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{{short description|Regional sports network}}
{{redirect|MSG 2|the Indian film|MSG-2 The Messenger}}
{{for-multi| the nationally-distributed network which was called Madison Square Garden Sports Network from 1977 to 1980|USA Network|the spin-off channel from 1998 to 2005|MSG Metro Channels}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = MSG Network
| logo = MSG_Network_logo.png
| logo_size = 260px
| logo_alt = 
| logo_caption = 
| image = 
| image_size = 
| image_alt = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| type = [[Regional sports network]]
| country = [[United States]]
| area = [[New York (state)|New York]]<br>[[Northern New Jersey|Northern]] & [[Central New Jersey]]<br>[[Greater New Haven|Southwestern Connecticut]]<br>[[Northeastern Pennsylvania]]<br>Nationwide (via satellite)
| network = 
| headquarters = [[Pennsylvania Plaza]], [[Manhattan|New York]], [[New York (state)|NY]] 10001
| language = [[English language|English]]<br />[[Spanish language|Spanish]] (via [[Secondary Audio Program|SAP]])<ref>{{cite web |title=MSG NETWORKS ANNOUNCES 2018 NEW YORK RED BULLS TELECAST SCHEDULE {{!}} MSG Networks Corporate |url=https://corporate.msgnetworks.com/msg-networks-announces-2018-new-york-red-bulls-telecast-schedule/ |publisher=MSG Network |access-date=19 March 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416120359/https://corporate.msgnetworks.com/msg-networks-announces-2018-new-york-red-bulls-telecast-schedule/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| languages = 
| picture_format = [[1080i]] ([[high-definition television|HDTV]])<br />[[480i]] ([[Standard-definition television|SDTV]])
| owner = [[Sphere Entertainment]]
| parent = MSG Networks, Inc.
| key_people = [[James L. Dolan]] (Chairman & CEO)
| sister_channels = [[MSG Sportsnet]]<br />[[MSG Western New York]]
| founded = 
| founder = [[Charles Dolan]]
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1969|10|15}}
| replaced = 
| closed_date = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| replaced_by = 
| former_names = 
| terr_serv_1 = <!--supports up to _10-->
| terr_chan_1 = 
| online_serv_1 = MSG+ on The Gotham Sports App
| online_chan_1 = {{URL|https://gothamsports.com/}}<br />{{small|(Requires a Gotham Sports account or existing MSG+ account, and a login from participating providers or a subscription to stream content)}}
| online_serv_2 = [[DirecTV Stream]]
| online_chan_2 = 634
| online_serv_3 = [[FuboTV]]
| online_chan_3 = Available within designated area
| availability_note = 
| website = {{URL|http://www.msgnetworks.com}}
| webcast = 
}}

The '''MSG Network''' (MSG) is an American [[regional sports network|regional]] [[cable television|cable]] and [[satellite television]] [[television network|network]], and [[radio broadcasting|radio service]] owned by [[Sphere Entertainment]] -- a spin-off of the main [[The Madison Square Garden Company|Madison Square Garden Company]] operation (itself a spin-off of local cable provider [[Cablevision]]).

Primarily serving the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic United States]], its programming focuses on events featuring and other programs about New York City sports teams, including live game broadcasts of the [[New York Knicks]] of the [[National Basketball Association]], the [[New York Rangers]], [[New York Islanders]], [[Buffalo Sabres]], and [[New Jersey Devils]] of the [[National Hockey League]] and [[Gotham FC]] of the [[National Women's Soccer League]]. The channel is named after the [[Madison Square Garden]] sports and entertainment venue in [[Midtown Manhattan]], home of the Knicks and Rangers.

==History==
What would become MSG debuted on October 15, 1969, with an NHL hockey game between the [[New York Rangers]] and the [[Minnesota North Stars]]. As a result, it became the first regional sports network in North America, and one of the first of its kind in the world. The channel, which at the time did not even have a name, was carried by Manhattan Cable Television under a one-year, 125-event deal that was signed in May 1969. At the time, the cable provider, which had televised [[New York Knicks]] and Rangers post-season games the previous spring for a $25,000 rights fee, had only 13,000 subscribers.<ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|118734201}} |last1=Eskenazi |first1=Gerald |title=GARDEN, CABLE TV SIGN 1-YEAR PACT; Knick, Ranger Home Games in 125-Event Package |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/05/21/archives/garden-cable-tv-sign-1year-pact-knick-ranger-home-games-in-125event.html |work=The New York Times |date=21 May 1969 }}</ref> (The channel's coverage of the deciding game of the [[1970 NBA Finals]], in which the Knicks beat the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], was the only live broadcast of the game shown in New York City; [[WABC-TV]] blacked out [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s telecast.) [[Madison Square Garden]] renewed the deal with what was now Sterling Manhattan Cable Television in the fall of 1970, in a five-year deal at an estimated rights fee of $1–1.5 million. [[Charles Dolan]], who later headed MSG and [[Cablevision]], was the president of Sterling Manhattan at the time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/11/10/archives/tv-cable-company-signs-5year-pact-for-garden-sports.html|title=TV Cable Company Signs 5-Year Pact for Garden Sports|date=November 10, 1970|first=Fred|last=Ferretti|newspaper=The New York Times|page=94}}</ref> Games held at Madison Square Garden later appeared on another of Sterling Manhattan Cable's ventures, [[pay television|premium cable network]] Home Box Office ([[HBO]]) during the network's early years.

In the meantime, an unrelated channel was launched on September 22, 1977, as a joint-venture of [[UA-Columbia Cablevision]] and the Madison Square Garden Corporation, and would brand itself the "Madison Square Garden Sports Network" in 1978 <ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|123762192}} |last1=Brown |first1=Les |title=Garden Cable Network Is Going Beyond Sports |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/07/archives/garden-cable-network-is-going-beyond-sports-branching-out-from.html |work=The New York Times |date=7 April 1978 }}</ref> before the Sterling Manhattan Cable channel could use the name. The competitor would change its name in 1980 to the [[USA Network]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Madison Square Garden and UA- Columbia merge cable efforts |journal=Broadcasting Magazine |date=April 14, 1980 |page=130 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1980/1980-04-14-BC.pdf |access-date=23 April 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417133444/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1980/1980-04-14-BC.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2022}}</ref>

In 1977, the Madison Square Garden Corp, which included its namesake sports arena was sold to [[Gulf+Western]]. Around the same time, a separate network was created by the Madison Square Garden Corp. to distribute 125 events to New York-area cable systems. These events were in addition to the 250 already being produced for the national distribution.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Communications satellites: The birds are in full flight |journal=Broadcasting Magazine |date=19 November 1979 |page=44 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1979/BC-1979-11-19.pdf |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> It was this network which became known as '''Madison Square Garden Television''' that would evolve into the current MSG Network.

