While MSG Stalls and Refuses to Give Fans a Financial Break – Optimum Has Ways for Customers to Watch the Knicks, Islanders, Devils, and Rangers
Optimum has issued a statement addressing the ongoing dispute with MSG Networks over programming costs and distribution. The company criticizes MSG's demand for high fees from all customers, including non-viewers, while highlighting alternative viewing options for sports fans.
Optimum emphasizes its commitment to providing affordable programming and reveals it offered to absorb MSG's price demands if allowed to package content more flexibly. However, MSG rejected multiple deal proposals. To address the situation, Optimum is offering solutions to help offset costs of the Gotham Sports app for fans wanting to watch Knicks, Islanders, Devils, and Rangers games, while also providing new affordable packages for non-sports viewers.
Optimum ha rilasciato una dichiarazione riguardante la controversia in corso con MSG Networks sui costi di programmazione e distribuzione. L'azienda critica la richiesta di MSG di elevate tariffe da tutti i clienti, inclusi quelli che non guardano, evidenziando al contempo opzioni alternative di visione per gli appassionati di sport.
Optimum sottolinea il suo impegno a fornire programmazioni convenienti e rivela di aver offerto di assorbire le richieste di prezzo di MSG se fosse stata autorizzata a raggruppare i contenuti in modo più flessibile. Tuttavia, MSG ha respinto più proposte commerciali. Per affrontare la situazione, Optimum sta offrendo soluzioni per aiutare a compensare i costi dell'app Gotham Sports per i fan che desiderano vedere le partite di Knicks, Islanders, Devils e Rangers, mentre offre anche nuovi pacchetti a prezzi accessibili per coloro che non seguono gli sport.
Optimum ha emitido un comunicado sobre la disputa en curso con MSG Networks respecto a los costos de programación y distribución. La compañía critica la exigencia de MSG de altas tarifas a todos los clientes, incluidos los que no ven, mientras resalta las opciones de visualización alternativas para los aficionados al deporte.
Optimum enfatiza su compromiso de ofrecer programación asequible y revela que ofreció absorber las demandas de precios de MSG si se le permitía empaquetar el contenido de manera más flexible. Sin embargo, MSG rechazó múltiples propuestas de trato. Para abordar la situación, Optimum está ofreciendo soluciones para ayudar a compensar los costos de la aplicación Gotham Sports para los fanáticos que desean ver los partidos de Knicks, Islanders, Devils y Rangers, al mismo tiempo que ofrece nuevos paquetes asequibles para aquellos que no son aficionados a los deportes.
옵티머스가 MSG 네트웍스와의 프로그램 비용 및 배급에 대한 진행 중인 분쟁에 대해 성명을 발표했습니다. 이 회사는 비시청자를 포함해 모든 고객에게 높은 요금을 요구하는 MSG의 요구를 비판하며 스포츠 팬들을 위한 대체 시청 옵션을 강조했습니다.
옵티머스는 저렴한 프로그램 제공에 대한 의지를 강조하며 MSG의 가격 요구를 수용할 의향이 있다고 밝혔으나 더 유연하게 콘텐츠를 패키지할 수 있게 해달라고 요청했습니다. 하지만 MSG는 여러 거래 제안을 거부했습니다. 상황을 해결하기 위해 옵티머스는 Knick, Islanders, Devils 및 Rangers 경기를 시청하고자 하는 팬들을 위해 고담 스포츠 앱의 비용을 보조하는 솔루션을 제공하고, 스포츠를 보지 않는 고객을 위한 새로운 저렴한 패키지 또한 제공하고 있습니다.
Optimum a publié un communiqué concernant le différend en cours avec MSG Networks sur les coûts de programmation et de distribution. L'entreprise critique la demande de MSG pour des frais élevés de la part de tous les clients, y compris ceux qui ne regardent pas, tout en soulignant les options de visionnage alternatives pour les fans de sport.
Optimum souligne son engagement à fournir une programmation abordable et révèle avoir proposé d'absorber les demandes de prix de MSG si elle était autorisée à regrouper le contenu de manière plus flexible. Cependant, MSG a rejeté plusieurs propositions d'accord. Pour remédier à la situation, Optimum propose des solutions pour aider à compenser les coûts de la gotham sports app pour les fans souhaitant regarder les matchs des Knicks, Islanders, Devils et Rangers, tout en offrant de nouveaux forfaits abordables pour les non-fans de sport.
Optimum hat eine Erklärung zur laufenden Auseinandersetzung mit MSG Networks über Programmierkosten und Verteilung veröffentlicht. Das Unternehmen kritisiert MSGs Forderung nach hohen Gebühren von allen Kunden, einschließlich Nicht-Zuschauern, und hebt gleichzeitig alternative Viewing-Optionen für Sportfans hervor.
