MSG Network
Encyclopedia
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic
United States. It is focused on New York City
sports teams. The network takes the name of Madison Square Garden
, and has long been the producer of radio and television broadcasts of the NBA
's New York Knicks
, NHL
's New York Rangers
, and WNBA
's New York Liberty
, which play their home games at the Garden. MSG is also the home of MLS
's New York Red Bulls who play at Red Bull Arena and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres
; the Rangers do not air west of the Syracuse
media market, while the Sabres do not air south of the Albany
or Binghamton
markets. In 2010, MSG Network began broadcasting exclusive content for the NFL
's New York Giants
. MSG also has a sister station, MSG Plus
, which is the primary home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils
and New York Islanders
(plus Sabres games for viewers outside Buffalo and Rochester when there is a conflict with the Knicks) as well as national FSN
programming.
MSG was rebranded on October 5, 2006 with a new logo, new graphics and the removal of Network from promotion of the station's name. Since the relaunch, more entertainment-oriented programming has aired on the network. This programming includes concerts and professional boxing and wrestling cards that have taken place at Madison Square Garden or Radio City Music Hall
(both operated by MSG Entertainment) in the past and continue to occur to this day.
MSG also holds the broadcast rights to the drawings for the daily "Pick 10" keno
game from the New York Lottery
. The actual drawings are not shown live, but a picture of the twenty balls that were drawn is displayed on screen at the top of the 11:00 hour.
. MSG Network, thus, became the first regional sports network in North America
, and one of the first of its kind in the world.
The channel, which at the time was not even named, was carried by Manhattan Cable Television under a one-year, 125-event deal that was signed in May 1969. At the time, the cable company, which had televised Knickerbocker and Ranger post-season games the previous spring for a $25,000 rights fee, had only 13,000 subscribers.
The Garden renewed the deal with the cable company, then called Sterling Manhattan Cable Television, in the fall of 1970 for five years at an estimated rights fee of $1m to $1.5m. Charles Dolan, who later headed MSG and Cablevision, was the president of the cable company at the time.
In 1977, the network was sold to Gulf+Western
along with its namesake sports arena; the company would rename itself to Paramount Communications (after sister companies Paramount Pictures
and Paramount Television
) in 1989.
Games from the Garden later appeared throughout the early days of Home Box Office. By 1978, the first mentions of the "temporarily named" Madison Square Garden Network appeared in print.
By the mid-1980s, MSG was using both the full name "Madison Square Garden Network" and its new abbreviated form. By the early 1990s, the channel's name became MSG. In the mid-1990s, MSG used the slogan "The Best in the Game". In 1994, Paramount Communications was acquired by Viacom (itself a cable giant, having once owned various cable systems in the US and also owns MTV Networks
), who in turn sold the MSG properties to Cablevision and ITT Corporation
, which had 50% ownership each. ITT would sell its share to Cablevision three years later.
. MSG paid an average of $55 million a year for those rights, and the deal is widely credited as having started a national trend towards greater team coverage on regional sports networks, with more games being broadcast than over-the-air stations' regular programming schedules could usually permit. MSG also produced the Yankees radio broadcasts from 1994 to 2001, which aired on WABC
. MSG also owned the over-the-air broadcast rights to Yankee games, which it sold to long-time broadcaster WPIX
from 1989–1998 and WNYW
from 1999–2001. In 2002, the Yankees left MSG to form the YES Network
. From 2002 to 2005, MSG aired games from Major League Baseball
's New York Mets
on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, games which previously aired on FSNY (MSG, FSNY, and WPIX each carried about 50 games a season on consistent days of the week). Like the Yankee deals, MSG also owned the broadcast TV rights, placing games on WWOR-TV
before moving to WPIX
in 1999. After the 2005 baseball season, Mets games moved to SportsNet New York
, a cable network partially owned by the Mets, although WPIX retained a reduced slate of games. Comcast and Time Warner, which generally control whatever NYC-area (and in Time Warner's case, most of upstate New York) cable systems Cablevision doesn't, are the other partners.