On April 9, 1980, the channel began using both the full name "Madison Square Garden Network" and its new abbreviated form "MSG Network". By August 1983, Barry Diller, who as head of prominent Gulf+Western division [[Paramount Pictures]] became the main shareholder in the USA Network when Gulf+Western transferred the network to Paramount in 1981, would increase the USA Network's relationship with the Madison Square Garden Network through a deal which included making the USA Network a source for MSG events.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/28/business/barry-diller-s-latest-starring-role.html|title=Barry Diller's Latest Starring Role|publisher=New York Times|date=August 28, 1983|accessdate=March 29, 2025}}</ref>  In December 1988, MSG Network became the first cable network to secure all local television rights to a [[Major League Baseball]] team's game, signing a 12-year deal with the [[New York Yankees]] that would give it exclusive rights to 150 games per season from 1991 through 2000.  Sources placed the value of the agreement at approximately $500 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=The New York Yankees became the first... |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-12-10-8802240155-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=10 December 1988 }}</ref> By the early 1990s, the channel would affiliate with [[Prime Sports|Prime Network]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=PRIME, SPORTSCHANNEL MERGER TALKS PROGRESS |journal=Broadcasting Magazine |date=March 11, 1991 |page=26 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/91-OCR/BC-1991-03-11-OCR-Page-0026.pdf |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref> In 1994, Paramount Communications was acquired by [[Viacom (original)|Viacom]] (itself a cable giant, having once owned various cable systems in the U.S. under the [[Viacom Cablevision]] banner and also owner of [[Viacom Media Networks|MTV Networks]]), which in turn sold the MSG properties to [[Cablevision]] and [[ITT Corporation]], which each held a 50% ownership stake; ITT would sell its share to Cablevision three years later.

On October 5, 2006, MSG underwent an extensive rebrand with the introduction of a new logo and graphics package, and the removal of the word "Network" from the channel's promotions. The new logo was designed by Jennifer Little for PMCD design. Since the rebrand, the channel has incorporated more entertainment-oriented programming, including concerts and professional boxing and wrestling cards that have taken place at Madison Square Garden or [[Radio City Music Hall]] (both operated by [[Madison Square Garden Entertainment|MSG Entertainment]]). (Full length broadcasts of Madison Square Garden [[WWE|WWWF/WWF]] wrestling shows had already been previously screened by the MSG Network since the 1970s.) In February 2010, Cablevision [[corporate spin-off|spun off]] MSG Network, the Madison Square Garden venue and other related properties into [[The Madison Square Garden Company]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In September 2015, the MSG Networks division was spun out into a separate company, with The Madison Square Garden Company maintaining ownership of the venue and related properties.<ref name="billboard-anothersplit">{{cite magazine|last=Peoples|first=Glenn|date=October 2, 2015|title=Madison Square Garden Splits Off Sports and Entertainment Divisions, Wall Street Yawns|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6715360/madison-square-garden-split-sports-entertainment-wall-street|magazine=Billboard|access-date=18 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="wsj-msgnetssplit">{{Cite news|last=Beckerman|first=Josh|date=2015-09-11|title=Madison Square Garden Details Split|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/madison-square-garden-details-split-1442005289|access-date=2021-03-26|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> The company was split further in April 2020, with the sports properties operating as [[Madison Square Garden Sports|Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.]], and the venue and entertainment properties spun out as the publicly traded [[Madison Square Garden Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chin|first=Kimberly|date=2019-11-08|title=Madison Square Garden to Spin Off Entertainment Unit|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/madison-square-garden-to-spin-off-entertainment-unit-11573172346|access-date=2021-03-26|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Ben|date=April 20, 2020|title=Madison Square Garden Entertainment spin-off is complete|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2020/04/20/madison-square-garden-entertainment-spin-off-is.html|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=New York Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals}}</ref>

On March 26, 2021, [[Madison Square Garden Entertainment|MSG Entertainment]] announced that it would acquire MSG Networks in an all-stock deal; the company stated that the purchase was part of an effort "to grow the company beyond its established collection of assets into one that is pioneering the next generation of entertainment."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hayes|first=Dade|date=2021-03-26|title=Madison Square Garden Entertainment Acquires MSG Networks Sibling In All-Stock Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/msg-entertainment-msg-networks-all-stock-acquisition-knicks-1234722508/|access-date=2021-03-26|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref> The acquisition was completed in July 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msgentertainment.com/msg-entertainment-completes-acquisition-of-msg-networks/|title = MSG Entertainment Completes Acquisition of MSG Networks|date = 9 July 2021|website=Madison Square Garden Entertainment}}</ref> In April 2023, MSG Entertainment subsequently spun off its theatre and live events businesses under the MSG Entertainment name, with the remainder of the company renamed [[Sphere Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Finn-Olaf |date=October 1, 2023 |title=Las Vegas and Its Big, Big Ambitions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/travel/las-vegas-sphere-grand-prix-sports.html |access-date=October 11, 2023 |work=The New York Times |quote=Earlier this year, New York-based MSG Entertainment, which owns the Sphere, split in two, renaming the venue's holding company Sphere Entertainment Company in order to insulate MSG Entertainment’s core holdings and protect existing shareholders.}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Bary |first=Andrew |date=2023-04-25 |title=MSG Split Offers Plays on Vegas, Knicks Arena. What to Do With the Stocks. |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/msg-entertainment-sphere-stock-split-vegas-a32db89c |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Barron's}}</ref>

Facing an environment where its core leagues, the NHL and NBA, were increasingly diverting their game inventory to national broadcast and multichannel partners, MSG representatives stated that the actions jeopardized their ability to deliver the required number of games on the MSG networks to providers and subscribers under their retransmission agreements, reducing the fees they could collect from providers. This, along with the broader trend of [[cord-cutting]] and the similar declines of other regional sports network groups, placed MSG Networks at risk of bankruptcy by the end of March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Eric |date=2025-03-04 |title=Dolan’s MSG Networks Nears Bankruptcy As Cord-Cutting Surges |url=https://frontofficesports.com/dolans-msg-networks-nears-bankruptcy-as-cord-cutting-surges/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=Front Office Sports |language=en}}</ref>

==Programming==
Among other teams, it has long produced radio and television broadcasts of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[New York Knicks]], the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s [[New York Rangers]] and (until 2018) the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]'s [[New York Liberty]], which play their home games at the Garden. Upon its launch in 2014, MSG also became the television home of the [[Westchester Knicks]], the New York Knicks' farm club in the [[NBA G League]]. Since 2013, MSG has also aired games from the [[Hartford Wolf Pack]], the New York Rangers' farm club in the [[American Hockey League|AHL]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

MSG also holds television rights to the [[North American Soccer League (2011–2017)|NASL]]'s [[New York Cosmos (2010)|New York Cosmos]] since 2017. In 2010, MSG began broadcasting exclusive content from the [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[New York Giants]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msg.com/press/new-york-football-giants-come-to-msg-network-1.49862|title=New York Football Giants Come to MSG Network|date=2010-10-17|work=MSG.com|access-date=2010-11-18|archive-date=2011-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101195056/http://www.msg.com/press/new-york-football-giants-come-to-msg-network-1.49862|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Buffalo Bills]] content was added in 2016.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

MSG also owns the television rights to the NHL's [[Buffalo Sabres]], [[New Jersey Devils]], [[New York Islanders]] and the AHL's [[Bridgeport Islanders]] and [[Rochester Americans]]. Islanders, Devils and (AHL Islanders) games air on [[MSG Sportsnet]], while Sabres and Americans games air on [[MSG Western New York]] in [[Western New York]] and are split between MSG and MSG Sportsnet in the rest of [[upstate New York]].

