The pay TV ecosystem has dodged, at least for the moment, the launch of Venu Sports. But let's see it stop this very formidable-seeming competitive threat. 

Almost every major New York-area professional sports team's local telecast will be available via a new direct-to-consumer streaming app launching this fall from Yes Network and MSG Networks, under the joint venture the pair formed earlier this year, “Gotham Advanced Media & Entertainment” (GAME). 

Games not nationally televised for the New York Yankees, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Brooklyn Nets will be available in a service that's being billed as “the exclusive TV Everywhere and DTC streaming home of MSG+ and the YES App.” 

The combined offering delivers some decent savings vs. subscribing to just the individual apps, as the graphic below reveals. It will also be free to subscribers to the linear YES and MSG Networks. 

The Gotham Sports App can be downloaded by visiting www.Signup.GothamSports.com. It's supported by Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS and Android TV and most web browsers. 

“With the increased fragmentation of outlets carrying fan favorite sports programming, the Gotham Sports App allows fans of our teams one easy access point for New York area sporting events from MSG Networks and the YES Network,” Andrea Greenberg, president and CEO of MSG Networks, said in a statement. 

MSG Networks stock rose more than 8% Tuesday after a report in the New York Post said the sports network's chief, James Dolan, was "sounding out" possible buyers, a list that could include Verizon Communications.

MSG Networks, which includes regional sports channels MSG Networks and MSG Plus, carries games from the NBA's New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. In a report Tuesday, the Post, citing unnamed sources, said Dolan was “gauging interest” in a possible sale with some of his friends, including Guggenheim Partners executive chairman Alan Schwartz, a noted media dealmaker who also sits on the board of Madison Square Garden Co., the arena where the Knicks and Rangers play. Dolan, executive chairman of MSG Networks, also serves as executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Co.

The Post said there was no guarantee a deal would happen, but named Verizon Communications as a possible suitor.

Verizon could be on the hunt for content assets as its chief telecom rival, AT&T, moves closer to cementing its $108.7 billion purchase of Time Warner Inc. The Post said AT&T also is looking for RSN properties to add to the five it already owns, but may want to hold off until after its Time Warner deal closes.

The news sent MSG Networks stock skyward. Shares traded as high as $24.85 each (up 8.3% or $1.90 each) in earlier trading Tuesday and closed at $24.40 per share, up 6.3% or $1.45 each.

A sale of the networks wouldn’t be out of the question. Many analysts speculated that the MSG channels could go up for sale after the company was split in 2015. In that deal, MSG was split into MSG Networks and the Madison Square Garden Co., which houses the sports teams, the Madison Square Garden arena, and other venues like Radio City Music Hall, The Forum and The Chicago Theater.

The Madison Squarer Garden Co. has named Jordan Solomon as executive vice president for MSG Sports, effective Feb. 11.

Reporting to MSG president and CEO David O’Connor, Solomon will focus on the Garden’s professional sports teams – the New York Knicks, New York Rangers and New York Liberty – as well as its development league franchise the Westchester Knicks.

“Few companies anywhere have the breadth and depth of passion, loyalty and tradition that our sports teams have built,” O’Connor said in a statement. “As we look to the future, we need visionary and fearless leaders like Jordan who readily embrace all of the possibilities inherent in today’s frenetic environment – so we can ensure we’re using all available tools to maximize our relationships with fans, partners, leagues and athletes, and best position ourselves for long-term success. Jordan is a perfect fit and we look forward to his arrival at MSG, and his immediate impact on our operations.”

Solomon joins MSG from the National Basketball Association, where he served as vice president, Team Marketing and Business Operations since 2014. In this role, he led the organization’s strategy and analytics group, which provides NBA teams with financial, marketing and consumer analysis. He also advised teams on all elements of their business operations and strategy, including ticket sales and service, sponsorship, marketing, and analytics.

Among Solomon’s responsibilities at MSG will be developing the overall commercial strategy and goals for the franchises’ businesses; daily oversight of financial and operational matters; and identifying and building key strategic relationships. In addition he will be responsible for the in-game experience, as well as working with colleagues across the company to create marketing, sales, and sponsorship plans, along with fan development and community relations events and programs that strengthen the teams’ brands.