. Rangers, Devils, and Islanders games are blacked out in the Sabres' primary broadcast territory, which are the Buffalo and Rochester Nielsen
markets, but Knicks games are broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsNet or a temporary alternate channel when there is a conflict with the Sabres, except for Chautauqua County
, part of which is within 100 miles (160.9 km) of Cleveland
and gets only Cleveland Cavaliers
games on Fox Sports Ohio as per NBA rules. The Knicks are also subject to blackout in eastern-most Connecticut, within 100 miles (160.9 km) of Boston. However, most of Erie
(including Buffalo) and Niagara
counties, a territory located within the 100 miles (160.9 km) radius of Toronto, do not have Knicks games blacked out in favor of the Toronto Raptors
. This is most likely because the Raptors' exclusive territory ends at the U.S. border, although select games did air on Empire while that network operated and no CBC Sports programming is usually blacked out by U.S. cable operators offering a CBC station.
Most of upstate New York (notably Albany
, Binghamton
, and Syracuse
) gets every Sabres game but also the Rangers, Islanders, or Devils under certain conditions. A maximum of 50 to 60 games per team can be broadcast outside the New York City DMA each season under current NHL rules; this also covers broadcasts in parts of the Hartford
/New Haven
and Scranton
/Wilkes-Barre
media markets. The exact number of games aired in outer markets varies each year, depending on how the NBA and NHL schedules come out. MSG's website lists what games are subject to blackout, and where, with each region designated as a "zone." Outside Buffalo and Rochester, Knicks games always air on MSG, while MSG Plus carries the Sabres, should both play at the same time.
The presence of Sabres games in the Utica and Albany market led to some controversy, because most non-Adelphia cable systems in that market had not carried Empire for several years, and the fan-base for the Sabres is widely thought to be smaller than that of the New York City-area teams (and even Boston-area teams, as WSBK
served the region for several years before each upstate market got local affiliates of the now defunct UPN
and WB
networks).
Time Warner Cable
and Cablevision have made deals so that both MSG Plus and SportsNet New York
are available on analog basic in most upstate markets, although some only get MSG Plus through digital cable boxes.
and other stations across the region. Prior to the fall of 2004, MSG-produced Knicks and Rangers games aired on WFAN
. The coordinating producer of MSG Radio is Frank Moretti.
All home Knicks games and selected Knicks away games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WADO
. Red Bulls games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WADO or WQBU.
, MSG also operates MSG2 and MSG Plus 2 channels, mainly to assist in scheduling the many sporting events it carries.
Selected New York Islanders
and New Jersey Devils
games also air on MSG when both teams play at the same time, with one airing on sister-channel MSG Plus, which along with MSG and its alternate channels are officially referred to as MSG Media. In turn, selected Rangers games air on MSG Plus when the Knicks are on MSG and no live game is airing on MSG Plus at the same time. Any programming to which MSG owns the rights could air on either channel.
If more than two of the four local teams it carries are playing at the same time, MSG normally goes to the Knicks – the highest-rated property on the network – except when a late start time is involved, in which case the Rangers will air. In all other cases, the Rangers air on MSG2. Devils or Islanders games air on MSG Plus 2. If any teams are out of playoff contention, MSG will sometimes switch the order of priority among its teams.
In the cases of MSG2 and MSG Plus 2, the alternate channels vary. Many use the TV Guide Network, while satellite systems use an alternate channel. In some cases, these channels are not available outside the New York City area; however, they are offered by DirecTV, Dish Network, and Comcast. In order to help alleviate confusion, MSG directs viewers to a special website. While games on MSG and MSG Plus are broadcast in HD
1080i format, all games on MSG2 and MSG Plus 2 are broadcast in standard definition 480i format.
after the collapse of Empire Sports Network
and its parent, Adelphia. The Sabres service is broadcast to Upstate New York
customers (defined as virtually all of the state outside the New York City Nielsen DMA). The Sabres, through its broadcast arm, the Sabres Hockey Network
, control the entire broadcast, including the sale of advertising and production of exclusive pre- and post-game show. Aside from Sabres games, MSG controls the broadcasts of all other local teams that it carries (with teams usually retaining the right to approve or reject MSG's choice of announcers). The two sides agreed to a 10-year contract in 2006.