The network also broadcast nightly highlights of races held at tracks sanctioned by the [[New York Racing Association]], as well as a weekly magazine show; live races (normally [[graded stakes race]]s) also air on select Saturday afternoons. MSG Network broadcasts soccer events from the [[Premier League]] (since 2002, consisting of game rebroadcasts from [[Fox Soccer]] and later [[Fox Soccer Plus]] and a weekly highlight program) and the [[UEFA Champions League]] (since 2009, with a live game each Tuesday of competition, produced by Fox Soccer Plus, with a second game originally aired on Fox Soccer Plus also rebroadcast on MSG or MSG Sportsnet).

It also runs extended highlights from concerts held at MSG or other venues owned by the Dolan family through the Cablevision Systems Corporation, along with other shows focused on New York musicians – which are frequently used as filler programming in blackout zones; as well as movies – generally sports-related, in addition to some Hollywood blockbusters and several New York sports-related fiction or documentary programs that were originally broadcast on ESPN, which are most commonly seen during the summer NHL and NBA offseason.

During the period of time in which sister station [[MSG Sportsnet]] was a primary affiliate of [[Fox Sports Networks|Fox Sports Net]] (now known as [[Bally Sports]] as of 2021), MSG also acted as a secondary FSN affiliate, airing Fox Sports-produced programming in certain timeslots (such as the ''[[National Sports Report]]'') and contributing footage to FSN shows. This ceased when the FSN branding was removed and FSN New York became MSG Plus (now MSG Sportsnet), and FSN programming has since been split between MSG Sportsnet and the [[YES Network]] (as Fox took a stake in YES in 2012).

MSG began carrying local broadcasts of Gotham FC matches in 2023 before expanding the broadcast rights partnership in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 1, 2023 |title=Gotham FC announces MSG Networks as home for local broadcasts |url=https://www.msgnetworks.com/gotham-fc-announces-msg-networks-as-home-for-local-broadcasts/ |access-date=April 1, 2023 |website=MSG Networks}}</ref>

===Collegiate sports===
MSG airs locally produced athletic events from [[Hofstra University]] and [[Fordham University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6581176.html?nid=4262|title=Hofstra and MSG Networks Announce Multi-Year, Multi-Sport Broadcast Partnership|date=February 23, 2023|access-date=November 19, 2023|work=Sports Video Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.fordham.edu/athletics/msg-networks-to-telecast-fordham-university-mens-and-womens-soccer-matches-this-fall/|title=MSG Networks to Telecast Fordham University Men's and Women's Soccer Matches This Fall|date=August 18, 2023|access-date=November 19, 2023|work=Fordham}}</ref> MSG also airs the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off [[college hockey]] tournament through its affiliation with [[Bally Sports]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/friars.com/documents/2021/12/27/Kwik_Trip_Holiday_Face_Off_TV_Clearances_1_.pdf|title=Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off TV Clearances|date=December 27, 2021|access-date=November 19, 2023|work=Bally Sports}}</ref>

MSG and MSG Sportsnet previously broadcast [[college basketball|basketball]] games from the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|Metro Atlantic Athletic]], [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]], [[America East]] and [[Atlantic Coast Conference]]s; football games from the [[Southeastern Conference]]; and football and basketball games from the [[Pac-10 Conference|Pac-10]] and [[Big 12 Conference]]s (with basketball games from the latter exclusive to women's teams). The Pac-10, Big 12 and ACC telecasts were carried though [[Fox Sports Networks]] (which maintained national broadcast rights to all three conferences), while the other games were either produced by the conferences themselves or through [[ESPN Plus]].

MSG formerly carried games from the [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East Conference]], along with the coaches shows for [[Rutgers University|Rutgers]] and [[St. John's University (New York City)|St. John's University]]. In July 2008, the Big East and SportsNet New York announced a multi-year deal which gave SNY exclusive regional rights to Big East coaches shows and ESPN Plus-produced games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6581176.html?nid=4262|title=SNY Scores Big East Football, Basketball Rights|date=2008-07-23|work=Multichannel News}}</ref> However, MSG retained rights to a reduced schedule of Big East games, including any St. John's basketball games played at Madison Square Garden.

===Original programming===
====''MSG, NY''====
'''MSG, NY''', a daily sports highlights and entertainment program which served as the network's flagship program, debuted in October 2006. Aired numerous times during the day, the program originated as the sports-focused ''MSG Sportsdesk'' similar to [[ESPN]]'s ''[[SportsCenter]]'', until a format change that occurred as part of MSG's 2006 rebranding and reformatting in which sporting events remain the primary focus while a secondary focus was placed on all events at Madison Square Garden.

Anchors included Jason Horowitz, [[Deb Placey]], [[Tina Cervasio]], [[Al Trautwig]], [[Greg Gumbel]], [[Marv Albert]], [[Jonathan Coachman]], and Bill Daughtry.

The show however, gave expanded coverage to area sports teams that the channel holds game telecast rights; other New York City area teams were covered on the program, usually to a lesser extent. Along with coverage of Garden-related entertainment news, this was intended to prevent direct competition with ''SportsNite'' on SportsNet New York. ''MSG, NY'' was taped inside a street-level studio, with a window overlooking Madison Square Garden across the street. The program originally aired as a half-hour broadcast on Tuesday through Saturdays (with no editions on Sundays and Mondays, possibly as they were considered "low-viewership nights"), at about 10 or 10:30&nbsp;p.m. [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern time]], with the exact time dependent on sports events schedules, before expanding to an hour-long nightly broadcast in 2008, based on improved ratings over its predecessor ''Sportsdesk''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.msg.com/msg_content_news.jsp?articleID=v0000msgn20080204T183754096&newsgroup=ap.sportsml.columnist.article&sports=baseball&team=other&league=mlb|title=MSG, NY Expands To 7 Days/Week And One Hour|date=2008-02-04|work=MSG.com|access-date=2008-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420152535/http://www2.msg.com/msg_content_news.jsp?articleID=v0000msgn20080204T183754096&newsgroup=ap.sportsml.columnist.article&sports=baseball&team=other&league=mlb|archive-date=2008-04-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> The studio is also used by SiTV Media [[Fuse TV|Fuse]]. The show was cancelled in January 2009, due to declining ratings; in its place, MSG usually offers team-specific post-game shows.

