DAZN becomes exclusive streaming home for YES and MSG Networks
DAZN will carry YES and MSG Networks streams, moving Yankees, Knicks, Rangers and more New York-area games off Gotham Sports App.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
The DAZN YES MSG streaming deal puts two of New York’s biggest regional sports networks under a new digital roof, with DAZN becoming the exclusive streaming home for YES Network and MSG Networks, according to a Wednesday announcement.
DAZN will add the networks’ live linear channels and on-demand programming in the coming months, timed around the start of the 2026-27 NHL and NBA seasons. The exact switch date has not been set, according to the announcement.
The move shifts YES and MSG away from Gotham Sports App, the joint streaming service that had carried the networks’ direct-to-consumer offering.
What does DAZN’s YES and MSG deal mean for fans?
Fans who subscribe to YES or MSG through a pay-TV provider will be able to stream the programming through DAZN without paying an additional fee, according to the announcement.
For direct streaming customers, the deal means DAZN will become the place to watch the networks’ live feeds and on-demand shows once the migration from Gotham Sports App is complete. The announcement did not give a precise launch date.
The sports lineup is the big swing here. YES carries New York Yankees games, while MSG Networks has the Knicks and Rangers. The networks also carry the Brooklyn Nets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres.
Regional sports networks are local sports channels built around team rights in specific markets. Their business has been squeezed as more viewers cancel traditional cable packages, pushing networks to build streaming options for fans who still want local games.
DAZN, backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, has broad sports rights outside the United States. In the U.S., Deadline reported, the service has been more of a niche player, with a focus on boxing and soccer.
The New York deal gives DAZN a larger foothold in one of the country’s most valuable sports markets. It also puts the company in the middle of the regional sports streaming race at a moment when teams, networks and media companies are still testing how local games should be sold online.
DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev said in a statement that the agreement is “a defining moment” for the company and shows its push to grow in the United States.
YES Network CEO Jon Litner said the partnership reflects the network’s effort to improve streaming for direct-to-consumer subscribers and TV Everywhere users.
Kevin Marotta, senior vice president of content and marketing at MSG Networks, said the company was pleased to offer fans MSG Networks content on DAZN’s platform.
The Gotham Sports App had drawn complaints on social media, Deadline reported. The change also reflects a broader challenge for regional sports networks: running a standalone streaming service can be expensive and difficult, even for well-known networks in a major market.
ESPN executives have also discussed adding regional sports network programming since Disney launched ESPN’s flagship streaming service last summer, according to Deadline. For now, DAZN has made the more concrete move in New York.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.