Editor’s Pick
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Watch MSG Network Online: Streaming Plans for New York Sports Fans
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Written by Frank Moraes Senior Content Editor
Living in the New York area, watching local sports teams like the Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers is a breeze through MSG Network’s streaming platform. I’ve found it to be one of the most comprehensive and convenient ways to catch the games, especially through services like Fubo and DIRECTV, which offer better value than traditional cable packages.
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Streaming Services with MSG Network
MSG Network is available on Fubo and DIRECTV if you’re within a supported broadcast region — this includes parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. After signing up, download the free app onto your chosen streaming device, log in, and start watching.
As well as MSG Network, both Fubo’s and DIRECTV’s plans provide MSG Sportsnet, YES Network, and SportsNet NY, so you can watch almost all tri-state area sports teams with one subscription. They come with unlimited cloud-based DVRs, let you watch on more screens than you could possibly own, and work on almost any streaming device (eg, smart TVs, mobile devices, Roku, Amazon Fire, etc.).
MSG+
MSG Network has its own dedicated streaming service, MSG+. This provides all live MSG channels and covers games from pretty much every sports team in the New York area.
MSG+ costs $30/mo or $280/year, which I think is expensive if you’re only a fan of one or two teams. I found it cheaper to buy one-off game passes, especially if you’re unlikely to watch more than three games per month, as these cost $9.99 each.
As of August 2024, MSG+ is only available in The Gotham Sports App. This works on iOS and Android mobile devices, Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku TV, and web browsers.
Where Is MSG Network Available
MSG Network is only available to viewers within its broadcast region (even if you’re subscribed to a streaming service that offers it). This area roughly covers:
- New York: Entire state
- Connecticut: Western half of the state including Hartford
- Pennsylvania: Only the very northeastern tip of the state
- New Jersey: Northern part of the state including Newark but not even as south as Princeton.
MSG Network Content
MSG Network is short for Madison Square Gardens Network. It features pro and amateur sport events at (unsurprisingly) Madison Square Gardens and the surrounding areas.
The network has two primary channels: MSG Network and MSG SportsNet (formerly MSG+). When more than two games are happening simultaneously, or there’s additional content to broadcast, it also has two overspill channels: MSG2 and MSG Sportsnet 2.
Pro Sports
MSG’s game and team coverage can vary depending on your location. But I’ve found it’s usually reliable for most New York-area sports teams, including:
- New York Yankees (MLB)
- Brooklyn Nets (NBA)
- New York Knicks (NBA)
- New Jersey Devils (NHL)
- New York Islanders (NHL)
- New York Rangers (NHL)
- Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
MSG provides pregame and postgame shows too, most notably for Rangers and Knicks games.
Note that playoff games are not broadcast on MSG (these are reserved for national channels).
MSG also airs the New York Riptide professional box lacrosse team’s events and features content about the New York Giants (but doesn’t show any of their games).
Amateur Sports
MSG Network broadcasts lots of NCAA events as well. The conferences it features most are:
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
- America East Conference
- Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
- Northeast conference games.
I’ve also seen football and basketball games from Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC. And MSG will occasionally cover high school sports and analysis.
Note that MSG doesn’t broadcast nationally televised games, so if a game is on NBC or ESPN, you’ll need to watch it there. Fubo and DIRECTV both offer all the national sports channels with MSG though, meaning you should be covered.
Our Choice
Listen in, fellow New York sports fan! Looking for the best way to catch all the action on MSG Network? Forget sorting through cable packages – Fubo is your MVP. Here’s why: it’s the most affordable option that lets you watch MSG Network live, and it comes with a whole bunch of other sports channels, all in one place. That means you can ditch the cable bill and still catch every game, from the Knicks and Rangers to local college matchups, without breaking the bank. Plus, Fubo’s interface is super user-friendly, so you can be streaming your favorite teams in minutes, no sweat. So ditch the cable hassle and sign up for Fubo – your MSG Network viewing experience just got a whole lot better!
Editor’s Choice: Fubo ($79.99/month)
Best for: Widest range of sports networks.
- 185+ channels, including 50+ sports channels and RSNs in most locations.
- Stream on up to 10 devices at once.
- Unlimited cloud DVR included.
- Free trial available.
Runner Up: DIRECTV ($64.99/month)
Best for: Largest coverage of RNSs.
- Most RSNs across the country.
- 125+ channels, including local channels.
- Watch on an unlimited number of screens.
- Free trial available.
Budget Pick: MSG+ ($30/mo or $9.99/game pass)
Best for: Watching individual games for the lowest price.
- Live coverage of almost every team or match in the New York area.
- Only pay for the games you want to watch.
- Even the monthly fee is cheaper than other full streaming services.
FAQs
How can I watch MSG for free?
You can’t watch MSG for free other than by visiting a friend who has it. MSG Network is a paid service. It doesn’t broadcast over the air; you must get it from a provider. If you find MSG streaming online for free, it is an illegal stream and we highly recommend avoiding it. Read more about streaming scams.
What happened to MSG+?
MSG+ used to be the name of the second MSG Network channel. But it was changed on September 26th, 2022 to MSG SportsNet. As of 2023, MSG+ is the name of the MSG Network DTC streaming service. Here is a list of the names the channel has had over the past decades:
- 1976: Cablevision Sports 3
- 1979: SportsChannel New York
- 1998: Fox Sports New York
- 1999: Fox Sports Net New York
- 2004: FSN New York
- 2008: MSG Plus
- 2022: MSG SportsNet.
Does MSG broadcast Red Bulls games?
MSG used to broadcast Red Bulls games. In 2023, Major League Soccer took greater control of its broadcasting rights. You can now watch all matches through MLS Season Pass. It is available for $14.99/mo or $99.99 for the year and has no blackouts so you can watch whatever games you like.
Update history
This page was revised 9 times between July 2021 and June 2023.
Added material about MSG+ streaming service.
Added streaming info. Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Image changes. Cleaned up list. Removed section. Deleted unneeded sub-section.
Added some more links. Changed a few bits of content.
Added buttons for streaming services. Added VPN info. Image changes. Pricing updates. Linking.
Added new section. Added sub-section. Updated one section. Cross linking. Image changes.
Added links to streaming services. Added sub-section. Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Linking.
Added sub-section. Pricing updates. Image changes. Added a few links. Removed section.
Added new section. Added links to streaming services. Added sub-section. Updated some sub-sections. Mentioned offers. Image changes.
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Frank was the Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com and an expert in sports streaming, specializing in out-of-market games and regional sports networks.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
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