====Pro Wrestling====
Besides airing Knicks, Rangers and Yankees games MSG also aired pro wrestling programs such as:

[[World Wrestling Federation|WWE]] events from MSG 1976-1992, 1997

[[WWF Wrestling Spotlight]] 1989-1995

[[World Class Championship Wrestling]] 1986-1989

[[Ladies Pro Wrestling Association]] 1989-1991

[[ECW Hardcore TV]] January 6, 1995 to December 31, 2000

[[WCW Prime]] 1995-1997

====Archival programs====
* ''The 50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden'' – debuted in October 2006, the program looks at the historic sports and non-sports-related events that have been held at Madison Square Garden.
* ''MSG Originals'' – a series of programs expanding on ''50 Greatest Moments'' to further discuss the history of Madison Square Garden, that debuted in 2007. Topics include ''Mecca of Boxing'' and ''Spring of 1994''.
* ''MSG Vault'' – a series that debuted in 2006, featuring classic Knicks and Rangers games (among other events held at the Garden) from previous decades. In some cases, MSG no longer has complete tapes of the games, and so the content often consists of highlights; more recent episodes have seen Rangers and Knicks related content not originally produced by the channel. In launching ''MSG Vault'', MSG indicated that it has over 90,000 tapes of Garden events in its archive. Some tapes prior to the 1990s are incomplete (parts of events may have been [[Lost television broadcast#Wiping|taped over or erased]]). Hosted by [[Al Trautwig]], "The Vault" remains one of MSG's most popular programs, with a cult-like following of viewers from all ages. Trautwig, usually with a guest related to the theme of the program, often describes how the footage was found and other interesting info.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6338772.html|title=MSG Network to Sing a Different Tune|date=2006-05-29|work=Multichannel News|access-date=2008-07-14}}</ref> Buffalo Sabres archival content is occasionally broadcast, but is shown as a separate program, generally hosted by [[Kevin Sylvester (American broadcaster)|Kevin Sylvester]].
* ''[[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] MSG Classics'' – debuted in 2006, it airs WWE Classic matches that have been held at Madison Square Garden, hosted by [[Gene Okerlund|"Mean Gene" Okerlund]].
* ''TXT MSG'' – a series highlighting classic sports events from MSG's library that debuted in 2010, which are reviewed in the style of ''[[Pop Up Video]]''.
* ''[[30 for 30]]'' – Reruns of the [[ESPN Films]] series.

====Basketball====
* ''Inside the Knicks'' – a weekly Knicks magazine show that debuted in 2005.
* [[SummerBall]] – debuted in 2006, a series that highlights the major summer basketball leagues in New York City, featuring Hoops in the Sun at [[Orchard Beach, New York|Orchard Beach]], Dyckman and the Uptowners Basketball League, and especially the EBC at [[Rucker Park]]; hosted by [[Michael Bivins]].
* ''Friday Night Knicks'' – special Friday night New York Knicks games.

====Football====
* ''Giants Opening Drive Live'' – a preview show hosted by [[Harry Carson]] and Anita Marks.
* ''Giants Game Day'' – a pregame show hosted by [[Bob Papa]].
* ''Giants Chronicles'' – a 30-minute taped program that offers an in-depth look at the career of a Giants legend, hosted by Bob Papa.
* ''Coach's Press Conference'' – a weekly press conference with the Giants head coach.

====Hockey====
* ''Inside the Rangers'' – a weekly Rangers magazine show that debuted in 2006.
* ''Islanders Illustrated'' – a monthly Islanders magazine show (2008–2009)
* ''[[Hockey Night Live!]]'' – a week-in-review show focusing on the Rangers; Islanders; Devils and Sabres that debuted in 2005 as ''Hockey Night New York Live'', and was renamed in 2007, airing on Saturday nights during the NHL season. [[Al Trautwig]] is the primary host, with [[Ron Duguay]], [[Mike Keenan]], [[Stan Fischler]], [[Dave Maloney]], [[Ken Daneyko]], [[Butch Goring]], Steve Valiquette, [[Henrik Lundqvist]], and John MacLean among the analysts.
* ''Beyond Blue & Gold'' — a periodical Sabres magazine show that debuted in 2013<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.buffalobroadcasters.com/news/Industry-News:--Revised-radio-ratings-with-public-stations-numbers/34 |title=Industry News: WYRK number one in Nielsen spring book |website=Buffalo Broadcasters Association |access-date=2015-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055925/http://www.buffalobroadcasters.com/news/Industry-News:--Revised-radio-ratings-with-public-stations-numbers/34 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====High school sports====
* ''High School Weekly'' – one of MSG's longest-running shows, focuses on high school football and basketball games from around the region, hosted by Mike Quick. Many NFL, NBA and WNBA athletes have appeared on the show during their high school days.
* ''High School Game of the Week'' – a weekly [[broadcast delay|tape delayed]] broadcast of a high school football, basketball or lacrosse game from various parts of the New York City metropolitan area; the games typically feature schools from the suburbs (where MSG's sister company and former parent, Cablevision, serves as the dominant cable provider), or private schools in New York City proper. Selected games air live, such as the annual [[PSAL]] basketball championship at MSG, and occasional holiday football or basketball rivalry games. MSG Western New York also carries a high school game of the week, under its own brand ''High School Coverage'' focusing solely on the [[Monsignor Martin Athletic Association]].
* ''The LAX Report'' – a local high school lacrosse show similar to ''High School Weekly'' that debuted in 2006, and is hosted by Mike Quick.

====Online programming====
MSG's website, MSGNetworks.com, has offered exclusive [[podcast]] programming since 2006. These include:
* ''This Week in Hockey'' – debuted in 2006, features guests from around the NHL and from MSG Networks, including [[Stan Fischler]], [[Joe Micheletti]], and a fantasy hockey perspective provided by the RinkRat.
* ''Batt'r Up!'' – debuted in 2006, is a weekly baseball podcast hosted by Matt Loughlin and longtime baseball analyst [[Fran Healy (baseball)|Fran Healy]], with guests from around Major League Baseball, and fantasy advice from [https://web.archive.org/web/20070506034754/http://blogs.msg.com/the_knuckler/ The Knuckler]. ''[[New York Post]]'' columnist and MSG baseball analyst Joel Sherman also contributes to the program.
* ''CenterCourt'' – debuted in 2006, is an all-basketball podcast hosted by [[Gus Johnson (sportscaster)|Gus Johnson]] and featuring [[John Andariese]] and [[Walt Frazier|Walt "Clyde" Frazier]]. Johnson recaps NBA news and offers fantasy advice, while Frazier answers fan emails in a segment called "Dishin and Swishin" and Andariese tells basketball stories in the segment "Tall Tales". David Dominik hosts the "Three-Point Play" segment and conducts the "One-on-One" interviews with major NBA players.