“I am thrilled and honored to become a part of The Madison Square Garden Company, and look forward to supporting Doc and my new colleagues in driving innovation and performance,” Solomon said in a statement. “There is no greater stage than Madison Square Garden and no bigger names in sports – I cannot wait to join the talented staff at MSG and collectively accomplish even greater success in the days to come.”

Prior to the NBA, Solomon was with McKinsey & Company for seven years, where he held a number of positions with increasing responsibility, including his last role as Associate Principal. During this time, he advised an extensive array of media and entertainment, gaming, and financial services clients in the areas of sales and marketing strategy, pricing, and customer experience. Mr. Solomon began his professional career at Silicon Valley Bank, where as part of the company’s Venture Capital Group, he led due diligence, recommended investments and advised senior management of early-stage technology companies.

Madison Square Garden Co. said it has completed the planned split of its sports and entertainment properties into two separate publicly traded companies – Madison Square Garden and MSG Networks.

MSG announced plans for the split last October. As part of the deal, Madison Square Garden now includes entertainment venues like the Madison Square Garden arena, Beacon Theater, Radio City Music Hall, The Forum in Los Angeles, the Chicago Theater and others and professional sports teams the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers and the New York Liberty and trades on the New York stock exchange under the symbol “MSG”. MSG Networks, which trades on the NYSE under the symbol “MSGN” includes regional sports networks MSG and MSG Plus.

Officially, Madison Square Garden was spun out of the former Madison Square Garden, with the remaining entity renamed MSG Networks.

The split was made as a tax-free distribution, with shareholders of the former Madison Square Garden Co. receiving one share of MSG for every three shares of Madison Square Garden Co, they hold. That distribution was completed on Sept. 30.  

MSG Networks debuted on the NYSE on Oct. 1, opening at $20.15 per share. The stock was down about 11% ($2.15 each) in early trading, priced at $17.85 per share. MSG stock was priced at $159.63 each in early trading Thursday, up 5.7% ($8.63 per share).

Madison Square Garden Co. said its board of directors has approved the long-awaited split of its sports and entertainment assets, creating a media company dubbed MSG Networks Inc. and a sports and entertainment unit that will retain the Madison Square Garden Co. name.

The distribution will take place on Sept. 30 to MSG shareholders of record as of Sept. 21.

Madison Square Garden first announced its intention to split the company in October.  As part of the split, its cable sports networks MSG Network, MSG + would be housed in the MSG Networks unit while its professional sports teams (including the New York Knicks and New York Rangers) and entertainment venues like Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, The Forum and the Chicago Theater would remain in the Madison Square Garden Co.

For the distribution, each MSG Class A common stockholder will receive one share of the new Madison Square Garden Company Class A common stock for every three shares of MSG Class A common stock held as of the record date. Each MSG Class B common stockholder will receive one share of the new Madison Square Garden Company Class B common stock for every three shares of MSG Class B common stock they hold as of the record date.

“We are now one step closer toward our goal of creating two distinct, focused companies for investors, said MSG CEO Doc O’Connor in a statement. “The live sports and entertainment company will comprise a portfolio of celebrated venues, legendary sports teams and exclusive entertainment productions, while the media company will continue to own and operate award-winning regional networks that deliver compelling sports and entertainment content. We are confident that this transaction will further enhance the long-term value potential of both companies as each continues to build on its considerable record of achievement.”

Upon completion of the spin-off, MSG’s current repurchase program, through which $241 million of MSG Class A common stock has already been purchased, will be terminated and the new Madison Square Garden Company will have in place new Board authorization to repurchase up to $525 million of its Class A common stock.

 “Our anticipated stock buyback program for the new sports and entertainment company is a reflection of our confidence in the strength of those businesses, and of our continued desire to generate greater value for stockholders,” O’Connor said in a statement.

Statement containing details regarding the distribution of the new Madison Square Garden Company common stock and the new Madison Square Garden Company’s business and management following the spin-off will be mailed to MSG stockholders prior to the distribution date.

