MSG gone too from DISH

[cparker]

I told dish that directv has MSG in HD and was told, "you know you will be paying more per month, don't you"?".

Paying more? That's a laugh. I know it depends on what programming you currently have with Dish, but I had AT250 (no premiums) and switched to D* at Choice Ultimate level. I got 2 HD-DVRs (instead of 1 HDDVR and 1 HD receiver). Cost me $99 to upgrade that second receiver. With promos and discounts and a referral discount, I'm saving over $400 the first year. The second year my bill is about $3 less than E* (so pretty insignificant, but still less.... not more).

I was very nice to the lady I spoke to at E* when I was terminating. Told her I really didn't want to switch, was a very long time customer (about 13 years I think), but the programming that was missing just couldn't be replaced by a $5 a month discount. AND... they waived my early termination fee.

So that whole smoke and mirrors thing about "You know it's going to cost you more..." is malarky.

I will say I have looked at changing several times for various reason over the course of 13 years or so with E* and in the past it has always been cost prohibitive to make the change. Equipment costs to get started were a killer and programming cost were noticeably more. That's just no longer the case.

 

[chuckster_dude]

FIOS footprint upstate is insignificant.

Verizon has already publicly stated that there will be no additional expansion of FIOS in the WNY area. They have no desire to get it to every home, just homes in affluent zip codes.....at least, that's what it seems to be to me. I had to pull strings to get basic DSL to my house which is on the edge of their coverage zone.

 

[jrbdmb]

Based on Dish's treatment of YES Network, I would not be shocked to see MSG *never* back on. Dish has already written off the NY market (or at least any in NY who care about their local sports) - eliminating MSG and SNY would cut costs without the losing too many customers.

 

[Islandguy43]

Verizon has already publicly stated that there will be no additional expansion of FIOS in the WNY area. They have no desire to get it to every home, just homes in affluent zip codes.....at least, that's what it seems to be to me. I had to pull strings to get basic DSL to my house which is on the edge of their coverage zone.

Well what is crazy is, that I live in one of the few growing communities in WNY; and I am willing to bet the average per capita income per resident is higher than most of the other towns ( they are only building several 300-400 thousand dollar sub divisions all over the island) and 80% of grand island can't even get dsl, much alone FIOS. If you want HSI you are stuck with TWC.

 

[Islandguy43]

Based on Dish's treatment of YES Network, I would not be shocked to see MSG *never* back on. Dish has already written off the NY market (or at least any in NY who care about their local sports) - eliminating MSG and SNY would cut costs without the losing too many customers.

Very true. Most of the people I know, whom still have Dish, is because they offer certain international programing that isn't readily available on cable or directv.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Grand Island has nicer area's but it's no East Amherst. Kind of funny, if you go to Verizon’s website and enter 14031 or 14032 it says Fios TV is not available in your area. But I know for a fact Fios TV is available in Spaulding Lake. Not sure if any other area of Clarence has it, but the wealthiest development in WNY does. I'm surprised they didn't launch Fios in Elma or East Aurora, having Orchard Park be one of the first towns to get it was no shock though. West Seneca was a shocker to me. I'd be really curious to see if that one very high end development on North Forest in-between Maple and Millersport Hwy has Fios. Both the owners of La Nova and Dunn Tire live there.

I was terribly unimpressed with Fios after seeing it at family and coworkers houses. One relative had Fios TV for a week and hated it so much he went back to cable. Still has Fios Internet and Phone though, bless his soul. The TV service is blah. Like satellite, Verizon lacks a lot of HD channels, their boxes have too much rubbish built in. I don't need Facebook on my TV, thank you very much. I don't think the picture quality is any better then what I get from Time Warner when it comes to HD. I don't know what the picture quality is like out of the Buffalo division of TW, but I'm serviced out of Rochester and it's pristine. SD Fios may look better, I dunno, I don't watch SD much anymore. Internet, yeah Fios can do 873Mb down and 914.09Mb, but I've had 15Mb/1Mb Road Runner for 4 years now and most places can't even max that out yet. And as for phone, Time Warner finally got my town on the gird with Digital Phone. I’m so glad I’m not giving money to those scumbags at Verizon anymore. They could wire me up with Fios this very second and give it to me free for life and I’d tell them to shove it! I will NEVER EVER do business with Verizon or their half owned sister company, Verizon Wireless. I F’n hate that company with the passion of a thousand suns!!!

