Ever wanted to hear New York Mets announcers Gary, Keith, and Ron call a game without needing a cable subscription? Now you can, as baseball’s best broadcast booth — voted No. 1 by Awful Announcing readers — goes direct-to-consumer. Although SportsNet New York (SNY) stated in January 2024 that it was in no rush to launch a DTC product, it is now set to roll out a standalone streaming service on Tuesday.
According to The Athletic’s Evan Drellich, SNY — the home of New York Mets broadcasts — will allow cord-cutting fans to watch (and listen) to Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling without needing a cable bundle. This move not only offers Mets fans a new way to connect but also helps combat blackouts, making SNY the 22nd team broadcaster to provide in-market streaming without a traditional TV package. Moreover, it’s breaking new ground as the ninth team broadcaster to launch a standalone streaming option this year and the first third-party regional sports network to do so in partnership with MLB.
Viewers within the team’s TV market — including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania — can subscribe for $24.99 monthly, $124.99 for the season, or $149.99 for the full year. According to Drellich, SNY’s partnership with MLB will bring added perks to the new service.
Because SNY is partnering with MLB, the new service will include features that the league makes available in its other streaming products such as live stats and highlights. The offering will also include a combination bundle that gives fans access to Mets games in-market via SNY, and all other out-of-market games through MLB.tv.
With SNY’s direct-to-consumer launch, in-market Mets fans are now in control of how they watch their team. No cable? No problem. As more teams follow suit, SNY is setting the standard for how baseball fans should watch their team — on their own terms.