The spin-off has been structured to qualify as a tax-free distribution to MSG stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Cash received in lieu of fractional shares, however, will generally be taxable. MSG stockholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of the spin-off.

Beginning on Sept. 17, and continuing until the occurrence of the distribution, MSG expects that its common stock will trade in two markets on the New York Stock Exchange: In the “regular way” market under the symbol “MSG” and under the current name, “The Madison Square Garden Company”, and in the "ex-distribution" market under the symbol "MSGN WI" and under the new name “MSG Networks Inc.”

The new Madison Square Garden Company Class A common stock is expected to begin trading on a “when-issued” basis on the NYSE under the symbol “MSG WI” and under the name “The Madison Square Garden Company” beginning on Sept. 17. "When issued" trading of the new Madison Square Garden Company Class A common stock will continue until the distribution occurs.

The completion of the spin-off is subject to the effectiveness of MSG’s Form 10, funding of the debt financing at MSG Networks and the new Madison Square Garden Company common stock being authorized for listing on the NYSE, as well as certain approvals and consents.   

Madison Square Garden Co. said Tuesday that it plans to transfer the listing of its Class A common stock to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) from the NASDAQ Global Market, beginning on July 27.

The stock will trade on the NYSE under its current symbol “MSG” and will continue to trade on the NASDAQ Exchange until the transfer is complete.

 “We are pleased to be joining the NYSE’s lineup of world-class companies as we continue to pursue opportunities to generate value for our shareholders,” said MSG chief financial officer Dnna Coleman in a statement. “This includes our proposed spin-off of our sports and entertainment businesses from our media business, which we expect to complete in 2015.”

MSG plans to spin off its sports businesses –including the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, the New York Liberty, Westchester Knicks (NBADL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) – and its entertainment assets – including Madison Square Garden Arena, Radio City Music Hall, The Beacon Theater, The LA Forum and others – from its media assets MSG Networks and MSG-Plus. The spin is expected to be completed later this year.  

 “We look forward to a long-term relationship with The Madison Square Garden Company,” said NYSE president Tom Farley in a statement. “With a portfolio of legendary brands and a reputation for creating world-class experiences, MSG is a great addition to our community of leading companies and we welcome the opportunity to support MSG’s continued growth.”

For the 23 million who were engaged with NBC’s Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, there was another pretty good live event in New York on Sunday night.

Those lucky enough to be inside the transformed Madison Square Garden or watching the TNT/TBS simulcast of the 64th NBA All-Star witnessed some sweet moves (and a few lowlights) in the highest-scoring contest in the event's history.

The ASG in NYC --the West prevailed 163-158 -- began with the tip between the Brothers Gasol, with Pau winning on a double hit.  The big men for Spain were largely lost in the run-and-gun affair, although Marc did catch LeBron James’s attention with a crushing blow on a corner three point attempt.

The King didn’t take kindly to the body block, expressing his royal displeasure by later attempting an inbound decapitation with a pass off the back of Mark’s noggin.

LeBron loathers also had other reasons to revel. The Earl of Akron smacked an underhand alley-oop set-up from John Wall off the back rim and gave new meaning to the phrase wide left, when he missed the backboard on  what appeared to be a self-pass a la Tracey McGrady.

To be fair, LBJ notched 30, including a reverse alley-oop slam(Zack LaVine, anyone?) to pass Kareem and Michael Jordan and become the second All-Star scorer behind Kobe.  The absent Laker still leads by two.

Carmelo Anthony’s single ASG mark of 8 treys from last year withstood challenges by Kyle “Ashton Kutcher” Korver and James “The Beard” Harden, both of whom connected on seven from downtown.  

The hometown representative clanged it around like much of the Knicks’ abysmal season. Melo's futility included a pair of three-point misses on the East’s final possession -- he closed matters with 6 of 20 from the floor, before likely moving on to the operating table.