====Talk shows====
* ''Halls of Fame'' – hosted by Fran Healy, the program features interviews with famous players and coaches from a variety of sports.
* ''The Game 365'' (beginning in 2017 the show was renamed ''Focused'') – hosted by Fran Healy, the program features profiles and interviews of players and coaches with the backdrop of following each episode's guest around for a day in his/her athletic environment.
* ''Hahn, Humpty & Canty'' – an in-studio simulcast of the midday radio show from New York City sports talk station [[WEPN-FM]] (98.7), hosted by [[Alan Hahn]], [[Rick DiPietro]] and [[Chris Canty (defensive lineman)|Chris Canty]].
* ''4 Courses'' – a general entertainment, half-hour talk show hosted by [[J. B. Smoove]].
* ''The Mask'' – a general entertainment, half-hour talk show hosted by [[Henrik Lundqvist]].
* ''People Talking Sports* (*and Other Stuff)'' — a general entertainment, half-hour [[late-night talk show]] hosted by [[Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson]].<ref name="nothinbutnets.com">{{cite web|last1=Watson|first1=Phil|title=Brooklyn Nets: Familiar faces debut new show on MSG Thursday night|url=https://nothinbutnets.com/2019/02/28/brooklyn-nets-familiar-faces-debut-new-show-msg-thursday-night/|website=Nothin' But Nets|access-date=March 5, 2019|date=February 28, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043411/https://nothinbutnets.com/2019/02/28/brooklyn-nets-familiar-faces-debut-new-show-msg-thursday-night/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.msgnetworks.com/2017/06/20/msg-networks-announces-launch-of-people-talking-sports-and-other-stuff/|title = MSG Networks Announces Launch of People Talking Sports * (*And Other Stuff)|date = 20 June 2017|website = MSGNetworks.com}}</ref>
* ''Follow the Money'' - Talk show carried on tape delay from [[Brent Musburger]]'s [[Vegas Stats & Information Network]].
* ''The MSG 150'' - 150-minute news and discussion program.

===Former original programming===
* ''[[Boomer and Carton in the Morning]]'' – an in-studio simulcast of the morning radio show from New York City sports talk station [[WFAN (AM)|WFAN]] (660 AM). The show later moved to [[CBS Sports Network]].

===Former sports rights===
====New York Yankees (1989–2001)====
From 1989 to 2001, the channel held cable television rights to the [[New York Yankees]] [[Major League Baseball]] franchise. MSG paid an average of $55 million a year for the broadcast rights, a deal that is widely credited with starting a national trend towards greater team coverage on regional sports networks, with more games being broadcast than the programming schedules of [[terrestrial television|broadcast television stations]] could usually permit due to other programming commitments. MSG also produced radio broadcasts of Yankees games from 1994 to 2001, which aired on [[WABC (AM)|WABC]] (770 AM). MSG also held the over-the-air broadcast rights to Yankee games, which it sold to longtime broadcaster, [[Independent station (North America)|independent station]] (later a [[The WB|WB]] affiliate) [[WPIX]] channel 11 from 1989 to 1998 and [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] [[owned-and-operated station]] [[WNYW]] (channel 5) from 1999 to 2001. In 2002, the Yankees terminated their agreement with MSG to form its own regional sports network, [[YES Network]].

====New York Mets (2002–2005)====
From 2002 to 2005, MSG held rights to Tuesday and Wednesday night games from the [[New York Mets]], obtaining the rights from [[Fox Sports Net New York]] (MSG, Fox Sports New York and WPIX each carried about 50 games a season on consistent days of the week). Like the Yankees deal, MSG also maintained broadcast television rights, placing games on [[WWOR-TV]] (channel 9) before the games moved to WPIX in 1999.

For the [[2005 Major League Baseball season|2005 season]], Mets games moved to [[SportsNet New York]], a regional sports network co-owned by the team and several cable providers (later [[Comcast]] and [[Charter Communications|Spectrum]]), which provide cable service to areas not served by Cablevision in New York City metropolitan area – and in Spectrum's case, most of [[upstate New York]]. WPIX retained rights to a reduced slate of games.

====New York Red Bulls/MetroStars====
MSG has broadcast [[New York Red Bulls]] matches from its inception in 1996, when the team was known as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. The network also signed multi-year deals in 2011 and in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Red Bulls, MSG Sign New Multiyear TV Deal|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/red-bulls-msg-sign-new-multiyear-tv-deal/|work=WCBS-TV|agency=Associated Press|date=March 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=MSG Networks, New York Red Bulls Sign Multi-Year TV Rights Extension|url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2014/03/07/msg-networks-new-york-red-bulls-sign-multi-year-tv-rights-extension/|work=Sports Video Group News|date=March 7, 2014}}</ref>

The network lost its rights to the New York Red Bulls matches in 2022 after [[Major League Soccer]] signed a 10-year broadcast deal to air all matches of MLS on [[Apple TV+]] through the [[MLS Season Pass]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Apple and Major League Soccer to present all MLS matches around the world for 10 years, beginning in 2023|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/06/apple-and-mls-to-present-all-mls-matches-for-10-years-beginning-in-2023/|publisher=Apple, Inc., Major League Soccer|date=June 14, 2022}}</ref>

==On-air staff==
=== Basketball ===
* [[Mike Breen]] – Knicks play-by-play announcer
* [[Kenny Albert]] – Knicks alternate play-by-play announcer
* [[Walt Frazier]] – Knicks game color analyst
* [[Alan Hahn]] – Knicks studio host, alternate color analyst, sideline reporter
* [[Wally Szczerbiak]] – Knicks studio analyst, alternate color analyst
* [[Gus Johnson (sportscaster)|Gus Johnson]] - Knicks alternate play-by-play announcer
* [[Jamal Crawford]] - Knicks alternate color analyst<ref name="Crawford">{{Cite news |last=Marchand |first=Andrew |date=2024-10-16 |title=Jamal Crawford to call Knicks games on MSG Network this NBA season: Sources |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5847318/2024/10/16/jamal-crawford-knicks-msg-network/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
* [[Ed Cohen]] – Liberty play-by-play announcer<ref name="Tyler">{{Cite news |last=Marchand |first=Andrew |date=2024-09-12 |title=Knicks hire Tyler Murray to be team’s new radio voice |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5762804/2024/09/12/knicks-radio-tyler-murray-nba/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
* Tyler Murray - Knicks radio play-by-play announcer<ref name=Tyler />
* [[Monica McNutt]] - Knicks radio color analyst, alternate TV color analyst
* Julianne Viani – Liberty game color analyst

=== Hockey ===
==== Rangers ====
* [[Kenny Albert]] – Rangers play-by-play announcer
* [[Alex Faust]] - Rangers fill-in TV play-by-play announcer
* TBD – Rangers color analyst
* [[John Giannone]] – Rangers rinkside reporter and fill-in play-by-play announcer
* [[Bill Pidto]] – Studio host for Rangers and Knicks road games, fill-in play-by-play announcer for Knicks games
* [[Dave Maloney]] – Rangers studio/color analyst and fill-in rinkside reporter
* [[Steve Valiquette]] - Rangers studio analyst
* [[Henrik Lundqvist]] – Rangers studio analyst
* Michelle Gingras – Rangers intermission/Locker room reporter (Home games)

==== Devils ====
* [[Bill Spaulding (sportscaster)|Bill Spaulding]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Spaulding Named MSG Networks Devils Play-by-Play Announcer {{!}} RELEASE |url=https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/bill-spaulding-named-msg-networks-devils-play-by-play-announcer--release/c-335248360|publisher=New Jersey Devils|date=August 11, 2022}}</ref>  – Devils play-by-play announcer
* [[Ken Daneyko]] – Former Devils player (retired); Devils color analyst
* [[Rachel Herzog]] – Devils studio host
* [[Bryce Salvador]] – Former Devils player (Captain); Devils studio analyst

