There’s a new way to watch New Jersey Devils games, but it’s not cheap

The New Jersey Devils have been on the MSG Network for decades, and opinions are mixed. Most Devils fans aren’t thrilled to have their games on a network that bears the name of their biggest rival’s home arena, and their placement in the cable package and the extras the Devils are given make it feel like they’re the fourth team on the channel.

That’s beside the point, though, as the Devils have reportedly reached an agreement to stay on the MSG Network, as first reported by Ryan Novozinski of NJ Advanced Media. The multi-year agreement begins this season, and on Wednesday we learned the Devils will be part of a brand new project for MSG Networks.

We’ll ignore Andrew Marchand’s headline calling the Devils a “New York team,” but it’s true that the Devils, like the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres, can be seen without cable. That’s the direction the industry is heading. Regional sports networks have failed across the country. The numbers aren’t what they were even five years ago. Live sports are still a revenue driver on television, but the limited opportunities offered by regional advertising dollars are making the rising cost of sports make less and less sense.

So that’s how we get to Gotham. Bringing together the teams from the YES Network and MSG, the Gotham Sports app gives New York-area sports fans all the teams they could want in one place — minus the Mets.

However, unlike other streaming apps that rely on economies of scale to make ends meet, Gotham is looking to not only replace RSN fees, but also earn more than they’ve been making per household. The app will cost $41.99 per month, the same price as the combined app with FOX, Disney (ESPN) and Warner. However, that app, called Venu, featured soccer, which this app does not.

Devils fans appreciate a lot of what MSG offers in terms of Devils hockey coverage. Most people love Ken Daneyko, and Bill Spaulding was a perfect replacement for Steve Cangialosi. No one is happy that the network fired halftime reporter Erika Wachter, and it might honestly put Devils fans off spending so much money just to watch hockey.

There is a “discount” if you pay for a full year up front, which is $359.99. However, if you only pay for the app for the entire NHL season, it only costs a little over $250. This is the price that fans who love basketball and hockey as much as baseball will be charged.

MSG+ only, anyone with a cable subscription can access the app for free, which is definitely a plus, but paying $42 a month for an app is getting closer and closer to the price we paid for the cable package. At this point, they might as well reinstall my landline.