New York yankees, National
YES

MSG has made the direct-to-consumer leap as the clock ticks on YES Network ahead of Opening Day.

MSG+ will launch this summer, according to Sportico. Fans will be able to stream the Knicks and Rangers, plus the Devils, Islanders and Sabres, for $10 a game or $30 a month. The service will only be available to “those in or around the New York area.”

This is good news for cord cutters. But it only means so much given it will not take effect until next season. Things could — should? — be much different with the anticipated YES platform. The Post reported on January 30 the network was hoping to have a DTC package by the Yankees’ season opener against the Giants on March 30, but only if it was ready for primetime.

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It is now March 1. Four weeks to go. No announcement yet, but also not yet time for concern. But we are getting close.

YES going DTC will be a massive game-changer. It has become almost impossible to watch the Bombers in the post-cable world. The network is not on any major streaming service and not everyone wants to go cloak and dagger and spam MLB.TV with a VPN. While we love listening to John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman, sometimes you want to see the action. And the Audacy app stinks. Plus the Yankees have to be worried about a demographics game since the Mets and SNY are available at pretty much every corner.

YES got Paul O’Neill back in the booth. It can get DTC launched by first pitch. Get it done.

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James Kratch can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.

James Kratch is the managing editor of ESNY. He previously worked as a Rutgers and Giants (and Mike Francesa) beat reporter for NJ Advance Media.