Russell Westbrook, perhaps the NBA’s most athletic player, had 25 with 7 minutes to go in the second quarter.  His full-game repertoire featured a quintet of threes, a number of rim-rocking dunks, and by his own admission four or five missed layups. Had he connected on one of those, the game's MVP would have dunked Wilt Chamberlain’s 42-point ASG record. That mark has stood since The Dipper’s incredible (50.4 points-per-game, 100-point-game outburst) 1962 season.

Sunday night's most entertaining player, though, was Saturday night's three-point champ, Steph Curry. While he disappointed in the horrendous Game Changer contest against John Wall during the team’s practices early that afternoon, Curry’s handle was in full flow, as he set up teams with an array of between the legs, around the back and alley-oop passes. (Dallas’ Dirk Novitizki got caught up in the moment, reaching into the past for a two-hand flush and then struck a vince Carter pose.)

But the highlight of the night from this perch on media row was Curry’s double behind the back dribble that led to an elongated one-hand scoop shot off the floor that evaded Al Horford’s reach and touched just below the top of the board before settling into the cylinder -- a Rafterian kiss the night after Valentine’s.

There was plenty of entertainment off the court as well.  Cast members from Broadway’s "Jersey Boys," "Mama Mia" and "Chicago" did their things, flouting short medleys as nationwide tourism plugs.  

An attempted “New York, New York” crowd sing-along went largely silent – wrong building, wrong borough.

Steve Schirripa engaged Curry, fellow "splash brother" Klay Thompson  and Atlanta's center Horford in “Wiseguy Vocabulary” on the giant scoreboard. Pau easily turned in the best "fuhgettaboutit" of the bunch.

There was also an inflatable mascot cotillion. Harry the Hawks and Hugo The Hornet were in perfect lockstep during Michael Bolton’s "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?”

As for celebrity row sightings, Bill Clinton received the biggest hand, although the former President and the Secret Service detail should have wagged their fingers to shoo Dikembe Mutumbo from blocking their views.

There were the usual suspects: Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor, Jay-Z and Bey, who usually sit first row at Barclays, and Spike Lee in a ridiculous get-up.

Rihanna sat to the right of the director, while Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes also had front row game -- authorizing billions of dollars in rights checks has its privileges.    

On court, five of the game’s greats gathered: Magic, Doc, Kareem, The Big O and Russ.

For their part, Knicks trotted out six:  BKing, Dollar Bill, Phil Jackson, The Pearl, Clyde in a cowskin suit and The Captain. One didn’t deserve action there.

Given the state of the Lakers and his various injuries, the 2015 All-Star Game could mark Kobe’s last major hurrah. There won’t be any Olympics like in 2014 and presumably NBC won’t be serving up a 41st anniversary of Saturday Night Live special to steal viewers.  However, AMC’s The Walking Dead will be still be stalking and there certainly won’t be any home-court Nielsen advantage from Toronto.

Still, the phrase Live from Toronto may have a nicer Nielsen ring to it than the 7.2 million who tuned in the TNT/TBS simulcast from New York.

Cablevision CEO James Dolan addressed his recent angry email exchange with a New York Knicks fan (see Dolan Lashes Out at Frustrated Fan) at a team charity event today, with The New York Post reporting that Dolan, who also is executive chairman at Madison Square Garden, said he knew he shouldn't have engaged with the fan despite being on the receiving end of what Dolan considered "a personal, hateful attack."

The email exchange ended up being replayed on Deadspin, because Dolan unloaded on a Knick fan for more than five decades, Irving Bierman, for complaining about Dolan's stewardship of the New York Knicks, which last won a National Basketball Championship in 1973. Dolan emailed to Bierman that Bierman sounded sad, possibly an alcoholic and said he had written a hateful note. Both signed off their notes with the term "respectfully."

Per The Post, Dolan said today: “Here’s what happened: I was sent a bad, hateful email. I get emails all the time, like I’m sure you understand. I generally don’t respond to the bad ones. This one, it caught me at the wrong moment and I responded sort of like tit for tat. I knew I shouldn’t have done that, but I did it anyway because it made me angry — it was a personal, hateful attack. Basically it’s over and we got All-Star Weekend. I’d love it if we all just focused on that.’’