There has been a certain amount of controversy regarding the Nielsen ratings
for the Sabres' broadcasts on MSG. Traditionally, Buffalo's hockey ratings are among the highest in the United States. Regular season Sabres games on Versus and NBC generally register 15–20 shares in the Buffalo market, and approach 30 in the playoffs. However, Sabres games on MSG registered only 6–10 shares, even in the playoffs during 2006–07. This led to speculation that an inaccurate reporting method was used; the issues were apparently resolved after the season. In upstate New York (see above), another alternate channel is created for the New York Knicks if they are not on Time Warner Cable SportsNet.
, which were only available in a limited coverage footprint. Sometimes, games were also placed onto Riverhead-based WLNY
. During this era, when two of the teams that the MSG Networks covered played against each other, only one broadcast would usually be produced using one of the team's announcing teams (this was either due to MSG's TV contracts or a desire to show a different sporting event at the same time). With the discontinuation of Metro, and the loss of the New Jersey Nets
from their winter lineup, the MSG Networks now produce two broadcasts when two of their teams are playing against each other. Since 2009, the network now has gone back to producing a single unified broadcast, though it will use two sets of commentators (particularly for Buffalo, where the Sabres' radio team is simply dubbed over the MSG broadcast when they play the Rangers, Islanders or Devils).
also broadcast MAAC
basketball, NEC
basketball, America East basketball, SEC
football, Pac 10 football and basketball, Big 12 football and women's basketball, and ACC
basketball. The latter three are part of national FOX Sports Net broadcast contracts, while the others are either produced by the conferences themselves or ESPN Plus
. Additionally, MSG offers locally-produced games from Hofstra University
and other colleges in the area.
MSG formerly carried Big East games, along with the coaches shows for Rutgers University
and St. John's University
. In July 2008, the Big East and SportsNet New York
announced a multi-year deal which gave SNY exclusive regional rights to Big East coaches shows and ESPN Plus-produced games. However, MSG will retain rights to a reduced schedule of Big East games, including any St. John's basketball games played at Madison Square Garden.
. It was a daily sports and entertainment highlights show, shown numerous times during the day. Formerly the sports-focused MSG Sportsdesk, the show changed as part of MSG's 2006 rebranding to focus on anything taking place at MSG, although sports remains the primary focus. The show however, gave expanded coverage to the teams which the network carries. Other New York area teams were covered, but usually to a lesser extent. Along with coverage of Garden-related entertainment news, this was intended to keep the show out of direct competition with SportsNite on SportsNet New York
. MSG, NY was taped in a street-level studio, with a window looking at Madison Square Garden across the street. The show did not originally air on Sundays and Mondays, probably because they were considered "low-viewership nights". However, the show was expanded to seven nights a week in 2008, as well as one hour, based on improved ratings over its Sportsdesk predecessor. The studio is also used by Cablevision-owned Fuse
. Due to the declining ratings, the show ceased production in January 2009. In its place, MSG usually offers team-specific post-game shows.
programming since 2006. These include:
simulcast of programs from MSG Network, including home games of the Knicks, Liberty, and NHL teams, plus most away games, as well as SEC football and UEFA Champions League soccer. Red Bulls home games and college football or basketball games produced by FSN may also sometimes be in HD. MSG HD can be seen on DirecTV, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and RCN. MSG HD is not yet available on Verizon FiOS TV, Dish Network, or AT&T U-verse TV.
Since January 22, 2009, the NHL and MSG have been involved in a contract dispute which has resulted in MSG HD and MSG+ HD broadcasts being pulled from NHL's GameCenter Live for viewers outside of the local markets for the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres. The HD picture is replaced with stretched SD
. As of March 17, 2010 beginning with the game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, MSG HD and MSG+ HD has returned to NHL Center Ice as confirmed by Gary Bettman during the NHL Hour broadcast.
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
United States. It is focused on New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
sports teams. The network takes the name of Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, and has long been the producer of radio and television broadcasts of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, and WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
's New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, which play their home games at the Garden. MSG is also the home of MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's New York Red Bulls who play at Red Bull Arena and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
; the Rangers do not air west of the Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
media market, while the Sabres do not air south of the Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
or Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
markets. In 2010, MSG Network began broadcasting exclusive content for the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. MSG also has a sister station, MSG Plus
MSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
, which is the primary home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(plus Sabres games for viewers outside Buffalo and Rochester when there is a conflict with the Knicks) as well as national FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
programming.
