WNY Sports Network

[craze]

I know I angrily suggested starting a WNY sports network after the loss of the feed on MSG at the end of the Philly game. Obviously, that idea has already failed with Empire but what do people think about the likelihood it could succeed if given another chance?

 

Two questions that some of you might know or have guesses about.

 

1) Did Empire fail simply because of the Rigas disaster or was it already on its way out?

 

2) When does the Sabres deal with MSG end?

 

I think the idea is intriguing for a few reasons. Yes Buffalo is a tiny market but its ratings for hockey are among the highest in the country. Also, the thirst for local sports info is high.

 

I also think the Sabres are treated like crap by MSG. I wonder if Mr. Pegula knows that one of his biggest sponsors (Verizon) is not allowed to show his games in HD because Cablevision is fighting tooth and nail to prevent it.

 

If anybody has the finacial resources to sink into this venture, it is him. I think it would definitely enhance the way his team is promoted. Wouldn't it be great to have expanded pre and post game shows during the playoffs? Classic games. Player shows. It would provide a lot more material for fanatical fans to digest and present it in a positive manner like he said he wanted from the media. What better than controlling the media??

 

Maybe it is time to start a petition expressing our dissapointment in MSG and our desire for our own network. Just thought that Mr. Black was running his own network before coming here! Interesting!

[Two or less]

I know I angrily suggested starting a WNY sports network after the loss of the feed on MSG at the end of the Philly game. Obviously, that idea has already failed with Empire but what do people think about the likelihood it could succeed if given another chance?

 

 

Just for the record, it was not MSG's fault for the feed problem, it was the satellite company that messed it up. People with TWC were not effected.

[craze]

I don't think that is entirely true as it was dropped on Center Ice and Fios which I have. I think they clearly shifted certain regions at 3:30.

[TheMadCap]

I don't think that is entirely true as it was dropped on Center Ice and Fios which I have. I think they clearly shifted certain regions at 3:30.

 

 

I have DTV CI package in Virginia and I did NOT have any interruptions at all...

[LabattBlue]

People with TWC were not effected.

Not true.

[grinreaper]

It was dropped off DirectTV exactly at 3:30.

[craze]

Ok well before this becomes a who did and didn't have interuptions thread, I really wanted to focus more on whether or not people would like to see a new network and if they think it would be viable.

 

Just go back and look at the game thread from Philly and you will see plenty of people who did have the game dropped.

[TheMadCap]

It was dropped off DirectTV exactly at 3:30.

 

 

Not for me...

[Two or less]

Not true.

 

Really? I wasn't effected and after the game thats the explanation they said. Interesting...

[LabattBlue]

Ok well before this becomes a who did and didn't have interuptions thread, I really wanted to focus more on whether or not people would like to see a new network and if they think it would be viable.

 

Just go back and look at the game thread from Philly and you will see plenty of people who did have the game dropped.

MSG contract with the Sabres is until 2017 or something close to that. Now what should we talk about? :rolleyes:

[Eleven]

Not enough local content. No major college sports (I wrote "major," not "Division I"), no NBA, nothing going on during the summer except for minor-league ball. Not many people are going to stay in on a nice summer night to watch minor-league ball on TV. Maybe someone could get the Indians or Jays to play along, but even that is only so compelling. So, from late April (because networks will pick up the Sabres' Cup runs) through October, there's nothing on, and the rest of the time, there's meaningful live content about nine to twelve hours per week. There's only so much that a talk show host or highlight presenter can do with the rest of that time.

 

I actually like the MSG arrangement.

[LabattBlue]

Really? I wasn't effected and after the game thats the explanation they said. Interesting...

It only was on standard def where MSG switched to MAAC basketball.

[craze]

Damn, just took two seconds to actually do some research and it is in fact through 2016-17. Oh well. Of course these things can always be bought out but I don't see any possibility of that.

[tom webster]

I can tell you that.at least two groups looked into Empire and decided it wasn't a viable venture. A lot of the issues involve the inability to penetrate the Canadian market and the lack of product that has regional appeal.

[BADMOFO518]

here in albany there is MSG and MSG B, there is usually the isles on one and if the rangers or the sabres are playing then they televise it on the other. When there is no sabres games, then they usually have classic rangers and or islanders (and on occasion devils) games and or content.

 

maybe for the sabres market we could have an MSG C, where they cover the sabres, with pre game shows, classic games etc. then the contract with msg wouldnt be an issue and we could expand the fanbase...

[carpandean]

It only was on standard def where MSG switched to MAAC basketball.

Did you actually check MSGHD? I thought the same thing, then remembered that I was actually watching the Sabre Channel (1092 in Rochester.) Of course, MSGHD just tells me that the game is being played on the Sabre Channel, so I guess switching would be inconsequential.

[LabattBlue]

Did you actually check MSGHD? I thought the same thing, then remembered that I was actually watching the Sabre Channel (1092 in Rochester.) Of course, MSGHD just tells me that the game is being played on the Sabre Channel, so I guess switching would be inconsequential.

