It's definitely above my head to figure out the monies vis a vis cable against a streaming platform, but that doesn't mean the Sabres need be locked into a partner who doesn't treat them great.
- lacaprup

Would be curious to know if there any other options.

Hell, if I were a young ESPN exec, I might be brainstorming ESPN Buffalo right now with my team to see if that's viable somehow.
- lacaprup

Reading a little on the regional sports networks. Apparently Disney (who owns most of ESPN) briefly owned what's now Baily Sports and was required by the department of justice to divest.

The Sabres have excellent ratings, i would guess the Rangers do too.

I have wanted the Sabres to leave MSG for years and years, as I think they treat us like poop. I think the current Sabres/MSG deal goes until 2025.
- lacaprup

"Ratings" are overrated in the fact that they're based on percentage of the population. Since Buffalo's population is so small, there are only so many eyeballs on the television. They rarely get even a million viewers. Compare that to the NBA, and it's not even close.

Regardless, the issue runs deeper. It's about network carriage. With so many people cord-cutting nowadays, it's not worth it to these cable companies anymore. In the 90s, when everyone had cable, the vast majority of the carriage cost was absorbed by people who never watched sports. In today's streaming world, the only ones that seem to have cable nowcare sports fans, since the streaming companies haven't some up with a suitable replacement for these RSN's.

Reading a little on the regional sports networks. Apparently Disney (who owns most of ESPN) briefly owned what's now Baily Sports and was required by the department of justice to divest.
- Lunaion

That's correct. The properties were acquired as part of the Disney-Fox merger, and that was part of the condition to allow it to go through. It was a good deal for Disney, though: require them to spin off one of the lease valuable pieces of IP right away instead of making them figure out a way to turn it into something meaningful.

Would be curious to know if there any other options.
- Lunaion

The only other option I would think would be Spectrum. They have the rights to the Dodgers, Lakers and a few other LA sports properties but also Kansas Jayhawks basketball. There's no other network with the infrastructure here, and I doubt anyone is racing to get into the 53rd largest market.

"Ratings" are overrated in the fact that they're based on percentage of the population. Since Buffalo's population is so small, there are only so many eyeballs on the television. They rarely get even a million viewers. Compare that to the NBA in most markets, and it's not even close.

Regardless, the issue runs deeper. It's about network carriage. With so many people cord-cutting nowadays, it's not worth it to these cable companies anymore. In the 90s, when everyone had cable, the vast majority of the carriage cost was absorbed by people who never watched sports. In today's streaming world, the only ones that seem to have cable nowcare sports fans, since the streaming companies haven't some up with a suitable replacement for these RSN's.
- buffalofan19

The only other option I would think would be Spectrum. They have the rights to the Dodgers, Lakers and a few other LA sports properties but also Kansas Jayhawks basketball. There's no other network with the infrastructure here, and I doubt anyone is racing to get into the 53rd largest market.
- buffalofan19

Got me thinking, what do other NHL teams with no MLB or NBA do? Seems like they jump into a bigger regional pools that do.

ATT Pitt and Baily's Ohio don't seem like very good fits. Maybe MSG is the only viable option.

Got me thinking, what do other NHL teams with no MLB or NBA do? Seems like they jump into a bigger regional pools that do.

ATT Pitt and Baily's Ohio don't seem like very good fits. Maybe MSG is the only viable option.
- Lunaion

One of MSG's selling points in the Capital Region (Albany NY) is that they carry all 4 of the NY area hockey teams, and show all those games on their array of MSG channels.

Wonder if EK took that Khudobin rumor from the 4th period. Going with the 4 goalie rotation

Dolphins getting Fangio could be bad news bears for the AFC East

Dolphins getting Fangio could be bad news bears for the AFC East
- Swedish_Jesus

That was a good get

I think PSE is rich enough to attempt their own regional sports network. There should be enough content at this point.
Bills pre and post
Sabres games
Bisons games
Local college sports (including Bonnies basketball)
WGR550 simulcast
Production of Buffalo sports history programs to include Bills, Braves, Sabres, Bisons, and anything else related.

Paul in Buffalo on the overnights hosting a call in show "Pucks, politics, and the paranormal"


It would take a lot of financial backing and expertise, but the Pegulas have the one and know the people with the other.
- lacaprup

This is a really good post paulacap.

With both teams garnering so much attention, they could build around both teams.

Remember the Thurman Thomas show, Marv levy, frank reich and maybe even steve Christie?

What community would watch a back up qb or kicker show other then buffalo?