MSG was rebranded on October 5, 2006 with a new logo, new graphics and the removal of Network from promotion of the station's name. Since the relaunch, more entertainment-oriented programming has aired on the network. This programming includes concerts and professional boxing and wrestling cards that have taken place at Madison Square Garden or Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
(both operated by MSG Entertainment) in the past and continue to occur to this day.
MSG also holds the broadcast rights to the drawings for the daily "Pick 10" keno
Keno
Keno is a lottery or bingo gambling game often played at modern casinos, and is also offered as a game in some state lotteries. A traditional live casino keno game uses a circular glass enclosure called a "bubble" containing 80 balls which determine the ball draw result. Each ball is imprinted...
game from the New York Lottery
New York Lottery
The New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
. The actual drawings are not shown live, but a picture of the twenty balls that were drawn is displayed on screen at the top of the 11:00 hour.
History
What would become MSG debuted on October 15, 1969 with a game between the Rangers and the Minnesota North StarsMinnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. MSG Network, thus, became the first regional sports network in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and one of the first of its kind in the world.
The channel, which at the time was not even named, was carried by Manhattan Cable Television under a one-year, 125-event deal that was signed in May 1969. At the time, the cable company, which had televised Knickerbocker and Ranger post-season games the previous spring for a $25,000 rights fee, had only 13,000 subscribers.
The Garden renewed the deal with the cable company, then called Sterling Manhattan Cable Television, in the fall of 1970 for five years at an estimated rights fee of $1m to $1.5m. Charles Dolan, who later headed MSG and Cablevision, was the president of the cable company at the time.
In 1977, the network was sold to Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
along with its namesake sports arena; the company would rename itself to Paramount Communications (after sister companies Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Paramount Television
Paramount Television
Paramount Television was an American television production/distribution company that was active from January 1, 1968 to August 27, 2006.Its successor is CBS Television Studios, formerly CBS Paramount Television...
) in 1989.
Games from the Garden later appeared throughout the early days of Home Box Office. By 1978, the first mentions of the "temporarily named" Madison Square Garden Network appeared in print.
By the mid-1980s, MSG was using both the full name "Madison Square Garden Network" and its new abbreviated form. By the early 1990s, the channel's name became MSG. In the mid-1990s, MSG used the slogan "The Best in the Game". In 1994, Paramount Communications was acquired by Viacom (itself a cable giant, having once owned various cable systems in the US and also owns MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
), who in turn sold the MSG properties to Cablevision and ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, which had 50% ownership each. ITT would sell its share to Cablevision three years later.
Baseball coverage 1989–2005
Between 1989 and 2001, the network was the cable home of the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. MSG paid an average of $55 million a year for those rights, and the deal is widely credited as having started a national trend towards greater team coverage on regional sports networks, with more games being broadcast than over-the-air stations' regular programming schedules could usually permit. MSG also produced the Yankees radio broadcasts from 1994 to 2001, which aired on WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
. MSG also owned the over-the-air broadcast rights to Yankee games, which it sold to long-time broadcaster WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
from 1989–1998 and WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
from 1999–2001. In 2002, the Yankees left MSG to form the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
. From 2002 to 2005, MSG aired games from Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, games which previously aired on FSNY (MSG, FSNY, and WPIX each carried about 50 games a season on consistent days of the week). Like the Yankee deals, MSG also owned the broadcast TV rights, placing games on WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
before moving to WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
in 1999. After the 2005 baseball season, Mets games moved to SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
, a cable network partially owned by the Mets, although WPIX retained a reduced slate of games. Comcast and Time Warner, which generally control whatever NYC-area (and in Time Warner's case, most of upstate New York) cable systems Cablevision doesn't, are the other partners.
Upstate New York
MSG is available in most of Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. Rangers, Devils, and Islanders games are blacked out in the Sabres' primary broadcast territory, which are the Buffalo and Rochester Nielsen
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
markets, but Knicks games are broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsNet or a temporary alternate channel when there is a conflict with the Sabres, except for Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
, part of which is within 100 miles (160.9 km) of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and gets only Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
games on Fox Sports Ohio as per NBA rules. The Knicks are also subject to blackout in eastern-most Connecticut, within 100 miles (160.9 km) of Boston. However, most of Erie
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
(including Buffalo) and Niagara
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
counties, a territory located within the 100 miles (160.9 km) radius of Toronto, do not have Knicks games blacked out in favor of the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. This is most likely because the Raptors' exclusive territory ends at the U.S. border, although select games did air on Empire while that network operated and no CBC Sports programming is usually blacked out by U.S. cable operators offering a CBC station.
