# Sabres on MSG via Directv



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

Can someone tell me if Directv is going to to carry the Sabres hockey games on MSG in the Buffalo Area?  
Last night the Sabres had a pre-season game against Ottawa that was on MSG, but only cable subscribers saw the game on MSG in Buffalo as far as I am aware. Directv's MSG feed was the Mets and Phillies game. If Directv is carring the Sabres games, will it be carried on another channel other than 621? I would like to watch the Sabres and listen to their Announcers.

Thanks for your help.  

Jim


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

I sent Directv an email and here is their response.

Thank you for asking about the Buffalo Sabres on MSG. I know that Sabres hockey is important to you. Be assured that we are in negotiations with MSG in order to show the games on DIRECTV in your area, but we may not have a deal in place in time for the start of the season. 

Thanks again for writing, we hope to have an announcement about the Sabres games soon.

Sincerely,

Esme
DIRECTV Customer Service :nono2:  :eek2:


----------



## Satech (Sep 15, 2005)

what happened to Empire? I thought they carry the Sabres games.


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Empire went of the air in early March of this year. The channel was owned by Adelphia and due to their bankruptcy they shut the channel down along with their radio station, WNSA 107.7.


----------



## sat101 (Oct 6, 2005)

Directv unlike Dish Network or Adelphia Cable are being forced by MSG to pay a surcharge to them to have the rights to show the Sabres games. The powers that be at DTV feel that this is unfair and are fighting this with no regards to the Fans who have DTV and want the Sabres. They will sign within the week but how many subscribers will they lose during this. As I explained to the NY DTV regional Manager, they should sign the deal for the Fans sake and fight the surcharge at a later date.


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

This morning I sent Directv and the MSG network e-mails asking them how long will it take to get a deal done. I think my e-mails might fall on deaf ears, but I can't stand around and not do anything. What really made me upset is that Directv won't show the Sabres with there own announcers, but they blackout the game last night against the Islanders on the Center Ice package with the Islander feed as well. 

Although, I did reconize that channel 627 seemed to be set aside for the Game if Directv and MSG did come to some agreement. The banner across the top of the screen had Islanders at Sabres 7:00 pm, but the screen was black because no deal yet.


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

This is the reply I received from MSG network.

*At this point DirecTV negotiations are still ongoing. We fully expect DirecTV to carry Sabres games this season. Thanks for your inquiry.

Networks PR*

I sent them a reply to this telling them I hope it's not the middle of November or December before they start carrying the games.


----------



## sat101 (Oct 6, 2005)

_Below is on explaination as explained to us by DTV NY Regional Manager regarding Sabres. I guess he was wrong about Islander game_

*xxxx, 
I understand the importance of the Sabres and have communicated that back to my corporate office. As of yesterday, we were still in discussions with MSG. The fact of the matter is MSG is trying to impose a surcharge on DIRECTV to televise the games. Something they are not imposing on Dish network or Adelphia. We see this as unfair and a heavy handed tactic against us simply because we are the leader in the industry. Discussions will continue. Thanks for your comments.
FYI, because the game tonight is against the NY Islanders, customers with Total Choice will see the game on MSG. It's Friday's game we need to be concerned with.
I'll keep you posted.

Regards,

xxxxx*


----------



## sat101 (Oct 6, 2005)

Good news to all ! Received E-mail last night around 11:30 PM from our DTV regional manager and in the E-Mail it states that the deal between DTV and MSG has been signed and starting tonight the games will be on MSG.


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

I don't want to be a pesimist, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Hopefully the Regional rep is correct. We already know he told you that the Sabres season opener would be on and it wasn't.


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

sat101 said:


> Good news to all ! Received E-mail last night around 11:30 PM from our DTV regional manager and in the E-Mail it states that the deal between DTV and MSG has been signed and starting tonight the games will be on MSG.


According to the Sabres website, tonight's game between the Bruins and Sabres is scheduled to air on Adelphia and Dish network channels 443 - 451. It didn't mention the game being on Directv at all.  :eek2:


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Wow, looks like DirecTV really screwed up this one. I would have thought it would have been Dish  At least Adelphia and Time Warner are doing it right.


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

UPDATE: I looked at the Directv guide when i got home from work and on channel 621 (MSG) at 8:00 pm Bruins vs Sabres.

It looks like it will be on tonight.!!!!


----------



## johnzim63 (Oct 8, 2005)

So what's the word, Brothers? Was the Bruins vs Sabres game actually shown on Directv??


----------



## ahrjmr (Nov 17, 2004)

Yes, the game was on DirecTV last night. Only the game. The post game show was cut off.

Is there any reason for DirecTV not to show the post-game show? It states that the Regional Alternate networks have 6 hours of time on DirecTV. The 6 hours is located in the banner and when I taped the game, my Tivo ran for 6 hours. So, why not show the post game show. Is there a stipulation in the agreement that states, "DirecTV can only show the game".


----------



## johnzim63 (Oct 8, 2005)

Nah, I doubt it. They're just a stupid bunch of _tools_ at Directv, judging by how often they must apologize to their customers for inadvertantly blacking out a game. :nono2: If it weren't for the picture quality being better, I'd go back to Adelphia in a heartbeat.


----------



## sat101 (Oct 6, 2005)

Here,s the info we received from DTV Rep.

*MEDIA ALERT
October 7, 2005

DIRECTV Reaches Agreement to Broadcast 
NHL's Buffalo Sabres Games on MSG

DIRECTV, the nation's leading digital satellite television service, has signed an agreement with MSG Network to broadcast Buffalo Sabres games.

More than 70 Buffalo Sabres broadcasts will be available to local MSG viewers during the 2005-06 season. MSG is viewer channel 621 on DIRECTV.

DIRECTV will begin broadcasting tonight's Sabres game against the Bruins at 8:00 p.m. ET. on DIRECTV alternate viewer channel 625. Saturday's Sabres game will be available on DIRECTV alternate viewer channel 639.*

Contact:	
xxxxxxx


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Cool we got Eire country represented petty good here  John in the north, Sat101 in the south, Jim in the center, and me in the east. 

Welcome aboard John :hi:, I’m up in your area all the time, I practically live on the Blvd with Best Buy, Circuit City and CompUSA


----------



## johnzim63 (Oct 8, 2005)

Steve Mehs said:


> Cool we got Eire country represented petty good here  John in the north, Sat101 in the south, Jim in the center, and me in the east.
> 
> Welcome aboard John :hi:, I'm up in your area all the time, I practically live on the Blvd with Best Buy, Circuit City and CompUSA


Thanks, Steve. I'm near Eastern Hills, so the Blvd is actually "across town." But I get over there once in a while. My problem is that I'm hooked on broadband internet and I can't totally divorce Adelphia because there's NO DSL in my neighborhood. Can you believe that shyte?? I moved from Akron to Williamsville for greater convenience, but now I'm living in a communications stoneage!


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I'm near Eastern Hills all the time too, between the WalMart Super Center and the free WiFi at the mall, and a friend of mine lives off of Whirle.

Going from Time Warner Territory to an Adelphia Area, yeah I'd call that a set back  I can't get DSL either, if I lived a mile north I'd have an Alden exchange and be on the fringe area for DSL, but I could never leave this 8MB connection  Hopefully broadband service will get better and cheaper for you guys once TW takes over. I just hope the three TW towns in Erie county remain on the Rochester system.


----------