 

[Islandguy43]

I dropped Verizon Home Phone service over 5 years ago. Verizon priorities are very screwed up. Theyoffer FIOS is what could be considered the ghetto of Tonawanda in Sheridan Parkside but many neighboring communities can't get it. As for TWC, the HD lineup has grown considerable in the last 12 months and is quite impressive when compared to Dish and Directv. I would be much happier if they added the NFL Network and HD Net to the lineup, but I guess you can wish but can't always get everything. The HD picture quality is good, however there is some bugs with SDV at times and the DVR's are stoneaged when compared with Dish, but I am general satisfied for what I get for the price I am paying now. Now next summer when my two year special pricing is over, I might be in a different frame of mind and would not hesitate to go back to a dbs system, if the programing I want was available and the pricing was right.

 

[chuckster_dude]

Look like this isn't going to end anytime soon.

Buffalo News Live - Blogs - The Buffalo News

So if FUSE isn't the issue, why isn't this deal done?

I know of 5 year olds who get along better in the sandbox.

I'm also that my 625 died just before I knew about this issue and I upgraded to HD. I think I would be gone to TWC or DirecTv if that hadn't happened.

 

[The Fat Man]

I don't know, but I would want to say that it seems like MSG might be playing with fire in this one. Within the last 10 years they lost the Yankees and Mets, they only have the Sabres because Empire went belly up, have disputes with the NHL, and for the NYC area there is now YES and SNY for the Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Knicks to go to if they end their contracts and don't like MSG's disputes. I know that Dish isn't a powerhouse, but unlike YES, no team owns MSG, so non of the teams have a stake in the money that it makes, except for getting their product to viewers. The way I see it, is that if MSG keeps up with disputes like this, we will see futher defection to YES and SNY. As for Sabers' country I'm sure that FOX Sports would love to eventually get up there for exclusive rights to the Sabers and Bills.

 

[Yes616]

I remember years ago when I first heard about MSG (Madison Square Garden), I thought this might be a great channel. At first I was thinking it would broadcast many of the happenings at Madison Square Garden. With that said, I was thinking sports and even more like other special events and even concerts. There are some great shows at the "Garden" that I have been to.

Wasn't that a crazy thought?

If MSG could reinvent themself into something like I am saying, they WOULD be worth more. The sports fans would get what they want and many non-sports fans who are forced into a package that carries these channels would find something to their liking as well. In HD of course.

One can only dream.

 

[Juan]

In the old old old old days (early 1980's) USA and MSG were the same channel They had entertainment during the day and sports at nite. I think the split occured somewhere in the late 1980's and it became a pay service.. Its now a basic channel (except for cablevision customers...........)

 

[Steve Mehs]

I don't know, but I would want to say that it seems like MSG might be playing with fire in this one. Within the last 10 years they lost the Yankees and Mets, they only have the Sabres because Empire went belly up, have disputes with the NHL, and for the NYC area there is now YES and SNY for the Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Knicks to go to if they end their contracts and don't like MSG's disputes. I know that Dish isn't a powerhouse, but unlike YES, no team owns MSG, so non of the teams have a stake in the money that it makes, except for getting their product to viewers. The way I see it, is that if MSG keeps up with disputes like this, we will see futher defection to YES and SNY. As for Sabers' country I'm sure that FOX Sports would love to eventually get up there for exclusive rights to the Sabers and Bills.

That would be mostly incorrect. Jim Dolan, the owner of Cablevision and Madison Square Garden (both the sports network and the venue) also owns the NY Rangers, NY Knicks and NY Liberty sports franchises. So the chances of those teams going to any other network are nonexistent. The Sabres aren’t going anywhere either, they’re only a few years in to a 10 year contract with MSG. Not sure what the Bills have anything to do with it as NFL is not a part of regional sports networks, except perhaps local call in shows. There is no other regional sports network the Sabres could realistically be on and I don’t see Fox Sports or Comcast starting one that will be home to just one big league team. Only somewhat realistic possibility is that Time Warner pumps some money into their low budget sports network they have in Upstate NY that they use for minor league and local NCAA sports, but that’s upwards of a decade away

remember years ago when I first heard about MSG (Madison Square Garden), I thought this might be a great channel. At first I was thinking it would broadcast many of the happenings at Madison Square Garden. With that said, I was thinking sports and even more like other special events and even concerts. There are some great shows at the "Garden" that I have been to.

Wasn't that a crazy thought?

If MSG could reinvent themself into something like I am saying, they WOULD be worth more. The sports fans would get what they want and many non-sports fans who are forced into a package that carries these channels would find something to their liking as well. In HD of course.

One can only dream.