Most of upstate New York (notably Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
) gets every Sabres game but also the Rangers, Islanders, or Devils under certain conditions. A maximum of 50 to 60 games per team can be broadcast outside the New York City DMA each season under current NHL rules; this also covers broadcasts in parts of the Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
/New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
and Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
/Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
media markets. The exact number of games aired in outer markets varies each year, depending on how the NBA and NHL schedules come out. MSG's website lists what games are subject to blackout, and where, with each region designated as a "zone." Outside Buffalo and Rochester, Knicks games always air on MSG, while MSG Plus carries the Sabres, should both play at the same time.
The presence of Sabres games in the Utica and Albany market led to some controversy, because most non-Adelphia cable systems in that market had not carried Empire for several years, and the fan-base for the Sabres is widely thought to be smaller than that of the New York City-area teams (and even Boston-area teams, as WSBK
WSBK-TV
WSBK-TV is a MyNetworkTV television station for eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire that is licensed to Boston. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter along the Needham and Wellesley town line southwest of the MA 9 and I-95 / MA 128...
served the region for several years before each upstate market got local affiliates of the now defunct UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
and WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
networks).
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
and Cablevision have made deals so that both MSG Plus and SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
are available on analog basic in most upstate markets, although some only get MSG Plus through digital cable boxes.
Radio division
The radio division of MSG, known as the Madison Square Garden (MSG) Radio Network, produces Knicks and Rangers broadcasts for 1050 ESPN RadioWEPN
WEPN is a 24-hour sports talk formatted radio station in New York City featuring national and local sports talk programs and live broadcasts of sports matches. It is the New York affiliate for ESPN Radio...
and other stations across the region. Prior to the fall of 2004, MSG-produced Knicks and Rangers games aired on WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
. The coordinating producer of MSG Radio is Frank Moretti.
All home Knicks games and selected Knicks away games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WADO
WADO
WADO is a radio station on 1280 AM. WADO serves New York City and is owned by Univision. The station carries a Spanish language News and Talk format. Its transmitters are located in Carlstadt, New Jersey.- Early programming :...
. Red Bulls games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WADO or WQBU.
Alternate networks
Along with MSG and MSG PlusMSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
, MSG also operates MSG2 and MSG Plus 2 channels, mainly to assist in scheduling the many sporting events it carries.
Selected New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
games also air on MSG when both teams play at the same time, with one airing on sister-channel MSG Plus, which along with MSG and its alternate channels are officially referred to as MSG Media. In turn, selected Rangers games air on MSG Plus when the Knicks are on MSG and no live game is airing on MSG Plus at the same time. Any programming to which MSG owns the rights could air on either channel.
If more than two of the four local teams it carries are playing at the same time, MSG normally goes to the Knicks – the highest-rated property on the network – except when a late start time is involved, in which case the Rangers will air. In all other cases, the Rangers air on MSG2. Devils or Islanders games air on MSG Plus 2. If any teams are out of playoff contention, MSG will sometimes switch the order of priority among its teams.
In the cases of MSG2 and MSG Plus 2, the alternate channels vary. Many use the TV Guide Network, while satellite systems use an alternate channel. In some cases, these channels are not available outside the New York City area; however, they are offered by DirecTV, Dish Network, and Comcast. In order to help alleviate confusion, MSG directs viewers to a special website. While games on MSG and MSG Plus are broadcast in HD
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
1080i format, all games on MSG2 and MSG Plus 2 are broadcast in standard definition 480i format.
Buffalo Sabres
This situation has become even more complicated in recent years, as MSG also owns the rights to the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
after the collapse of Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network was a regional sports network on cable television which served upstate New York from Buffalo to Albany, parts of northern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio...
and its parent, Adelphia. The Sabres service is broadcast to Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
customers (defined as virtually all of the state outside the New York City Nielsen DMA). The Sabres, through its broadcast arm, the Sabres Hockey Network
Sabres Hockey Network
The Sabres Hockey Network is the official radio and television broadcast network of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. The network is currently operated jointly by the Sabres and by Entercom Communications....