 

HD feed was fine. It was just the SD feed as previously stated.

[SwampD]

I can tell you that.at least two groups looked into Empire and decided it wasn't a viable venture. A lot of the issues involve the inability to penetrate the Canadian market and the lack of product that has regional appeal.

I can see the Canadian market being a problem, but I have trouble believing that there isn't enough product. With the amount of boating and fishing that happends in WNY during the Summer I have to believe that you could fill a day with just those shows alone, televise some WGR shows and Bisons games and you have a day's worth of shows. I'd watch.

[craze]

I think if they worked with either Time Warner or Verizon, it would be no problem at all considering all of the Time Warner Sports channels that exist with even less content. For instance, Time Warner Sports Syracuse has very little local content to work with (a handful of SU Football games), some SU basketball and then the rest is high school and minor league. They then sell their production to SNY for SU games which I'm sure brings in some money. I think the 70 plus very highly rated Sabres games are really quite valuable. I just hate being on such a NYC central channel with no discussion of our team.

[sabills]

One of the problems with a local channel is what to do the rest of the year. They're never going to get bills games obviously, and theres a whole summer where the only thing to cover is training camps for the locals. If we had a baseball team maybe, but I don't see us getting a new channel of our own anytime soon.

[Weave]

Didn't we just go through this about the time Pegula was announced as a buyer?

 

I'll say the same thing here that I said in the previous thread. The problem isn't programming. There is plenty of potential there. The problem is revenue. Or more specifically, there are not enough potential viewers to attract enough companies willing to purchase commercial time. Local car dealerships and ambulance chasing attorneys will only purchase so many commercial slots. Without enough revenue there is no way a regional broadcasting network can float.

[spndnchz]

MSG contract with the Sabres is until 2017 or something close to that. Now what should we talk about? :rolleyes:

 

Can we waive them? Or at least Sylvester? Just kidding, Ive no complaints about MSG. I watch Sabres games there, in HD, sounds not the best, nor the picture, but still shows my team. Crazy as it seems, I don't have time to watch more Sabres stuff on a TV. I may never leave the house.

[BADMOFO518]

Can we waive them? Or at least Sylvester? Just kidding, Ive no complaints about MSG. I watch Sabres games there, in HD, sounds not the best, nor the picture, but still shows my team. Crazy as it seems, I don't have time to watch more Sabres stuff on a TV. I may never leave the house.

 

yeah when i am @ work, i am talking sabres with you guys. when i am @ home, i am drinking beam and watching the games (much to the dismay of my girlfriend.) i dunno how much more sabres time i can fit into my busy schedule.

 

would be nice to get a pregame show though...

[North Buffalo]

I know I angrily suggested starting a WNY sports network after the loss of the feed on MSG at the end of the Philly game. Obviously, that idea has already failed with Empire but what do people think about the likelihood it could succeed if given another chance?

 

Two questions that some of you might know or have guesses about.

 

1) Did Empire fail simply because of the Rigas disaster or was it already on its way out?

 

2) When does the Sabres deal with MSG end?

 

I think the idea is intriguing for a few reasons. Yes Buffalo is a tiny market but its ratings for hockey are among the highest in the country. Also, the thirst for local sports info is high.

 

I also think the Sabres are treated like crap by MSG. I wonder if Mr. Pegula knows that one of his biggest sponsors (Verizon) is not allowed to show his games in HD because Cablevision is fighting tooth and nail to prevent it.

 

If anybody has the finacial resources to sink into this venture, it is him. I think it would definitely enhance the way his team is promoted. Wouldn't it be great to have expanded pre and post game shows during the playoffs? Classic games. Player shows. It would provide a lot more material for fanatical fans to digest and present it in a positive manner like he said he wanted from the media. What better than controlling the media??

 

Maybe it is time to start a petition expressing our dissapointment in MSG and our desire for our own network. Just thought that Mr. Black was running his own network before coming here! Interesting!

 

Or think about another way to go about it. Make the network internet based... There has to be a way to work it that is less expensive that putting it up on cable etc. If you could have it solely internet based with a local online news covering high school and college sports you might have something. Not sure the costs but they are tinkering around the issue here in Southern Ct and Westchester NY with Patch.com owned be AOL and MainStreetmedia.com. Though each one has had trouble selling advertising.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I can tell you that.at least two groups looked into Empire and decided it wasn't a viable venture. A lot of the issues involve the inability to penetrate the Canadian market and the lack of product that has regional appeal.

 

DirecTV is a godsend for an Empire comeback. All the transplants that I know LOVED Empire. We had 3 Tvs going in the office and it was always 1 on CNBC, one on FOX/MSNBC, 1 on Empire as the standard. I think if you offered that as a stand-alone station with the same production value it had at it's peak, transplants would pay $10 a month alone for that, not to mention the other 20 regionals.

 

I still have my membership card from when they first started. I think I was #32 or something like that!

 

PS....is Art Wander still kickin? If I ever get married, I want Jimmy Brinson and Art Wander as Groomsmen.