New York Emmys: MSG Network, YES Network Dominate Nominations

The New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced its nominations this week and both NSG Networks and YES Networks made extremely strong showings.

MSG Network earned 64 New York Emmy Award nominations, more than any other New York television network or station for the seventh consecutive year. MSG Networks, which consists of MSG, MSG+ and MSG.com, totaled 73 nominations, including eight for MSG+ and one for MSG.com.

The YES Network was nominated for 46 New York Emmy Awards this morning, tied for the most Emmy nominations YES has ever received.  The network also received 46 nominations in 2011. YES now has 346 Emmy nominations since its 2002 launch.

MSG Network
The New York Emmy Awards recognize excellence in programming across television and other advanced media platforms. To be nominated for the 2014 Awards, programs had to be produced for telecast in New York State and northern New Jersey, and had to air between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.

“We are honored that the New York Chapter of the NATAS has acknowledged MSG Networks’ exceptional live sports production, original programming, on-air talent and online content, and the credit for this success goes to our talented and dedicated employees,” said Daniel Ronayne, executive vice president and general manager, MSG Networks. “We are devoted to bringing viewers the very best in live event coverage and original sports and entertainment programming, and this recognition, which spans MSG, MSG+ and MSG.com, is a testament to that mission.”

MSG Networks’ New York Emmy nominations covered 41 different categories, ranging from sports and entertainment programming, to on-camera talent, documentary, directing, editing and writing. In the highly sought-after Sporting Event/Game – Live/Unedited: Program/Special and Sporting Event/Game – Live/Unedited: Series categories, MSG received five of the nine total nominations: four for 2012-2013 New York Knicks telecasts, including one for Friday Night Knicks, which received a total of five Emmy nominations, and one for 2012-13 New York Rangers telecasts.

MSG Networks’ original programs garnered a total of 49 nominations in a variety of categories including: 11 nominations each for The Lineup: Best Sports Movies and The Garden Transformed: Year 2; six nominations for The Game 365, hosted by Fran Healy; four nominations each for Beginnings and Four Courses with JB Smoove; three nominations for The Bracket, including one for MSG.com; and two nominations for “Lost and Found: ’73 Knicks Championship Tape.”

In the On-Camera Talent categories, MSG Networks collected eight nominations, including one each for Al Trautwig, Mike Breen, Butch Goring, Tina Cervasio and Bill Pidto. Comedian and actor JB Smoove, host of Four Courses with JB Smoove, actor Billy Crudup, who voiced-over The Garden Transformed: Year 2 and musician Robert Randolph, who wrote and performed the opening of Friday Night Knicks, all received nominations.

YES Network
YES’ excellence was recognized across numerous categories, including live game production (both the Yankees and the Nets), features, specials, business and entertainment programming, on-air talent, promotions, crafts such as graphics and editing, and new media.

“We are humbled and honored by the sheer number of nominations, which is indicative of how the industry perceives the YES Network,” said John J. Filippelli, President, Production and Programming, YES Network.  “The fact that the 46 nominations span the nearly every applicable category speaks volumes about the talent, passion and dedication that our people bring to the job every day.”

In less than 12 years since the network’s launch, YES has won a total of 67 Emmy Awards through last year’s competition.  The 57th annual New York Emmy Awards will be announced Sunday, March 30, at a dinner New York City.

Among the highlights:

• YES received nominations for its series and single-game coverage for both the Yankees and Nets
• The network’s features and specials unit received multiple nominations, including for its Yankees’ West Point special, Mariano Rivera’s last home game, its Newtown, Conn. and Sandy Hook feature coverage, and its coverage of what is now a Yankees tradition — Hope Week
• Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay, Nets play-by-play man Ian Eagle, Nets analysts Jim Spanarkel and Mike Fratello, and JCTV host Jack Curry were all  nominated
• YES Yankeeography franchise, which is produced in partnership with Major League Baseball Productions, received 12 nominations, giving the franchise 69 Emmy nominations since 2003
• CenterStage, YES’ flagship interview show since the network’s launch, was nominated for best interview/discussion show
• YES’ on-air promotions earned six nominations, and graphics picked up three