By Hank Russell
Nearly two months after Optimum shut out MSG Network from its lineup, both the cable company and sports channel reached a carriage deal. As a result, the three MSG Network channels — MSG Network, MSG SportsNet and MSG + — are now back on the air. The channels carry the New York Knicks, the New York Islanders, the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres.
No specific terms of the agreement were released.
As previously reported by Long Island Life & Politics, local elected officials called on both sides to reach an agreement. Attorney General Letitia James and the attorneys general from New Jersey and Connecticut also demanded that Altice — which owns Optimum — to refund MSG Network customers.
The agreement is a carriage deal, which is an agreement between content providers — that is, networks, studios or production companies — and distributors, such as cable or satellite providers. As part of the agreement, the distributor agrees to carry the content on its platform for a fee. In addition, the provider grants the distributor access to its programming.
MSG Network posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account this joint statement: “MSG Networks and Optimum are pleased to announce they have reached an agreement for the relaunch of MSG Networks in Optimum video lineups.
“MSG Networks and Optimum would like to thank everyone for their patience as we partnered to reach this new agreement to benefit our fans and Optimum subscribers.”
Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement, “After 52 days in the penalty box, New York sports fans will finally be able to watch the Knicks, Rangers and Islanders again. Optimum and MSG Networks have ended the corporate dispute and service will be restored before tonight’s face-off between the Rangers and the Sabres. This long-overdue step comes after I directed the Department of Public Service to call for public hearings on how consumers are being shortchanged by weeks of corporate bickering. I’m going to keep fighting like hell for New York consumers — no matter which team they root for.”