In the summer they do play alot of concerts and such from events held at MSG Entertainment venus. (Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall)

 

[The Fat Man]

Those teams don't own MSG. He could sell one and keep another. In YES's case, the Yankees own the channel. In SNY's case, the Mets own the channel. Where I live, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins own NESN. As for the Bills, locals and/or RSNs try to get exclusive rights for all the behind the scene actions for the NFL franchises. Doesn't MSG currently own the rights for either Giants, Jets, or Bills? I thought it did for one. Also, wasn't MSG supn off last Feburary? Is it still tied to Cablevision? So I feel my statement isn't mostly incorrect.

Also, I wasn't saying tomorrow this would happen. I was saying that over time, if disputes aren't resolved, MSG would begin to suffer in these manners.

 

[Juan]

The team doesn't own the network. In YES's case, the Yankees own the channel. Where I live, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins own NESN. As for the Bills, locals and/or RSNs try to get exclusive rights for all the behind the scene actions for the NFL franchises. Doesn't MSG currently own the rights for either Giants, Jets, or Bills? I thought it did for one. Also, wasn't MSG supn off last Feburary? Is it still tied to Cablevision? So I feel my statement isn't mostly incorrect.

Also, I wasn't saying tomorrow this would happen. I was saying that over time, if disputes aren't resolved, MSG would begin to suffer in these manners.

The Dolan's own the Rangers and MSG ..........u might as well say the network owns the team

 

[Islandguy43]

Those teams don't own MSG. He could sell one and keep another. In YES's case, the Yankees own the channel. In SNY's case, the Mets own the channel. Where I live, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins own NESN. As for the Bills, locals and/or RSNs try to get exclusive rights for all the behind the scene actions for the NFL franchises. Doesn't MSG currently own the rights for either Giants, Jets, or Bills? I thought it did for one. Also, wasn't MSG supn off last Feburary? Is it still tied to Cablevision? So I feel my statement isn't mostly incorrect.

Also, I wasn't saying tomorrow this would happen. I was saying that over time, if disputes aren't resolved, MSG would begin to suffer in these manners.

MSG was spun off; however it is still owned and controlled by the Dolans. Furthermore, MSG treats the Sabres like its red headed step child. Now this season, Buffalo doesn't even rate a pre, post and inbetween period broadcast shows, when playing the Rangers, Devils, and Islanders in the NY city area, and you have to put up with the MSG announcers except for the actual game call. Thanks to the Rigas Family, there is no RSN for upstate NY, unless you want to call that joke of a supposedly HD channel TWC Sportsnet one.

 

[chuckster_dude]

Now this season, Buffalo doesn't even rate a pre, post and inbetween period broadcast shows, when playing the Rangers, Devils, and Islanders in the NY city area, and you have to put up with the MSG announcers except for the actual game call.

Dolan and the Sabres are just passing those savings onto you. :O

I Emailed ceo@dishnetwork.com and jdolan@cablevision.com to voice my frustration with this whole process. The jdolan Email didn't bounce back so I'm guessing it was delivered to somebody (I figured it out via the Googles). Neither one replied to me.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am hearing that DISH will remove the MSG and MSG+ channels from their lineups completely tomorrow.

 

[Islandguy43]

I am hearing that DISH will remove the MSG and MSG+ channels from their lineups completely tomorrow.

It wouldn't surprise me, that now MSG has gone the route of YES and MLB.

 

[The Fat Man]

Again, I understand that the same person owns both entities. But in the case with YES and SNY, and NESN in Boston, the owner of the channel is the actual team. The channel is considered part of the team's assets. In MSG's case it's an a seperate asset from the team to the Dolans. Thanks for the clarification about the tie with Cablevision. I wasn't clear about that. As for the Sabers fans, I would agree that it stinks that you are stuck with a channel that caters to NYC teams and then just broadcasts your teams games. In Boston we joke around about FOX Sports being pro-Yankee, but to have MSG broadcast everything Rangers, Devils, and Islanders throughout the day and then only show your team's games at night, would really stink.

My prediction: If things keep going the way that they are, by 2020.

1.) Dish is reduced to only a few RSNs and is considered the service for movie lovers (if they add in the rest of the Cinemax channels).

2.) Rangers, Devils, and Knicks are separated between YES and SNY (Knicks on SNY because YES all ready has the Nets).

3.) Islanders will be in Kansas City . Need I say more?

4.) Sabers will end up on an FSN, CSN, or Rogers (if they would ever go American it would be upstate NY). (CSN would need Comcast to establish Buffalo as a market first).

5.) Cablevision is either sold or ends up as property of another provider.

 

[Juan]

Well YES is for sale..guess who will prolly buy that station...............