It’s the New York Knicks vs. the Indiana Pacers. Again. After last year’s playoff, these two giants, with a history among themselves, will face each other at the Eastern Conference Finals this season. The game, loaded with stars and trash-talk, is likely to be a fillip for the MSG Network, the oldest RSN network in the country, whose financial status is the exact opposite of the team’s current form. But a high-octane match-up will change that. 

What’s the current state of MSG Network? 

In short, it’s struggling—burdened by debt, uncertain about its direction, and facing challenges with network providers:

• They had a staggering $804M in debt to various creditors, of which $514M was forgiven after debt restructuring. 
• The Knicks had to take a 28% cut in their rights fees and the Rangers an 18% reduction. 
• In January, the network went dark on  Altice USA’s Optimum Cable because of a carriage dispute. 

In 2015, MSG Network had a 20-year agreement with the Knicks and Rangers to air home games. Reportedly, the broadcaster shelled out $135 million to the New York Knicks and $40 million to the Rangers in the fiscal year 2023-24.

Interestingly, the debt restructuring uplifted the market sentiment—the script moved up 17%.  It should be noted that the Knicks, Rangers, MSG Networks, and their parent company, Sphere Entertainment, are controlled by the Dolan family. 

The topsy-turvy situation at the MSG Network is not a stand-alone feature; RSNs across the country are facing serious trouble staying alive:  

• Diamond Sports: Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023. 
• Yes Sports: Witnessed a 34.65% drop in average viewers for the Nets game.
• Bally Sports North: Lost nearly half of its subscribers in the last decade. 

MSG Network is part of the same group, but perhaps going through a worse period than its peers. There have been reports of Amazon mulling over an investment in the debt-ridden MSG Network. But nothing concrete has come out of it yet. That also makes the Knicks-Pacers game more significant for the network. 

New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers — a landmark match-up

The Pacers vs Knicks rivalry isn’t just another great fight between two teams. It’s a historic landmark that started with the infamous John Starks–Reggie Miller headbutt. And the Knicks are wounded soldiers this time after the defeat in last year’s playoffs. 

Pacers eliminated the Knicks by shooting an NBA Playoff record 67.1% in a 21-point win in Game 7! Moreover, after the match, Haliburton sported a hoodie that had Miller’s infamous choke sign to Spike Lee. So this year’s match has more reasons for the fans to tune in, and last year’s number already shows promising signs: 

• Pacers-Knicks Game 2 was the most-watched sporting event of the day.
• The Packers-Knicks was the second-most watched playoff series. 
• Game 6 peaked at 6.45M viewers on ABC vis-a-vis 5.6M for Thunder’s vs. Mavs game. 

So, going by the trend, the 2025 Pacers vs Knicks is expected to have a positive outcome for the MSG Networks. It should also be noted that, Knicks are in a much better shape this season. And the fans flocking to MSG is a positive sign as well. 

Can MSG Networks bank on the New York Knicks? 

Historically, the Pacers vs. Knicks match-ups have been played in sold-out arenas. This year, it looks to be no different. A report from TickPick reveals the difference between the Knicks vs Pacers and the Timberwolves vs Thunder games. The cheapest ticket price for the former is at $671, whereas the same for the latter is $170.

Knicks’ current run of form gives hope of a longer playoff run that will automatically boost the viewership numbers. Which will essentially translate into more ad revenue for MSG Network. They can capitalize on it more to deepen the fan engagement: 

• MSG Network can run past highlights of the clashes leading up to the matchday. 
• Feature snippets from pressers and exclusive interviews with the stars. 
• More playoff-related content, analysis, and predictions will drum up engagement. 

That will invariably lead to more people signing up for their direct-to-consumer streaming service. The tie-up with the YES Network for its streaming service was the right choice as well. 

Because the cable TV era is slowly leaving the stage, if not already left. So, MSG, if it wants to thrive, needs to double down on streaming. Provide more incentives to fans to sign up for their exclusive package. The Knicks-Pacers Finals have presented itself as the golden opportunity for the Dolan family.