear prioritization and managing resources across our partners. I believe this approach has led to our early success and is evident in the product and one cohesive team.
At the center of the experience are the live games. The home screen emphasizes upcoming games, with the promo rail graphics dominating the screen and the navigation.
That app will be curated every day, pointing to our live events, channels, and extensive library, says Schafer. As we approach game time, the experience will transition to that day's live game coverage and the content that surrounds that event, such as studio shows, player profiles, live stats and odds, and highlights. But, if a fan prefers a more laid-back approach, a user is never more than one or two clicks to our live channels MSG, MSGSN, MSG2, or MSG2SN.
The tech stack also can support future enhancements - HDR, 4K, interactive elements - but the focus for now is a live-game experience.
We had a short runway to build MSG and wanted to successfully deliver a high-quality, stable experience, he says. So we focused on what was most important, and that is the live game and our channels. We have a long list of future roadmap items, such as more personalization and audience-retention experiences, but we will make decisions as we start to see engagement data.
Fans will also be able to find highlights and condensed games.
We are thrilled to have partnered with WSC Sports to deliver automated highlights, with quick turnarounds on packages like condensed quarters and games, says Schafer. Our users can restart a game or have the ability to instantly view quarter or period recaps, along with full-game recaps after the game.
A soft launch this summer gave the internal team and vendor partners a chance to make any tweaks before the start of the NHL season, which began last week, and the NBA season, which tips off on Oct. 24.
Given that we deliver five teams across five geographical zones, Schafer adds, the tech stack is flexible, agile, and scalable. We modeled the same approach that Discovery had with the DTC services delivering across multiple international territories. Having zones is an interesting aspect to the architecture we've built: it's not just about new product features but also the ability to scale up and down as we see fit.
Helping in those efforts is a dedicated streaming-product and tech team and a content-publishing team that leverages content created for the linear network and sports teams.
Says Schafer, The company has been extremely supportive in developing and delivering this new experience.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
MSG Launches In-Market Streaming; New Tech Stack Powers New Flexibility The app is intended for both DTC consumers and cable subscribers By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