Optimum betont sein Engagement, erschwingliche Programme anzubieten, und verrät, dass es angeboten hat, MSGs Preisforderungen anzunehmen, wenn es erlaubt wird, Inhalte flexibler zu bündeln. MSG hat jedoch mehrere Geschäftsangebote abgelehnt. Um die Situation zu lösen, bietet Optimum Lösungen an, um die Kosten der Gotham Sports App für Fans zu kompensieren, die Spiele der Knicks, Islanders, Devils und Rangers sehen möchten, und bietet gleichzeitig neue erschwingliche Pakete für Nicht-Sport-Zuschauer an.
- Offering cost-offset solutions for customers to access MSG content through Gotham Sports app
- Developing new affordable video packages for non-sports viewers
- Maintaining flexibility to customize viewing packages per customer needs
- Loss of direct MSG Networks content from Optimum's programming lineup
- Potential customer dissatisfaction and churn risk due to content unavailability
- Failed negotiations with MSG Networks affecting sports content accessibility
Insights
This dispute between Optimum (ATUS) and MSG Networks represents a critical shift in the content distribution landscape. The core issue centers on MSG's traditional carriage fee model, which forces all subscribers to subsidize sports content regardless of viewership. The situation exemplifies the growing tension between legacy broadcasting models and modern consumption patterns.
Looking at the numbers, MSG's sports content typically commands premium carriage fees of
The strategic implications for ATUS are mixed. While refusing MSG's terms may help control programming costs short-term, the risk of subscriber churn among sports fans could offset these savings. However, Optimum's approach of offering targeted solutions and cost offsets for sports streaming services represents an innovative adaptation to evolving market dynamics.
The standoff with MSG Networks presents both risks and opportunities for ATUS's financial outlook. With a market cap of
The company's strategy to offset streaming costs for affected customers while developing new packages for non-sports viewers could help optimize content expenses. However, this approach may pressure near-term margins as customer retention costs increase. Historical patterns suggest that similar carriage disputes typically result in
For investors, this situation highlights ATUS's efforts to adapt its business model to changing consumer preferences while managing costs. The outcome of this dispute could set important precedents for future content negotiations and the company's ability to maintain pricing power in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
One Click, Call, or Chat to Optimum and We Can Review Your Options to Help You Watch Your Favorite Teams Right Away and Get the Content You Want at an Affordable Price
“At Optimum, we have a clear mission: to provide the programming that our customers want and give it to them at an affordable price. The problem: MSG Networks demanded that customers who don’t watch their content – who are the majority – have to pay for it anyway AND demanded that all customers pay an exorbitant amount in fees to carry its content.
Now more than ever, especially in this economy, it is unfair for MSG Networks to demand non-viewers to pay and demand high license fees, especially when there are ways for fans to get games directly from MSG through their direct-to-consumer Gotham Sports app.
While we all wait for MSG to stop stalling and to give fans a needed financial break, Optimum is working on ways for everyone to see the games. We have a comprehensive toolkit of options to take care of our customers to ensure they get what they want based on their unique circumstances.
For fans, this includes offers to help offset and defray the costs of Gotham Sports and other services so they can keep watching their favorite teams.
And for the hundreds of thousands of non-sports fans, we have new affordable and customer-friendly-video packages that get them the content they want and need.
Consumer viewing habits have changed dramatically over the last few years, and we know that content is not one size fits all, so we are tailoring our offerings to meet customer needs individually. That’s why we want customers to call us directly — to understand what’s important to them and continue to support their viewing and entertainment interests accordingly.
At Optimum, we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of options to suit our customers and our team is ready to help customers find the best packages for them. Just call us at 888-347-4784, chat with us or visit www.optimum.com/MSG to learn more.”
Additional information on the negotiations with MSG Networks:
Optimum offered to absorb MSG Networks’ egregious price demands if we could package its content in a way that would give more flexibility and control to our customers, so that fans could continue to watch and pay for their content while non-viewers would not be forced to pay for what they don’t watch. MSG Networks said no and refused multiple offers from us to reach a deal.
It is no secret that viewership for sports has become increasingly fragmented across countless streaming platforms and services. Yet MSG Networks continues to squeeze its viewers for more money to watch their content, refusing to evolve or deviate from a broken model that is outdated based on the evolution of the entertainment industry, is anti-consumer, and unsustainable in today’s programming landscape.
Optimum wants to partner with programmers who put customer choice and flexibility at the center of every decision. We are disappointed in MSG Networks, but most importantly, sorry that our customers have to experience this change, which is why Optimum is working directly with customers to provide alternate viewing options to ensure that they never have to miss a game.
About Optimum
Optimum is a brand of Altice USA, one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250101662875/en/
Media:
Stephen Stokes
(917) 553-0667
stephen.stokes@optimum.com
Source: Altice USA
FAQ
How can Optimum customers watch MSG Networks content after the blackout?
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Why did Optimum remove MSG Networks from its programming?
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