Great News for DISH and FiOS Subscribers....

[wallybarthman]

FCC Closes loophole cable firms...

 

The short of it: Currently some Regional Sports Networks (MSG included) utilize a legal provision called the terrestrial loophole, which allows them to deny access to any programming not distributed by satellite to other television providers. The SD feed for MSG is distributed by satellite, and therefore DISH and FiOS have access to that, but the HD feeds are distributed by fiber-optic lines - hence MSG can pick and choose as to who can carry those. Today the FCC voted to close this loophole. It's far from a done deal (MSG and others are expected to fight it) and it's extremely unlikely anything would happen before next fall but this could mean the Sabres in HD for DISH and FiOS subscribers.

[BuffalOhio]

Hopefully this fixes the DirecTV issue, as well. I love HD, and I pretty much ignore the retard announcers not named Jeanneret, but I'd love to have BOTH for EVERY game.

[wallybarthman]

Hopefully this fixes the DirecTV issue, as well. I love HD, and I pretty much ignore the retard announcers not named Jeanneret, but I'd love to have BOTH for EVERY game.

 

Sorry to say, that it won't do. MSG (for some reason) plays nicely with DirecTV and allows them carry to MSG HD for those in the home. The issue is a contract dispute between MSG and the NHL (who controls NHL Center Ice).

[ntjacks79]

Sorry to say, that it won't do. MSG (for some reason) plays nicely with DirecTV and allows them carry to MSG HD for those in the home. The issue is a contract dispute between MSG and the NHL (who controls NHL Center Ice).

Thanks for the clarification. If you're right, and I don't doubt you are, Gary Bettman needs to pay more attention to this. The thing that is killing the NHL right now regarding popularity and growth in the States is a TV contract. Versus is their prime partner - and not available to anyone with DirecTV. NHL Center Ice has all sorts of "disputes" like you mention and you can't get half of what you expect to get when you buy it. NBC does a great job... but has maybe 5 games a year on TV. None of this will do and honestly, should be embarrassing to Bettman. I can't understand it. Note To Bettman. You have little leverage right now. You'd be better off practically GIVING the right to carry NHL games away in order to get a network like ESPN or TNT like the NBA. You can make money later. Now you have to do the right thing and actually get the NHL available on TV.

[SDS]

Unless this is included in some sports pack that has MSG - it would mean little for Dish/Fios customers because Center Ice carries so few HD games. there is only one channel on Fios for it and it normally has one game on, maybe a late one too occasionally. All the rest are in SD.

[wallybarthman]

Unless this is included in some sports pack that has MSG - it would mean little for Dish/Fios customers because Center Ice carries so few HD games. there is only one channel on Fios for it and it normally has one game on, maybe a late one too occasionally. All the rest are in SD.

 

For Center Ice subscribers you're right - although as I described above MSG HD feeds aren't a part of NHL Center Ice at all.

 

Who this could mean a lot for are people in the Buffalo market that have Dish or FiOS.

[ThePebble19]

Unless this is included in some sports pack that has MSG - it would mean little for Dish/Fios customers because Center Ice carries so few HD games. there is only one channel on Fios for it and it normally has one game on, maybe a late one too occasionally. All the rest are in SD.

 

On Dish Network, there is a spot for an HD feed for both the home and away broadcasts of each game that is on...most of the time, there are only a couple HD feeds on per night, but there is definitely more than one option in HD on Dish.