==== Islanders ====
* [[Brendan Burke (sportscaster)|Brendan Burke]] – Islanders play-by-play announcer
* Alan Feuhring – Islanders alternate play-by-play announcer
* [[Butch Goring]] – Islanders color analyst
* [[Thomas Hickey (ice hockey)|Thomas Hickey]] – Islanders alternate color analyst
* [[Shannon Hogan]] – Islanders host/reporter
* Corey Schneider – hockey analyst

==== Sabres ====
* [[Dan Dunleavy]] – Sabres play-by-play announcer
* [[Rob Ray]] – Sabres color analyst
* Brian Duff – Sabres studio host
* [[Martin Biron]] – Sabres studio analyst

=== Soccer ===
* [[Steve Cangialosi]] – Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
* [[Shep Messing]] – Red Bulls color analyst
* Michelle Gingras – Red Bulls sideline reporter and studio host; host of ''Red Bulls Insider''
* Kristian Dyer – Red Bulls insider and studio analyst
* Jonathan Yardley – Red Bulls alternate play-by-play announcer and studio analyst

=== MSG Radio Network ===
* TBD – Rangers primary play-by-play announcer
* Brendan Brown – Knicks radio color analyst
* Bill Daughtry – Knicks studio host
* [[Don La Greca]] – Rangers studio host and fill-in Rangers play-by-play announcer
* [[Ed Cohen]] – fill-in Rangers play-by-play announcer
* [[Dave Maloney]] – Rangers primary color analyst
* [[Pete Stemkowski]] – Rangers Fill-in color analyst
* Matt Harmon - Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
* [[Steve Jolley]] - Red Bulls color analyst

===Former on-air staff===
* [[Roberto Abramowitz]] - Spanish-language play-by-play announcer
* [[Marv Albert]] – Knicks and Rangers play-by-play announcer; ''MSG SportsDesk'' anchor
* [[John Andariese]] – Knicks radio and TV color analyst (deceased)
* Gary Apple – ''MSG SportsDesk'' anchor (now with [[SportsNet New York]])
* [[Bill Chadwick]] – Rangers radio and TV color analyst (deceased)
* [[Jonathan Coachman]] – ''MSG, NY'' host; Knicks pre-game and halftime host, [[New York Liberty|Liberty]] play-by-play announcer
* [[Doug Collins (basketball)|Doug Collins]] – Knicks color analyst (2003–04)
* [[Mike Crispino]] – Knicks alternate play-by-play announcer<ref>{{Cite news|last=Best|first=Neil|date=May 25, 2017|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/mike-crispino-knicks-radio-play-by-play-man-won-t-return-for-2017-18-1.13663689|title = Crispino won't return as Knicks' radio voice|work=Newsday}}</ref>
* [[John Davidson (ice hockey)|John Davidson]] – Rangers color analyst
* [[JP Dellacamera]] – Red Bulls play-by-play announcer (now with [[ESPN]])
* [[Mike Emrick|Mike "Doc" Emrick]] – Devils play-by-play announcer
* [[Danny Gare]] – Sabres studio analyst
* [[Jim Gordon (sportscaster)|Jim Gordon]] – Rangers TV play-by-play announcer (deceased)
* [[Keith Hernandez]] – Mets color analyst (now with [[SportsNet New York]])
* [[Gus Johnson (sportscaster)|Gus Johnson]] – Knicks Radio play-by-play announcer (now with [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]] and [[Big Ten Network]])
* [[Jim Kaat]] – Yankees color announcer
* [[Michael Kay (sports broadcaster)|Michael Kay]] – Yankees reporter and pre-game host (now with [[YES Network]] and [[WEPN-FM]])
* [[Tony Kubek]] – Yankees announcer
* [[Jim Lorentz]] – Sabres color analyst
* [[Brad May]] – Sabres studio analyst
* [[Curt Menefee]] – ''Unnecessary Roughness'' host and ''MSG SportsDesk'' lead anchor (now with [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]])
* [[Harry Neale]] – Sabres color analyst
* [[Bob Page (sportscaster)|Bob Page]] – ''MSG SportsDesk'' anchor
* [[Chico Resch|Glenn "Chico" Resch]] – Devils color analyst 
* [[Mike Robitaille]] – Sabres studio analyst
* [[Howie Rose]] – Islanders play by play
* [[Malik Rose]] – Knicks halftime studio analyst (now with [[Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia]])
* [[Sam Rosen (sportscaster)|Sam Rosen]] – Rangers play-by-play announcer
* [[Spencer Ross]] – Knicks studio host; Fill-in Knicks radio play-by-play announcer
* Dave Sims - Knicks Post Game, Hosted a Simulcast of 66 WNBC SportsNight 1986–1988, Host of GameFace on MSG Metro Channel June 2000 - December 2001
* [[Ken Singleton]] – Yankees color announcer
* [[Kenny Smith]] – Knicks color analyst (2005–08, concurrent with his time with TNT) (now with TNT)
* [[Tommy Smyth]] – Red Bulls color analyst (now with ESPN)
* [[Kevin Sylvester (American broadcaster)|Kevin Sylvester]] – Sabres studio host
* [[Jenna Wolfe]] – sports reporter (now moderator of "First Things First" on [[Fox Sports 1|FS1]])
* [[Ethan Zohn]] – co-host of ''MSG Soccer Report''
* [[Steve Cangialosi]] – Devils play by play
* [[Rick Jeanneret]] – Sabres play by play (Deceased)
* [[Fran Healy (baseball)|Fran Healy]] – host of ''Halls of Fame'' and ''The Game 365''
* [[Erika Wachter]] – Devils studio host

==Carriage disputes==
MSG was dropped from [[Dish Network]] due to a contract dispute in October 2010; the dispute remains unresolved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article207853.ece|title=Dish NEtwork Drops MSG|date=2010-10-01|last=Connors|first=Greg|work=The Buffalo News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127020438/https://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article207853.ece|archive-date=2010-11-27}}</ref> MSG was removed from Time Warner Cable at midnight on December 31, 2011, as the two companies could not agree on a new carriage contract; the network was restored on all TWC systems on February 17, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article690288.ece|title=Time Warner, MSG give mixed message|date=2011-12-31|last=McNeil|first=Harold|work=The Buffalo News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109043622/https://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article690288.ece|archive-date=2012-01-09}}</ref> MSG HD was not available on [[Verizon FiOS]] until several months after a court order forced MSG to provide the network's HD feed to that provider.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sapong |first=Emma |date=January 1, 2012 |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article691030.ece |title=FiOS touts addition of MSG broadcasts |work=The Buffalo News |access-date=January 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108090131/https://www.buffalonews.com/business/article691030.ece |archive-date=January 8, 2012}}</ref> MSG was dropped by [[Comcast]] in September 2021 and remains unavailable.{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}

On January 1, 2025, [https://www.optimum.com/MSG MSG was removed] from Altice USA's cable systems.  Altice bought the former Cablevision systems which was under the same ownership as MSG until its sale. The dispute has since been resolved. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Rizzo |first=Lillian |date=2025-01-01 |title=MSG Networks, home of Knicks and Rangers, goes dark for Altice USA's Optimum cable customers |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/01/msg-networks-knicks-rangers-goes-dark-altice-usa-optimum-cable.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

==Alternate channels==
Along with MSG and [[MSG Sportsnet]], MSG also operates secondary channels, '''MSG2''' and MSG Sportsnet 2, which mainly serve to assist in scheduling the many sporting events it carries. Select New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games also air on MSG when both teams play concurrently, with one airing on MSG Sportsnet, which along with MSG and its alternate channels are officially referred to as '''MSG Media'''. In turn, select Rangers games air on MSG Sportsnet, when Knicks telecasts are shown on MSG and no live game is airing on MSG Sportsnet at the same time. Any sports event to which MSG holds the broadcast rights could air on either channel.