I'd love an alex tuch show...
Breakfast with girgensons....

Wonder if EK took that Khudobin rumor from the 4th period. Going with the 4 goalie rotation
- Buff36

4 goalies seems unorthodox

4 goalies seems unorthodox
- Boss34

Just a bit

Yep. There is enough content. No one outside of WNY would watch it, but we all will.
- lacaprup

Don't confuse "enough content" with "content that will attract enough of an audience to create a new network with all of the costs that come along with it". Just look at all of the teams that have been thrown out there as the "content" - local college teams, high school, etc. The stuff that nobody watches. They are already in a decent spot on MSG as they can create a couple of shows that people might actually watch and then take the MSG content in the other spots.

This is a really good post paulacap.

With both teams garnering so much attention, they could build around both teams.

Remember the Thurman Thomas show, Marv levy, frank reich and maybe even steve Christie?

What community would watch a back up qb or kicker show other then buffalo?

I'd love an alex tuch show...
Breakfast with girgensons....
- Boss34

This market is too small for its own regional sports network. They live off of advertising revenue and there's really no company with a TV revenue budget big enough to sustain thr infrastructure. I highly doubt they leave MSG.

Don't confuse "enough content" with "content that will attract enough of an audience to create a new network with all of the costs that come along with it". Just look at all of the teams that have been thrown out there as the "content" - local college teams, high school, etc. The stuff that nobody watches. They are already in a decent spot on MSG as they can create a couple of shows that people might actually watch and then take the MSG content in the other spots.
- Slump Buster

Bingo. Only the Bills consistently move the needle. The Sabres do when they're good, but when they're not, they're a money pit. It's the downside of being such a small market. People forget, if the NFL and NHL had to scrap everything and start over, Buffalo wouldn't even be a consideration for a market.

Brock Purdy with the Josh Allen injury?

This market is too small for its own regional sports network. They live off of advertising revenue and there's really no company with a TV revenue budget big enough to sustain thr infrastructure. I highly doubt they leave MSG.
- buffalofan19

Good point when considering revenue.

I was looking at the situation from a content perspective.

With both teams looking up, seems like they could fill some air time. Obviously replay the Sabres games as they do now.

Bingo. Only the Bills consistently move the needle. The Sabres do when they're good, but when they're not, they're a money pit. It's the downside of being such a small market. People forget, if the NFL and NHL had to scrap everything and start over, Buffalo wouldn't even be a consideration for a market.
- buffalofan19

The Sharks are in a giant market and they suck hind tit even when they're good. No one in the US gives a single (frank) about hockey.

The Sharks are in a giant market and they suck hind tit even when they're good. No one in the US gives a single (frank) about hockey.
- Wetbandit1

Max Kellerman is normally a clown but he once had a quote that made me laugh. "There are 18,000 hockey fans in every market in the US, and all of them are season ticket holders."

I tried to pull up a Buffalo News article about the Buffalo Braves but their subscription crap wouldn't let me do it. They had better TV ratings than the Sabres ever did. The reason they left is that they lost a power struggle with both the Knoxes and Canisius College at the Aud. It was actually a microcosm of how incompetent this city has always been when it comes to business.

Man, I try, but sometimes the NFL is sooooooo boring. 85% of the content of an NFL broadcast is men standing around doing nothing until the next flag is called... err play run.

This market is too small for its own regional sports network. They live off of advertising revenue and there's really no company with a TV revenue budget big enough to sustain thr infrastructure. I highly doubt they leave MSG.
- buffalofan19

Disagree. We had a successful network that only went away because of a crook. MSG re-ups for 10 years at a time with wee little Buffalo for a reason. Come next contract (which I think is 25, but very well could be 26 or 27) will be the first time since Pegula actually bought the team that he can negotiate a better deal or go elsewhere.

I really hope he's planning something huge there.

Disagree. We had a successful network that only went away because of a crook. MSG re-ups for 10 years at a time with wee little Buffalo for a reason. Come next contract (which I think is 25, but very well could be 26 or 27) will be the first time since Pegula actually bought the team that he can negotiate a better deal or go elsewhere.

I really hope he's planning something huge there.
- lacaprup

And since that time, the Buffalo market dropped from the 46th largest market to #53 now, and it's trending downward. All the Adelphia scandal did was accelerate the timeline of Empire's demise a few years early. The network actually survived for 2+ years after Rigas's arrest. It was actually the 2005 lockout that was the nail in the coffin.

All the Adelphia scandal did was accelerate the timeline of Empire's demise a few years early.
- buffalofan19

That's a guess.