ESPN+Plus Big East Game Of The Week on MSG

[JayR]

http://bigeast.collegesports.com/multimedia/bige-tv-affiliates.html

The following is a snippet from the Big East webpage linked above:

Rutgers New York - MSG Network (RSN)

Syracuse Albany, Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester, Schenectady, Syracuse,
Troy, Utica, Watertown - Time Warner Cable

TW Sports literally had a monopoly (with regards to the games) in central NY. DBS subscribers (save for those who subscribed to Game Plan) were shut out of what are essentially "free" games (as it pertains to regional coverage). My understanding is that MSG is available in central NY to cable and, specifically, DBS subscribers. What impact, if any, will TW Cable feel from the availability of the Big East G.O.T.W. on MSG?

 

[BobRoss]

> http:// bigeast.collegesports.com/multimedia/bige-tv-affiliates.html
>
>
> The following is a snippet from the Big East webpage linked
> above:
>
> Rutgers New York - MSG Network (RSN)
>
> Syracuse Albany, Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester,
> Schenectady, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Watertown - Time Warner Cable


If I understand the page correctly, MSG only has rights to the games being played by Rutgers. Time Warner has all of the S.U. games. Generally, most Big East followers in this region are more concerned with Syracuse than they are with Rutgers or any other team... so I don't think Time Warner would percieve Rutgers on MSG as any kind of a major threat.

According to the 2005-2006 schedule just released, there's only one time where Syracuse will play against Rutgers all season long. If that's the only date where the same game will be on both channels, then again, if I were TW, I wouldn't really care that much. However, I'd bet that TW still "blacks out" MSG for that one game.

 

[JayR]

> If I understand the page correctly, MSG only has rights to
> the games being played by Rutgers. Time Warner has all of
> the S.U. games. Generally, most Big East followers in this
> region are more concerned with Syracuse than they are with
> Rutgers or any other team... so I don't think Time Warner
> would percieve Rutgers on MSG as any kind of a major threat.
>
> According to the 2005-2006 schedule just released, there's
> only one time where Syracuse will play against Rutgers all
> season long. If that's the only date where the same game
> will be on both channels, then again, if I were TW, I
> wouldn't really care that much. However, I'd bet that TW
> still "blacks out" MSG for that one game.

You missed the point of the post...

Both TW Sports and MSG will air the Big East G.O.T.W.; it is irrelevant which teams are playing. The point I was getting to has to do with DBS subscribers in central NY now being able to watch those games. I can see TW Cable blacking out MSG on its system (no-brainer there); it's all about the local commercial spots for them.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

I think there's another mistake in the Big East TV football listings.

With Boston College having left the Big East, I doubt WCVB-5 (or anyone else) here in Boston will carry ESPN Regional's Big East games.

I suspect the Raycom/Jefferson-Pilot package of syndicated Atlantic Coast Football games will air somewhere in Boston since BC will probably be seen once or twice in that package during the 2005 season.

 

[JayR]

> I think there's another mistake in the Big East TV football
> listings.
>
> With Boston College having left the Big East, I doubt WCVB-5
> (or anyone else) here in Boston will carry ESPN Regional's
> Big East games.

Are they still under contract to air the games? That may be the reason why WCVB will continue to carry those games. That was the case with WINK Channel 11 in Fort Myers until last season. I would have thought that they would have renewed seeing that USF will play in the Big East beginning this (2005) season.

A contract may be the reason why WFOR "CBS 4" Miami [and its sister station WBFS "UPN 33" (which picks up the games when 4 must air CBS programming)] is still carrying Big East football; UM has played in the ACC one season so far.

Why WJXT Channel 4 Jax is airing Big East football is beyond me! They used to carry JP Sports SEC football because of the Florida Gators (WJXT is still seen in Gainesville).

 

[BobRoss]

> Both TW Sports and MSG will air the Big East G.O.T.W.; it is
> irrelevant which teams are playing. The point I was getting
> to has to do with DBS subscribers in central NY now being
> able to watch those games.


What I was getting at, is that there may not necessarily be just ONE game of the week. Similar to the way broadcast networks like Fox and CBS actually telecast several different NFL games to different areas of the country every Sunday, I was guessing that the "GOTW" would vary from region to region.

MSG could be carrying Rutgers vs. Whomever each week, while TW Sports would have Syracuse vs. Whomever. If that's the case, then yes, there would be 2 different games available to TW Cable viewers: the SU game on TWS and the Rutgers game on MSG.

DBS subscribers watching MSG would only be able to see the Rutgers games, so in effect, TW Cable retains its exclusivity over Syracuse games. The only time you'll see Syracuse on the dish is when they play Rutgers on MSG.

 

[Radio_Freak]

> > I think there's another mistake in the Big East TV
> football
> > listings.
> >
> > With Boston College having left the Big East, I doubt
> WCVB-5
> > (or anyone else) here in Boston will carry ESPN Regional's
>
> > Big East games.
>
> Are they still under contract to air the games? That may be
> the reason why WCVB will continue to carry those games. That
> was the case with WINK Channel 11 in Fort Myers until last
> season. I would have thought that they would have renewed
> seeing that USF will play in the Big East beginning this
> (2005) season.
>
> A contract may be the reason why WFOR "CBS 4" Miami [and its
> sister station WBFS "UPN 33" (which picks up the games when
> 4 must air CBS programming)] is still carrying Big East
> football; UM has played in the ACC one season so far.
>
> Why WJXT Channel 4 Jax is airing Big East football is beyond
> me! They used to carry JP Sports SEC football because of the
> Florida Gators (WJXT is still seen in Gainesville).
>

I'd actually expect the Florida stations to continue airing the Big East package since there are a lot of northern transplants down there which gives the games "local" interest. I'd also expect a Boston station (probably not WCVB) to continue airing Big East games since I'm sure there is a market in Boston who still want to see Big East sports despite BC's move to the ACC.