MSG Network will provide an alternate New York Knicks telecast March 17 that will target younger audiences.
The Sunday afternoon game against the L.A. Lakers will be produced by digital sports network Overtime and available on its MSG+ channel, MSG Go app and MSGNetworks.com. It also will be available to New York area residents on a social platform, but company executives were not ready to say which one.
Other regional sports networks have tested alternate telecasts around NBA games over the past two seasons. NBC Sports Washington has produced several gambling-related simulcasts around Wizards games this season. Last year, MSG Network produced a fantasy-related show around a Knicks game. This is believed to be the first RSN simulcast created for younger viewers.
“Most legacy media companies have a hard time reaching younger viewers,” said Zachary Weiner, co-founder and president of Overtime, a sports media company founded in 2016 targeting younger demos. “Our theory has always been that if we built something that kids loved, leagues and teams and players would notice.”
MSG Network will carry its regular coverage of the game. But the alternate Knicks telecast on MSG+ will feature lots of two-box and three-box screens, some stats and plenty of interactivity.
“This is a hybrid of what you see on Twitch,” said Kevin Marotta, MSG Networks senior vice president of marketing and content strategy.
Overtime personality Overtime Larry will work the crowd during the broadcast.youtube
One of the things Marotta said that he learned from last year’s alternate telecast with DraftKings was that MSG should not be shy about totally reimagining how the telecast looks — there’s little sense in going halfway.
The alternate telecast will focus on voice and community, Weiner said. Cameron Smith and Monica McNutt will call the game in front of a green screen from an MSG Network studio. A social media personality called Filayyyy, who has 1.3 million Instagram followers, will be on camera providing voice-overs for various highlights. And an Overtime personality called Overtime Larry will interview fans from the arena. During halftime, he will interview Larry Johnson in a segment known to Overtime users as “Lie Detector.”
“The talent will be talking about the game like they are your friends sitting in your living room,” Marotta said. “We want to reach out to the next generation of sports fans. We like to innovate and try different stunts.”
MSG Network will curate social media feeds throughout the game as a way to let fans better interact with the audience.
MSG Networks has an investment in Overtime, as do NBA players Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo and Carmelo Anthony. Last month, it raised $23 million in Series B funding.
John Ourand can be reached at jourand@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @Ourand_SBJ.
