Ted Leonsis-backed ViewLift to Take the Vegas Golden Knights -- and Probably Soon, Other NHL Teams -- Into Direct-to-Consumer Streaming

Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers makes a save against Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at T-Mobile Arena on January 12, 2023

The NHL's defending Stanley Cup champion, the Vegas Golden Knights, filled in an important piece of their innovative local TV rights puzzle Monday, when the team announced a deal with the Ted Leonsis-backed ViewLift to create a direct-to-consumer streaming app serving around 3.2 million households in its local market. 

The Golden Knights were left local TV refugees in March, when Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to cut ties with AT&T SportsNet, a small, struggling regional sports network the conglomerate was left stuck with after myriad M&A-related twists and turns.