Dolan's Madison Square Garden is hosting the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. For a look at how the NBA is approaching the era of virtual-reality style virtual courtside seats, see this story by Mike Reynolds: NBA, Samsung Make All-Star Events a Virtual Reality.

As the pro basketball world descends on the Big Apple, NBA All-Star 2015 begins to hit its stride with a pair of televised games on Friday night.

For the 11th straight year, ESPN will twin grins and profile on its exclusive coverage of the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game 2015 on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. (ET) from Madison Square Garden.

Mark Jones and analyst Jon Barry will provide commentary on the proceedings that will feature perennial Celebrity Game MVP and comic Kevin Hart, Anthony Anderson (ABC’s Black-ish), Little League sensation Mo’ne Davis and Brooklyn’s own and Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin.

Sage Steele (NBA Countdown) will host ESPN’s coverage, while Cassidy Hubbarth (NBA Tonight) will serve as the sideline reporter. ESPN Radio and ESPN2’s Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic (Mike & Mike) are the opposing coaches, with Greeney paired with New York Knicks’ star Carmelo Anthony, and the former NFLer joined by the Knicks’ top fan Spike Lee.

TNT will pick up the rock on a much higher level of play from the Barclays Center in Brookly at 9 p.m., with  exclusive live coverage of the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge. This year’s event will feature a new USA vs. World format with some of the league’s top young talent in action, including Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins, Philadelphia’s Michael Carter-Williams, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Orlando’s Victor Oladipo.

The Inside the NBA presented by Kia studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaq O’Neal will provide halftime and post-game analysis of what undoubtedly will be some high-flying, high-scoring action live from Hammerstein Ballroom.

The Garden of Dreams Foundation and The Madison Square Garden Co. are expanding their children’s outreach and fund-raising initiative across a full week.

During Garden of Dreams Week, spanning Dec. 2-8, children from the tri-state area will enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including participating in game-night entertainment for New York Knicks and Rangers, and attending “How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” on Dec. 5 at the Theater at MSG with Quvenzhané Wallis, the Academy Award-nominated actress and star of the upcoming theatrical remake of Annie.

On Dec. 4, Garden of Dreams will unveil a refurbished Pediatric Emergency Department at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. The newly remodeled space, which features murals in the main corridor, triage and trauma rooms, offers a comfortable, soothing and child-and family-friendly environment for children facing treatment.

Throughout the week, MSG employees will help support the events and on Dec. 3, will take part in a “day of service” during which they will work alongside Knicks, Rangers and Liberty legends and the Rockettes to make blankets for children’s hospitals, create winter warm-up bundles for children in local homeless shelters and wrap holiday gifts for children from the Wounded Warrior Project, NYPD and FDNY Widows’ and Children’s Funds.

Since its inception in 2006, Garden of Dreams has worked with The Madison Square Garden Co. to bring the many facets of MSG – including the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Entertainment and MSG Networks – to children facing obstacles such as homelessness, extreme poverty, illness and foster care.

Garden of Dreams Week Schedule

Tuesday, December 2
New York Knicks Garden of Dreams Awareness Night

• Children will be given the opportunity to participate in every aspect of the in-game entertainment – from singing the national anthem to performing musical numbers to guest announcers.
• MSG Network will host a fundraiser benefitting Garden of Dreams during the game telecast, giving callers the chance to bid for [exclusive] Knicks memorabilia.

Wednesday, December 3
Madison Square Garden Company “Employee Day of Service”

• Employees will work alongside the Rockettes, and Knicks, Rangers and Liberty alumni to help make it a warmer and more joyful winter for Garden of Dreams children.    

Thursday, December 4
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital Refurbished Pediatric Emergency Department Unveil

• Garden of Dreams will unveil a refurbished Pediatric Emergency Department at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, featuring MSG themed murals throughout the main corridor, triage and trauma rooms.

Friday, December 5

Children from Garden of Dreams Attend “How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” at the Theater at MSG

• Children will get to see a live performance of Dr. Seuss' classic holiday tale with Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngest actress ever to receive an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress.

