MSG's Sabre Games: No Cable Needed Next Season

[LTS]

16 hours ago, Fatjohn said:

So have we figured out a reliable way to watch the Sabres for those of us who are local? I’d rather not pay $130 a month and ESPN+ is useless 

Your cheapest bet would be Fubo I think.  You'll just miss out on TNT games. I'm at $90 right now.

Not sure where $130 is coming from, even if I went with Spectrum I would be paying around $90..for 12 months. Then it's all bets are off mode both with the cable package and with the new "free" Xumo box which is only free for 12 months.

 

[inkman]

20 minutes ago, LTS said:

Your cheapest bet would be Fubo I think.  You'll just miss out on TNT games. I'm at $90 right now.

Not sure where $130 is coming from, even if I went with Spectrum I would be paying around $90..for 12 months. Then it's all bets are off mode both with the cable package and with the new "free" Xumo box which is only free for 12 months.

 

Also without Turner networks, no March Madness 

[Fatjohn]

41 minutes ago, LTS said:

Your cheapest bet would be Fubo I think.  You'll just miss out on TNT games. I'm at $90 right now.

Not sure where $130 is coming from, even if I went with Spectrum I would be paying around $90..for 12 months. Then it's all bets are off mode both with the cable package and with the new "free" Xumo box which is only free for 12 months.

 

it’s from Directv. Their choice package is required in order to get MSG. That’s with a bunch of “discounts” already. It’s hard to believe how difficult it is to actually watch local hockey games. Absurd really. 

[inkman]

15 minutes ago, Fatjohn said:

it’s from Directv. Their choice package is required in order to get MSG. That’s with a bunch of “discounts” already. It’s hard to believe how difficult it is to actually watch local hockey games. Absurd really. 

It’s exactly on brand for the NHL 

[Radar]

20 hours ago, LTS said:

Your cheapest bet would be Fubo I think.  You'll just miss out on TNT games. I'm at $90 right now.

Not sure where $130 is coming from, even if I went with Spectrum I would be paying around $90..for 12 months. Then it's all bets are off mode both with the cable package and with the new "free" Xumo box which is only free for 12 months.

 

I've stuck with Spectrum Select. That gives me all Sabres games. My total monthly is now up to about $150. $60+/- is for internet. I'm a Mets fan so by sticking with cable I get SNY. Seems can't do much better anywhere else.

[ROC_exEMT]

My son-in-law went with MSG+ for this year and he hadn't complained about the quality so I asked him and he pretty much said the same thing other's have said here but maybe not to the level that others have experienced.  Also, he's got Greenlight, not Spectrum internet so possibly that helps some?

I'm in the same boat as Radar, $161/month includes Spectrum Internet 500mbps down, 25mbps up.  I also have free access to ESPN+ as my kids have a Disney subscription that includes it so I have all the Sabre games covered.  Yes, I do have to contact Spectrum every year to "beg" for another "deal" for the following year but so far I've been successful.

[mjd1001]

14 minutes ago, ROC_exEMT said:

My son-in-law went with MSG+ for this year and he hadn't complained about the quality so I asked him and he pretty much said the same thing other's have said here but maybe not to the level that others have experienced.  Also, he's got Greenlight, not Spectrum internet so possibly that helps some?

I'm in the same boat as Radar, $161/month includes Spectrum Internet 500mbps down, 25mbps up.  I also have free access to ESPN+ as my kids have a Disney subscription that includes it so I have all the Sabre games covered.  Yes, I do have to contact Spectrum every year to "beg" for another "deal" for the following year but so far I've been successful.

The last few years calling and asking for the better deal hasn't worked for me like it has in the past.

I've talked to the initial customer service agent, even asked for the retentions department and a lot of times they simply will not give me any kind of promo package if I've had one in the past even years ago.

The only thing that worked a couple years ago... After them telling me no... I actually canceled my entire cable package. Kept internet but nothing for TV. About a month later I got a flyer in the mail with a better price. When I called them to verify that's when they gave me the better price. But I actually went without any cable television for a month.

That was a couple years ago, so I'm not sure if that's how the handle things now, but it got to the point where they absolutely would not give me a good price no matter who I talk to until I actually canceled.

[Fatjohn]

46 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

The last few years calling and asking for the better deal hasn't worked for me like it has in the past.

I've talked to the initial customer service agent, even asked for the retentions department and a lot of times they simply will not give me any kind of promo package if I've had one in the past even years ago.

The only thing that worked a couple years ago... After them telling me no... I actually canceled my entire cable package. Kept internet but nothing for TV. About a month later I got a flyer in the mail with a better price. When I called them to verify that's when they gave me the better price. But I actually went without any cable television for a month.

That was a couple years ago, so I'm not sure if that's how the handle things now, but it got to the point where they absolutely would not give me a good price no matter who I talk to until I actually canceled.

This is exactly what I did. They won’t offer any better deals until you actually cancel and then come back which is a huge waste of everyone’s time. It’s truly bizarre 

[mjd1001]

MSG-B is now available with the Spectrum choice (cheaper) plan.

We signed up for it about a year ago, and at the time you couldn't get MSG with it for the Sabres games.  At the time we signed up you got the ultra-basic cable channels and got to pick 12 stations.   Along the way they must have made some changes.

I called today because our bill was going up, but I found out that you now get to add 15 extra channels to the base channels with it, AND you now can add MSG to get the Sabres games.

 

So maybe others have known about this. But for those that don't, you can downgrade your spectrum package or sign up for the cheapest option (spectrum choice) and MSG to get the Sabres games is now one of the channels you can add to it.

Edited November 2, 2023 by mjd1001

[repster]

Looks like there’s another option that just came available a few days ago.

Fubo is going to be showing Sabres games from MSG, ESPN, ABC, and NHL Network in the US.

https://ir.fubo.tv/news/news-details/2023/Fubo-Partners-with-Buffalo-Sabres-for-2023-24-Season/default.aspx

So that would exclude TNT and ESPN+/Hulu exclusive games.

I know games on NHL Network are a problem for some if it’s not in their package, but more so for people who are Leaf fans (NHL Net shows them most Saturdays) in the US like my uncle who can’t access them on TV in his condo building.

I’m guessing for most of you, ESPN+ is probably still the way to go?

It also puts the Sabres MSG games in the Niagara region for me again, after Bell pulled the TV plug a few years ago.

I’m probably going to stick to my usual reliable free site, as opposed to ponying up the $10 a month, but there’s also Premier League soccer which we don’t have the TV access like you do south of the border on USA and other stuff, so that makes it a little more tempting, but not enough.

What a bad time to try to sell this though… 

Edit: I guess this isn’t news to most of you after reading some of the previous messages, but it’s news up here as the local papers have stories on it today for those of us in the Niagara Peninsula.

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by repster

[inkman]

I’d like to remind everyone that MSG plus streaming service is hands down bar none the worst streaming service that’s ever existed.  

[Stoner]

20 hours ago, inkman said:

I’d like to remind everyone that MSG plus streaming service is hands down bar none the worst streaming service that’s ever existed.  

Yes. You have to include the app itself and customer service into that accurate assessment.

[repster]

I actually saw Sabres on Fubo on a billboard driving around in town yesterday.