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Mike Vorkunov: MSG Networks makes its debt restructuring deal official, via a SEC filing. It will reduce its annual media rights fee by 28% to Knicks and 18% to Rangers, and eliminate annual increase. MSGN also reduced rights fees to "certain other" teams. MSGN also broadcasts Sabres, Devils, Islanders, Gotham FC
ESPN canvassed 136 teams in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB and NHL from November 2023 to July 2024 on whether they offer accommodations that fans with invisible disabilities say would make their game-day experience better. Of the 136 teams, 120 responded. In the NFL, the Broncos, Texans, Patriots, Cardinals and Bengals did not answer questions. In MLB, the Brewers, Pirates, Mariners and Cubs did not answer. In the NBA, the Timberwolves declined to answer and the Clippers responded before their move to the Intuit Dome. In the WNBA, the Lynx declined to answer. In the NHL, the Panthers, Sabres, Jets and Senators did not answer. (The Utah Hockey Club was omitted because of the team's impending move to Salt Lake City.) Some teams did not answer every question in the survey.
MSG Networks is set to announce new details of its upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming offering Wednesday as teams continue responding to seismic changes in how games are distributed locally. MSG+ will launch this summer, charging $30 per month or $310 per year for access to all MSG-produced Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils and Sabres games, plus 24/7 access to the company’s linear channel content. The platform will also sell single games for $10 each, in a first for regional networks.
PBI Sports & Entertainment, a Toronto-based sports talent representation firm, has launched an NBA division by hiring Billy Owens, a former NBA forward/guard who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1991 draft, as head of basketball operations. Neil Glasberg, PBI Sports & Entertainment founder and president, was recently certified by the National Basketball Players Association to represent NBA players in contract talks with clubs. Glasberg founded PBI in 2008, and the firm has specialized in representing NHL and NFL coaches as well as broadcasters. Clients include Buffalo Sabres coach Ron Rolston; former NHL coach Marc Crawford, now coaching the Zurich Lions of the Swiss National A League; San Diego Chargers wide receivers coach Fred Graves; and Canadian Olympic gold-medal-winning figure skater Jamie Salé.
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