The Gotham Sports App is gone, folks. Finished. Kaput. DAZN locked down a multi-year deal with MSG Networks and YES Network, effectively kicking the popular streaming service right to the curb and shaking up the entire US sports media landscape. This agreement, beginning this fall, grants DAZN the rights to stream all non-national game broadcasts for the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Sabres, Yankees, and Nets. This isn’t some small move; it’s DAZN’s first significant step into the country’s domestic media rights, and it completely changed how fans will watch these teams.
The Chaos That Created This Chance
Remember earlier this year when Main Street Sports Group completely collapsed? Total disaster, right? Several MLB, NHL, and NBA franchises suddenly found themselves scrambling for new distribution agreements. Nine Major League Baseball teams had to hustle just to get their games to fans before the season even started. Now, with the NBA and NHL playoffs concluded this past spring, those same frantic deadlines are approaching for even more franchises. That’s exactly where DAZN saw its moment. “This was a great opportunistic point in time for us to enter in a place that made sense,” said Zander Berlinski, DAZN Group’s Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development. He added, “It’s a place that we feel we could bring a lot of value.”
From Overseas Giant to US Player
If you’re scratching your head wondering what DAZN even is, you’re not alone in the U.S. Founded in 2016, the streaming platform has mostly been known here for combat sports and international soccer. But outside the U.S., these guys are massive, with a huge subscriber base and considered a top global platform. They’ve already got international rights deals with the NFL, NBA, and NHL, plus college football and basketball around the world. But playing big in the U.S. market, with U.S. teams, that was the final frontier. Reported conversations started late in 2025 about potentially merging or acquiring Main Street Sports Group, but DAZN passed. Berlinski explained the biggest factor was simply timing. “The biggest constraint was time… by that point in the December to January timeframe, the countdown to the baseball season was already underway.” DAZN CEO Shay Segev told Sports Business Journal that to be the biggest sports platform in the world, they absolutely had to make a splash in the largest market. Berlinski confirmed, “From our ownership down, there’s been a very strong and imperative want and need to be bigger in the U.S.”
This is only the start, folks. Late last month, this whole journey began. With nine MLB teams already scrambling for new deals earlier this year, and NBA and NHL deadlines looming for other franchises, who’s next on DAZN’s radar? Better keep your eyes peeled, because this game is far from over.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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