The Knicks Have a New (Streaming) Home

Good morning! Big thanks to the GREAT Ray Marcano, not only for today’s double barrel newsletter, but also for joining me on this week’s special edition of the KFS Pod ranking the Top 5 Trades in Knicks history.

by Ray Marcano

As fans have heard by now, the MSG and YES networks have dumped the much-maligned Gotham Sports app to move to the sports streaming platform DAZN (Da Zone).

That’s where you can soon see these guys:

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That’s enough to make fans cheer. The Gotham app had more bugs than my apartment in the James Monroe Housing projects. The app would regularly freeze and buffer during a pivotal moment in a game. It could be hell to try to login. So, good riddance.

DAZN was originally part of Perform Group, founded in Britain in 2007. Perform was rebranded the DAZN group in 2018, the year it started offering service in the United States.

Fans should be optimistic about the switch because DAZN has a history of streaming success. Reuters reported it has 300 million users across 200 markets worldwide. A press release noted the platform streams more than 140,000 live events yearly. It’s heavy on soccer, motorsports, boxing, wrestling and MMA. It offers National Football League games but only to viewers who live outside the country.

The move strengthens DAZN in the United States, with the world champion Knicks and the baseball’s most valuable franchise, the Yankees, now on their platform. Subscribers can also see the Rangers, Nets, Devils, Islanders, and Sabres.

DAZN pricing will be “consistent” with current costs, a source told the Hollywood Reporter. Consistent could mean a little lower, but I would bet higher, given there’s a team seeking back-to-back titles on the platform. For comparison, the Gotham/MSG bundle cost $300 a year, though you can buy them separately (Gotham: $210; MSG, $280) and make monthly payments to cover the cost.

The agreement takes effect at the start of this year’s NHL and NBA season, which begins September 29 and sometime in October, respectively. (The press release doesn’t say whether the agreement starts at the beginning of the pre-season or regular season.)

Goodbye Gotham app. I’d like to say it was nice to know you, but, nah.

by Ray Marcano

Ed Sasportas isn’t a name widely known in New York City basketball, but it should be.

Ed grew up playing basketball in the city and is a lifelong basketball historian. He was a member of NYU’s last Division 1 freshman team and a mainstay at the Rucker Park/Harlem Pro League where he saw greats like Julius Erving and Nate Archibald compete against streetball legends like Joe Hammond and Earl Manigault (regarded by some as the greatest player never to play in the NBA). He wrote “Echoes from Rucker Park: Memories of The Golden Era of the Rucker/Harlem Pro League,” his personal journey watching games on the asphalt courts.

A Bronx native, he now lives in Savannah, Georgia where he still coaches youth basketball.

What was your first game like?

The first game I ever saw live was on a Saturday night in February 1967. It was a doubleheader at the old Madison Square Garden on 8^th Avenue. My brother and I, along with a couple of neighborhood friends, used our junior high school GO discount cards and we sat in the upper level. I remember the old Garden Marquee and Nedick’s hot dogs next door. The Baltimore Bullets played the Detroit Pistons in the first game, and the Knicks played the Cincinnati Royals in the second. I remember the Knicks won by one point and Dick Barnett suffered a season ending injury1. After the game we got autographs from several players including Willis Reed and Oscar Robertson.

Who are some of the famous players you saw at Rucker?

The “Rucker” was actually the Harlem Pro League that played on the Rucker playground court. Among the NBA and ABA pro players that I saw during my time were Willis Reed, Fred Crawford, Julius Erving, Nate Archibald, Dave Cowens, Charlie Scott, Billy Paultz, Ollie Taylor, and Dean Meminger. Some of the legendary playground players include Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Manigault, Joe Hammond, Herman “Helicopter” Knowings, and Pablo Robertson.

You’ve seen a lot of basketball. Who’s your all-time starting five and why?

Basketball has gone through so many different eras and changes that’s it’s very difficult to pick an all-time starting five. You have to consider all the rule changes, the way the game is now, superior training methods, more favorable equipment, traveling conditions, etc. There are so many great players. If I had to pick a team, it would be based more on complimentary styles. I would have Micheal Jordan as the shooting guard and Oscar Robertson as the point guard. My frontcourt would be Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and LeBron James. Jabbar would play on the post, and I think Russell had the defensive quickness and rebounding to compliment him. LeBron James would be more of a point forward. All these players had superior basketball intelligence.

What, to you, was most special about watching the Knicks win the title?

For me, the most special thing about watching the Knicks win the title this year is the way that it galvanized and uplifted the entire city. These Knicks all seem very likable and relatable, and they developed exceptional team chemistry. They brought back to life the prideful tradition of New York City basketball and it was very special watching the pure joy and emotion coming from so many people. I remember the earlier championships but, as you get older, you appreciate the moment even more – especially after such a long time coming.

There’s been recent debate on the greatest Knick ever --- Walt Frazier or Jalen Brunson. As someone who’s seen them both, what do you say?

You can make a case for Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier or Jalen Brunson as the greatest Knick ever and you wouldn’t be wrong with any of them. If you’re picking between Frazier or Brunson, then I would have to go with Frazier based on longevity and winning two championships. Brunson does have the greatest overall playoff series performance and his time may come.

Bonus Question: Who is the best streetball player never to make it to the NBA?

For me, in my era, the greatest streetball player never to make it to the NBA was Joe Hammond. His nickname was “The Destroyer”. He was about 6'3" and had an array of playground moves and an uncanny bank shot from all angles on the court.

Ray Marcano writes for some of the country’s brands and has been named best columnist in Ohio two straight years. You can read his free newsletter, the Bourbon Resource, right here on Substack.

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”