If more than two of the four local teams it carries are playing at the same time, MSG normally goes to the Knicks – the highest-rated property on the channel – except for instances when that night's game is scheduled for a late start time, in which case a Rangers game will air instead. In all other cases, Rangers games are broadcast on MSG2. Devils or Islanders games air on MSG Sportsnet 2. If any teams are out of playoff contention, MSG will sometimes switch the order of priority among its teams. For several years in the 1990s when Cablevision had the rights to seven professional sports teams, an '''MSG3''' overflow feed was occasionally used.

In the cases of MSG2 and MSG Sportsnet 2, the alternate channels vary. Many cable providers use [[Pop (American TV channel)|Pop]] to carry the overflow/alternate feed, while satellite providers use an alternate channel. In some cases, these channels are not available outside the New York City area; however, they are offered by DirecTV, Dish Network and Comcast. In order to help alleviate confusion, MSG directs viewers to a special [https://www.msgnetworks.com/tag/channel-listings/ website].

===MSG Western New York===
{{See also|MSG Western New York}}
Following the collapse of Empire Sports Network and its parent, Adelphia, MSG also picked up rights to the [[Buffalo Sabres]], and agreed to a 10-year contract in 2006. The Sabres, through its broadcast arm, the [[Sabres Hockey Network]], control the entire broadcast, including the sale of advertising, and pre- and post-game programming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=437214|title=Sabres Extend MSG Contract|date=September 1, 2006|work=Buffalo Sabres|access-date=June 24, 2016}}</ref><ref name="bn-rsnmaybe">{{cite web|last=Pergament|first=Alan|date=January 7, 2016|title=Sabres in strong negotiation position as TV, radio deals near end|url=http://talkintv.buffalonews.com/2016/01/07/sabres-in-strong-negotiation-position-as-tv-radio-deals-near-end/|website=The Buffalo News|access-date=25 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109083045/https://talkintv.buffalonews.com/2016/01/07/sabres-in-strong-negotiation-position-as-tv-radio-deals-near-end/|archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref>

During the inaugural season, all regionally-televised Sabres games were available to viewers outside of the [[New York City area]], falling within MSG's "Zone 3" (Buffalo and Rochester) and "Zone 2" (which encompasses the remainder of [[Upstate New York]] and is shared with the Devils, Islanders, and Rangers). In Zone 3, all Sabres games were shown on the main MSG channel, but some games aired in Zone 2 on [[MSG Sportsnet]] (then known as FSN New York) instead.<ref>{{cite web|title=2005-2006 NHL Telecast Schedule|url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/2005-2006-nhl-telecast-schedule/c-436903|website=Buffalo Sabres official website|publisher=NHL, [[MLB Advanced Media]]|access-date=18 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Buffalo Sabres 2005-2006 NHL Telecast Schedule|url=http://cdn.nhl.com/sabres/bc/images/buffalo_pages/pdf/SabresTVSchedule.pdf|publisher=Buffalo Sabres|access-date=18 October 2016}}</ref>

As part of a contract extension for the 2016–17 season, MSG entered into a joint venture with [[Terrence Pegula|Terry]] and [[Kim Pegula]]'s [[Pegula Sports and Entertainment|ownership group]] to create an expanded opt-out feed known as [[MSG Western New York]] over the former Zone 3. The feed is carried in place of MSG's main network within the Sabres' television market of Upstate New York (defined as virtually all of the state outside the New York City television market). In addition to coverage of Sabres games, the feed also carries Pegula-produced studio programming dedicated to the Sabres and their sister [[NFL]] team, the [[Buffalo Bills]].<ref name="bbf-wny">{{cite news|last=Fink|first=James|title=Pegula Sports and Entertainment, MSG Networks seal new, long-term deal|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/blog/morning_roundup/2016/06/pegula-sports-and-entertainment-msg-networks-seal.html|access-date=June 22, 2016|work=Buffalo Business First|publisher=[[American City Business Journals]]|date=June 21, 2016}}</ref>

===Metro Channels===
From the fall of 1998 until the spring of 2005, Cablevision chose not to launch an additional MSG2 channel, instead placing games on its [[MSG Metro Channels]], which were only available in a limited coverage footprint. Sometimes, games were also carried by [[Riverhead, New York|Riverhead]]&ndash;[[city of license|licensed]] [[WLNY-TV]] (channel 55). During this period, when two of the teams that the MSG channels maintained game broadcast rights to played against one another, only one broadcast would usually be produced using one of the team's announcing staffs (this was either due to MSG's television contracts or a desire to show a different sporting event at the same time).

With the discontinuation of Metro, and the loss of the [[New Jersey Nets]] from the network's winter lineup, the MSG channels now produce two broadcasts when two of the area teams with broadcast rights held by the network are playing against each other. Since 2009, the channel now has gone back to producing a single unified broadcast, though it will use two sets of commentators (particularly for Buffalo, where the Sabres' radio announcers are simply dubbed over the MSG broadcast when they play the Rangers, Islanders or Devils).

===WBIS-TV/S+===
In 1996, ITT Corporation (then half-owner of MSG) entered a joint-venture with [[Dow Jones & Company]] to purchase [[WPXN-TV|WNYC-TV]] from the [[New York City|City of New York]] and convert it to a hybrid sports/business news format. The channel was renamed WBIS-TV and branded as "S+". Beginning in January 1997, several Knicks and Rangers games that would have otherwise aired on MSG were moved to WBIS. Select Devils, Islanders, and Nets games from SportsChannel also aired on WBIS, temporarily relieving some of the need for multiple overflow channels. However, this would be short lived as by June the S+ format was cancelled and ITT would soon be selling both its interests in both MSG and WBIS.

== Related services ==

=== High definition{{Anchor|MSG HD}} ===
[[File:Msg hd.png|right|220px]]
'''MSG HD''' is a [[High-definition television|high definition]] simulcast feed of MSG Network, which broadcasts in the [[1080i]] resolution format, with the vast majority of content from MSG and Fox Sports Regional Networks broadcast in HD; as of 2017 only archived and [[infomercial|paid programming]] is broadcast in standard definition. MSG HD is available nationally on [[DirecTV]], Optimum, Spectrum, [[RCN Corporation|RCN]], [[AT&T U-verse]] and [[Verizon FiOS]].