Monday, December 8
New York Rangers Garden of Dreams Awareness Night

• Children will be given the opportunity to participate in every aspect of the in-game entertainment – from singing the national anthem to performing musical numbers to guest announcers.
• MSG Network will host a fundraiser benefitting Garden of Dreams during the game telecast, giving callers the chance to bid for [exclusive] Rangers memorabilia.

 The Madison Square Garden Co. said it has named former National Basketball Association executive Andrew Lustgarten executive vice president, corporate development and strategy, effective Nov. 18.

In his new role, Lustgarten will work closely with the executive management team to identify and develop strategic business opportunities and partnerships that continue to drive the overall advancement of the company. He will be responsible for developing both internal and external opportunities that further enhance the Company's key growth initiatives, maintaining key industry and strategic alliances, and overseeing its involvement in new strategic transactions. In addition, Lustgarten will be responsible for identifying emerging technologies and market trends that benefit the Company and its shareholders.

"Andrew brings considerable experience in developing strategic relationships and new opportunities that help create shareholder value," said Madison Square Garden CEO Tad Smith in a statement. "We look forward to having him as a part of our leadership team and are confident that his ability to foster both internal and external growth will prove valuable as we continue to evolve and explore opportunities to strengthen our sports, media and entertainment businesses."

Lustgarten joins MSG after seven years at the NBA, where he most recently served as senior vice president, global strategy, and before that, special assistant to the Commissioner.

At the NBA, Lustgarten played a key role in the negotiation of the league's media rights deals earlier this year and its current collective bargaining agreement. In his most recent position as senior vice president of global strategy, he oversaw the NBA's global strategy group, which focuses on the league's global initiatives, media opportunities, and new ventures, including equity investment structuring. While at the league, Lustgarten was also involved in numerous strategic initiatives, including the league's current Revenue Sharing Plan and the formation of the $253 million external investment in NBA China.

Prior to joining the NBA, Lustgarten held various positions, including vice president, finance at MSG ‘s former parent Cablevision Systems, and as a financial analyst in the Media and Entertainment Investment Banking Group of Bear Stearns & Co.

In March, Mr. Lustgarten was named to Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 list of the most influential executives in sports under 40 years old.  Lustgarten is on the board of directors of the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the nation's largest private supporter of pancreatic cancer research. Lustgarten’s father, the late Marc Lustgarten, (for whom the Lustgarten Foundation is named) died in 1999 after a bout with Pancreatic cancer. He was the former chairman of MSG.

"I'm thrilled to be joining The Madison Square Garden Company. My experience working with David Stern and Adam Silver will be invaluable to me as we look for ways to enhance MSG's position as a leader in media, sports and entertainment," Lustgarten said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to working with the management team and staff to continue to grow this iconic company."

Madison Square Garden Co. said Monday it has named David Goodman president of productions and live entertainment, effective Sept. 22. He will report to MSG President and CEO, Tad Smith.

In this new role, Goodman will oversee MSG Entertainment’s productions and franchises, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York and other markets, as well as the company’s new large scale theatrical production, which is set to debut in spring 2015. He will also be responsible for new business development, including launching new productions at MSG venues: The Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, the Forum in Inglewood, CA and the Chicago Theatre. In addition, Goodman will be charged with extending MSGE productions and events into new markets and expanding the Rockettes brand. Other responsibilities will include overseeing the development and execution of strategies that maximize the impact and success of MSGE’s live event marketing, sponsorship, group sales and merchandising.

“We are pleased to welcome David to MSG Entertainment, one of the country’s leading live entertainment organizations and home to one of the most beloved live event traditions in America, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular,” Smith said in a statement. “David brings considerable experience as a successful and innovative leader in live events, and his expertise will be instrumental as we strengthen and build upon our roster of iconic live entertainment assets.”

Before joining MSG, Goodman spent 12 years at CBS, most recently as president of CBS Live Experiences. Prior to that, Goodman held the position of president, CBS Interactive Music Group, where he oversaw consumer/digital music properties that included Last.fm, MetroLyrics and Radio.com. During that time, he also created and produced the award-winning “Live on Letterman,” one of the web’s most successful live music series.

