A blackout of MSG Networks on Optimum has left New York Knicks fans frustrated and angry, especially during a historic season for the team. The dispute has sparked outrage among fans, celebrities, and even politicians, who call for a swift resolution. Fans are forced to seek alternative ways to watch games, highlighting the struggles of cord-cutters and the increasing complexity of accessing live sports.
Weary New York sports fans have earned this joy. The consolation prize for fans who are still paying full price for this insult? They can pay an extra $30 a month for the Gotham sports app. Gee, thanks. The Knicks are having a marquee season: For the first time since 1975, they have two starters on the All-Star team. But Optimum fans can’t watch it play out. My X feed is filled with angry fans literally screaming, “I want My MSG .
” Fox Sports personality Craig Carton and actor Hank Azaria are among the celebrities who have sounded off. Politicians across the tri-state, including all three I am hearing from friends and friends of friends. Nonstop. They feel ripped off, slighted and like Optimum is flipping them the bird. New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James, along with her counterparts in Connecticut and New Jersey, have called for a quick resolution to the MSG blackout on Optimum. Jeremy Allen, a 29-year-old recruiter in East Meadow, Long Island, told me, “Sports is the only reason I have cable and now I can’t even watch the games. I guess I was naive thinking it would get resolved right away. What a rude awakening.” The die-hard Knicks fan is shopping options. But he spent his Christmas vacation on the phone with Optimum. “I said, ‘Look, you dropped my channel.’ They kept telling me what I did have.” When he told them he was switching providers, he said, Optimum kept him on the phone for 90 minutes, offering discounts. He still left. “I am a teacher, so I was off that week and had the time,” Lella said. “My friends, who are too busy with work to deal with this nonsense, are angry. When I went to turn in my equipment, there were literally 20 other people there doing the same because they can’t get MSG.” “My Long Island friends are totally screwed. I’m the only one on my text chains who can actually watch the games,” he said. “My best friend sits in his car in his driveway in the freezing cold and listens to the Knicks games on the radio. It’s insane.” “Good Knicks seasons don’t grow on trees,” Johnson pointed out. “And devoted fans are being deprived. They are being held hostage by a couple corporate types.” online. On Tuesday, MSG Networks offered a truce in the form of third-party arbitration. Optimum called it a “nothing more than a PR stunt.” Look, I’m not in the boardroom. I’m that person in the living room. Most of us are. And we just want the simple pleasure of watching our local teams, not watching our bank accounts dwindle as we add streaming service after streaming service, simply to have access.
Knicks MSG Optimum Sports Blackout Cord Cutting Live Sports
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MSG Networks Go Dark for Optimum Customers in New York Amidst Carriage DisputeMSG Networks, which broadcasts local games for New York teams like the Knicks, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders, has gone black for Optimum cable TV subscribers due to a fee dispute. The blackout coincides with the Knicks' successful eight-game winning streak.
Read more »
MSG Networks Goes Dark for Optimum Customers in New YorkA carriage dispute between Altice USA and MSG Networks has led to a blackout of MSG channels for Optimum cable TV customers in New York, impacting viewers who want to watch local NBA Knicks and NHL games.
Read more »
Optimum and MSG Networks Break Off Negotiations, Leaving Customers Without Local SportsNegotiations between Optimum and MSG Networks have collapsed, leaving Optimum customers without access to Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, and Devils games. MSG Networks accuses Optimum of walking away from the table and charging customers for content they are not receiving, while Optimum claims MSG is demanding unreasonable fees and refusing to negotiate in good faith.
Read more »
Optimum and MSG Networks Feud Over FeesOptimum and MSG Networks are locked in a battle over programming fees, potentially jeopardizing access to Knicks, Devils, and Rangers games for Optimum TV subscribers.
Read more »
MSG Networks and Optimum Threaten Cable Blackout for Knicks, Rangers FansA potential carriage dispute between MSG Networks and Optimum could lead to a blackout of New York Knicks and Rangers games for subscribers in 2025. Optimum, part of Altice, accuses MSG Networks of demanding exorbitant fees and forcing unwanted channels on customers. MSG Networks counters that Altice is refusing to offer market terms.
Read more »
MSG Networks Blackout Hits Optimum Customers, Knicks Games AffectedA carriage dispute between Altice USA's Optimum cable TV service and MSG Networks resulted in a blackout of local New York sports channels, including those airing Knicks games.
Read more »