On January 22, 2009, the NHL and MSG became involved in a contract dispute which has resulted in MSG HD and MSG+ HD's broadcasts being pulled from NHL's GameCenter Live service for viewers outside of the primary markets for the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportscouchpotato.typepad.com/sports_couch_potato/2009/01/the-folks-at-cablevision-have-a-penchant-for-pissing-off-the-very-fans-they-want-to-support-their-sports-teams-and-regional-n.html |title=MSG Hockey MIA in HD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130191423/http://sportscouchpotato.typepad.com/sports_couch_potato/2009/01/the-folks-at-cablevision-have-a-penchant-for-pissing-off-the-very-fans-they-want-to-support-their-sports-teams-and-regional-n.html |archive-date=2009-11-30 |website=Sports Couch Potato |date=2009-01-29 |access-date=2009-09-02}}</ref> with games presented in [[standard-definition television|standard definition]] and upconverted to a stretched [[widescreen]] format. On March 17, 2010, beginning with the game between the New Jersey Devils and [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], MSG HD and MSG+ HD broadcasts returned to [[NHL Center Ice]] (as confirmed by Gary Bettman during the ''NHL Hour'' broadcast).<ref>[http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2396733#post2396733 Status of MSG HD?] ''DBSTalk''. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2010-03-18.</ref>

Since its launch, MSG Network had blocked Verizon and AT&T from carrying MSG HD on any terms through a controversial guideline imposed by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (known as the "terrestrial exception"), that was implemented to encourage investments in local programming, which stated that television channels that do not transmit via satellite uplink – MSG HD's programming is distributed to cable television providers through a terrestrial infrastructure using only [[microwave relay|microwave]] and [[optical fiber|fiber optic]] relays – have the authority to decide which pay television providers (cable, satellite or telco) can have access to its programming. Because the network was once owned by Cablevision (and remains under common control by the Dolan family to this day), MSG fought attempts by the telco providers to carry it despite the significant rights fees it could collect from carriage deals with those services. On September 22, 2011, the FCC ordered MSG to negotiate with both Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse for carriage on each system. MSG and Cablevision used every appeal available to keep the HD channels from being carried by both distributors; however on December 14, 2011, a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied Cablevision/MSG Holdings' petition for review. Verizon FiOS began carrying MSG HD and MSG+ HD on its New York City area systems the next day, and AT&T U-Verse began carrying the HD feeds on its Connecticut systems later that month.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-09-22 |title=DA 11-1594 |url=http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0922/DA-11-1594A1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022064837/http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0922/DA-11-1594A1.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-22 |website=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref>

=== 3D ===
On March 24, 2010, MSG Network launched a [[3D television|3D]] feed, '''MSG 3D''', available only to Cablevision subscribers in the New York City area on channel 1300; its inaugural broadcast was a game between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. This was a one time broadcast and MSG elected not to produce any more telecasts. Channel 1300 was eventually deleted from the system.

=== MSG+ ===
In 2014, MSG Network launched a [[TV Everywhere]] service known as '''MSG Go''', initially available for subscribers on Optimum.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=MCN Staff |date=2017-04-05 |title=Fios Subs Get MSG GO Access |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/fios-subs-get-msg-go-access-411994 |access-date=2023-04-09 |website=Multichannel News |language=en}}</ref>

On March 1, 2023, MSG Network announced its direct-to-consumer streaming service '''MSG+.''' The service will include live streams of MSG and MSG SportsNet and live streams of all MSG-produced Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Sabres games as well as other live sports, events and programming depending on users area. The service will cost $29.99 a month or $309.99 a year. There is an option to purchase single games for $9.99 each. MSG+ is also available for free to subscribers of participating pay television service providers of MSG Networks, replacing MSG Go.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-02 |title=MSG to launch streaming service MSG+ this summer |url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/msg-to-launch-streaming-service-msg-this-summer/ |access-date=2023-04-09 |website=SportBusiness |language=en-US}}</ref>

On August 28, 2024, Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment—a joint venture formed by MSG Networks and [[YES Network]]—announced that they would merge their networks' direct-to-consumer services under a new joint streaming platform known as The Gotham Sports App, ahead of the 2024–25 NBA and NHL seasons. As before, MSG+ will be available on the service for free to subscribers of participating pay television service providers, while customers will be able to purchase subscriptions to both networks individually or as a bundle.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feldman |first=Jacob |date=August 28, 2024 |title=MSG, YES Launch Combo Streaming App for New York-Area Sports |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2024/yankees-knicks-rangers-streaming-msg-yes-gotham-price-1234795005/ |access-date=August 28, 2024 |work=Sportico}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frankelpublished |first=Daniel |date=2024-08-28 |title=Gotham Sports App Unites Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Devils, Islanders and Sabres Under One $42-a-Month DTC Home |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/gotham-sports-app-unites-yankees-knicks-nets-devils-islanders-and-sabres-under-one-dollar42-a-month-dtc-home |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=NextTV |language=en}}</ref>

=== MSG Sports Zone ===
'''MSG Sports Zone''' is a free ad-supported streaming TV channel featuring original MSG studio programming. It is currently available on [[Vizio]] and [[Plex (software)|Plex]].<ref name="MSG+">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-01 |title=MSG Networks Provides Updates on New Streaming Initiatives |url=https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MADISON-SQUARE-GARDEN-ENT-106060456/news/MSG-Networks-Provides-Updates-on-New-Streaming-Initiatives-43125702/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Market Screener |language=en}}</ref>

==Radio division==
The radio division of MSG, known as the '''Madison Square Garden (MSG) Radio Network''', produces Knicks, Rangers and Red Bulls broadcasts for New York City [[ESPN Radio]] station [[WHSQ]] (880 AM) and other radio stations across the region. Prior to the fall of 2004, MSG-produced Knicks, Rangers and MetroStars games aired on WFAN. The coordinating producer of MSG Radio is Ray Santiago.

MSG Network also presents certain game telecasts with a Spanish-language audio track, accessible through the [[second audio program]] feature on most television sets, through simulcasts from its radio partners; all Knicks home games and selected away games that are simulcast from [[WADO]] (1280 AM), while a Spanish-language track of Red Bulls and Rangers games are simulcast from [[ESPN Deportes Radio]] station [[WEPN (AM)|WEPN]] (1050 AM).

==References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Cable<br />Home of the<br />[[New York Yankees]]
 | years = 1989–2001
 | before = [[MSG Sportsnet|SportsChannel]]<br />1981–1988
 | after = [[YES Network]]<br />2002–present
}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Cable<br />Home of the<br />[[New York Mets]]
 | years = 2002–2005<br /><small>(split with [[MSG Sportsnet|FSN New York]])</small>
 | before = [[MSG Sportsnet|SportsChannel]]/[[MSG Sportsnet|FSN New York]]<br />1980–2005
 | after = [[SportsNet New York|SNY]]<br />2006–present
}}
{{S-end}}

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