On the television side, Goodman launched Saban Entertainment’s domestic television division. As senior vice president, domestic television, overseeing marketing, distribution and home video, Goodman was a key player behind the innovative strategy that helped make Mighty Morphin Power Rangers a global phenomenon. He also developed and launched the popular and long-running tween girl series, “Sweet Valley High,” as well as developed and oversaw Saban’s programming partnership with UPN.

“As a producer and programmer, I am thrilled to join The Madison Square Garden Company and look forward to working with Jim Dolan, Tad and their outstanding management team,” Goodman said in a statement. “Having the opportunity to further develop and grow MSG’s iconic brands and create new productions for its legendary venues is extremely exciting.”

With renovations to its landmark arenas – The Los Angeles Forum and New York’s Madison Square Garden – winding down, Madison Square Garden Co. is poised to use its considerable future cash flow for acquisitions. But in a conference call with analysts Wednesday, new CEO Tad Smith was reluctant to talk about details.

Smith, who was named CEO in February, said that since he joined the company MSG has been conducting a strategic evaluation to determine where it should focus its efforts to drive growth. Smith said that as part of that ongoing evaluation, MSG believes in the “importance of owning content,” is “exploring ways to extend how our customers can consume our content,” including streaming, and also feels that its venues present opportunities for growth and will look to build on existing properties and possibly moving into new markets. But pressed for details later in the call, Smith declined to elaborate.

In a research note, Morgan Stanley media analyst Ben Swinburne estimated that MSG would generate between $200 million and $250 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2015.

“We remain bullish that over time MSG will utilize its excess financial capacity to create value, potentially including some combination of organic investments, external M&A, and dividends/buybacks,” Swinburne wrote.
Investors seemed pleased. MSG stock was up 3% ($1.90 per share) to $64.74 each in afternoon trading Wednesday.

For the quarter, overall revenue was up 10% to $371.7 million, fueled mainly by gains at its MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports units. Revenue at MSG Entertainment – which includes arenas like the LA Forum and Madison Square Garden – was up 62% in the period to $56.5 million. At MSG Sports, which houses professional sports teams the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers and the New York Liberty; revenue increased 11% to $156.8 million.

Revenue at its MSG Media division, which includes regional sports networks MSG Networks and MSG Plus, revenue was flat at $176.4 million. Affiliate revenue at the networks was up $6.4million but ad revenue fell $5.8 million in the quarter, primarily due to the Knicks absence from the NBA playoffs.

Madison Square Garden Co. said Tuesday that it has named Sean Creamer executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective Sept. 1.

Creamer, the former president and CEO of ratings company Arbitron, will report directly to MSG CEO Tad Smith. He replaces Bob Pollichino, who announced earlier that he planned to retire on Sept. 1.

 As a member of the company’s executive management team, Creamer will provide strategic financial insight regarding all facets of the business, helping prioritize opportunities and drive value creation. In addition, he will partner with the company’s leadership in the strategic planning process. On a day-to-day basis, Creamer will be responsible for all of MSG’s financial and accounting matters, including forecasting, budgeting, and financial planning and analysis, as well as the company’s treasury, investor relations, tax and risk management functions.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Sean, who brings considerable financial and operating experience, along with a proven track record of creating value for shareholders at publicly traded companies,” Smith said in a statement. “We look forward to his leadership as we continue to pursue excellence across our operations and strategic growth opportunities ahead.”

Creamer was with Arbitron for nine years, initially as EVP of finance and planning, later moving up the ranks to chief operating officer and later CEO. Prior to Arbitron he was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Laureate Education, Inc. Creamer had previously held financial positions with at Mobil Corp. (now Exxon Mobil Corp.) and Price Waterhouse (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers). A certified public accountant, he received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University and a Master of Science in Taxation from Georgetown University.

“I have long admired the legendary and iconic brands and assets of The Madison Square Garden Company and am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of its management team,” Creamer said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Tad’s and MSG’s outstanding team to drive sustainable growth and value enhancement from the company’s unparalleled portfolio of assets and support the continued development and execution of its strategic plan for the future.”