MSG  sucks!

If only I had MSG, I’d be glad to miss a handful of games. As it is right now, I’m missing the entire season. Never would have thought this before, but I can’t wait for NHL on NBC to show (hopefully) the NYR games.

More people watch the Knicks than the Rangers.

Simple as that.

It’s really simple, MSG+ was FSN NY (Fox Sports Net) and MSG bought it in 2008 and rebranded it as MSG+.. Basically all you really need to know is that MSG and MSG+ aren’t the same. It’s not like ESPN and ESPN2. FSN was rebranded as MSG+ (It’s not like the decided to add a new channel in addition to MSG)

FSN had pre-existing contracts with both the Islanders and Devils to broadcast their games on that channel. Those contracts are still there. So the Islanders and Devils basically have rights to be on MSG+ through that contract. (These contracts are signed for like another 20 years so that isn’t going to change)..

The Knicks and Rangers play on the main MSG channel. Right now, the Knicks generate better ratings for the channel (According to the Nielsen Guess-Machine) and that is pretty much the only reason why they’re on the main channel over the Rangers. Although the Rangers “ratings” have been climbing while the Knicks ratings have gone down after the slow start. If both are playing they will put the 2nd team (The Rangers right now) on MSG+ if the Devils and Islanders aren’t playing. If one of them is playing, the Rangers go on MSG2. Which on Fios is the channel right after MSG. While it’s not in HD (MSG and MSG+ are), for some reason both MSG2 and MSG+2 are in HD quality for me (Like most none-HD channels are with Fios)..

It’s not that hard to understand. Look at MSG+ as it still being FSN. That’s the easiest way to understand it. If you have TWC, Comcast, Cablevision or DirecTV, I suggest you switch to Fios if you can. It not only has the most channels and the best quality, but it’s also the cheapest option.

Cablevision in CT added this new feature (not sure if it’s also available everywhere else), where there’s a main hub channel, kind of like NFL red zone, where you see all 4 channels on one station and can select which you want from there. So I had MSG, MSG+, MSG2, & MSG+2 all on one channel last night, and simply selected the Rangers ststaion and I was set. It’s kinda cool, and they have them ALL in HD, so even when the Rangers get stuck on MSG2, I see the HD feed.

It’s the same thing on the radio. Whenever I’m driving home and both teams are playing that night, 1050 ESPN bumps the Rangers to 970 where I start losing reception west of I-287. From there it’s alternating signals of Rangers and Cleveland Cavaliers games the rest of the way home.

What about versus? Or NBC Sports? They show the Rangers sometimes when the Knicks are on MSG.

http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2012/2/1/2763166/time-for-msg-and-time-warner-to-pay-my-new-campaign