, control the entire broadcast, including the sale of advertising and production of exclusive pre- and post-game show. Aside from Sabres games, MSG controls the broadcasts of all other local teams that it carries (with teams usually retaining the right to approve or reject MSG's choice of announcers). The two sides agreed to a 10-year contract in 2006.
There has been a certain amount of controversy regarding the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
for the Sabres' broadcasts on MSG. Traditionally, Buffalo's hockey ratings are among the highest in the United States. Regular season Sabres games on Versus and NBC generally register 15–20 shares in the Buffalo market, and approach 30 in the playoffs. However, Sabres games on MSG registered only 6–10 shares, even in the playoffs during 2006–07. This led to speculation that an inaccurate reporting method was used; the issues were apparently resolved after the season. In upstate New York (see above), another alternate channel is created for the New York Knicks if they are not on Time Warner Cable SportsNet.
Metro Networks
From the fall of 1998 until the spring of 2005, Cablevision chose not to open up an additional MSG2 channel, instead placing games on its MSG Metro ChannelsMSG Metro Channels
MSG Metro Channels were a series of local-minded New York City cable networks which launched in 1998 and folded in late 2005. Owned by Rainbow Media, the Metro networks were founded as a spinoff of the MSG Sports networks. The network was originally split into three separate channels, MSG Metro...
, which were only available in a limited coverage footprint. Sometimes, games were also placed onto Riverhead-based WLNY
WLNY
WLNY-TV, channel 55, is an independent television station licensed to Riverhead, New York, with studios in Melville, New York and transmitter in Middle Island, New York. WLNY's primary over-the-air signal serves most of Long Island, comprising Nassau and Suffolk counties...
. During this era, when two of the teams that the MSG Networks covered played against each other, only one broadcast would usually be produced using one of the team's announcing teams (this was either due to MSG's TV contracts or a desire to show a different sporting event at the same time). With the discontinuation of Metro, and the loss of the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
from their winter lineup, the MSG Networks now produce two broadcasts when two of their teams are playing against each other. Since 2009, the network now has gone back to producing a single unified broadcast, though it will use two sets of commentators (particularly for Buffalo, where the Sabres' radio team is simply dubbed over the MSG broadcast when they play the Rangers, Islanders or Devils).
Collegiate programming
MSG and MSG PlusMSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
also broadcast MAAC
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
basketball, NEC
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
basketball, America East basketball, SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
football, Pac 10 football and basketball, Big 12 football and women's basketball, and ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
basketball. The latter three are part of national FOX Sports Net broadcast contracts, while the others are either produced by the conferences themselves or ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
. Additionally, MSG offers locally-produced games from Hofstra University
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
and other colleges in the area.
MSG formerly carried Big East games, along with the coaches shows for Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
and St. John's University
St. John's University (New York City)
St. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...
. In July 2008, the Big East and SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
announced a multi-year deal which gave SNY exclusive regional rights to Big East coaches shows and ESPN Plus-produced games. However, MSG will retain rights to a reduced schedule of Big East games, including any St. John's basketball games played at Madison Square Garden.
MSG, NY
MSG's flagship program, added in October 2006, was called MSG, NYMSG, NY
MSG, NY is a television newscast that airs on MSG Network. It airs nightly at about 10 or 10:30 p.m. Eastern time, with the exact time dependent on sports events schedules. Jason Horowitz, Deb Placey, and Tina Cervasio serve as hosts....
. It was a daily sports and entertainment highlights show, shown numerous times during the day. Formerly the sports-focused MSG Sportsdesk, the show changed as part of MSG's 2006 rebranding to focus on anything taking place at MSG, although sports remains the primary focus. The show however, gave expanded coverage to the teams which the network carries. Other New York area teams were covered, but usually to a lesser extent. Along with coverage of Garden-related entertainment news, this was intended to keep the show out of direct competition with SportsNite on SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York
SportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
. MSG, NY was taped in a street-level studio, with a window looking at Madison Square Garden across the street. The show did not originally air on Sundays and Mondays, probably because they were considered "low-viewership nights". However, the show was expanded to seven nights a week in 2008, as well as one hour, based on improved ratings over its Sportsdesk predecessor. The studio is also used by Cablevision-owned Fuse
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
. Due to the declining ratings, the show ceased production in January 2009. In its place, MSG usually offers team-specific post-game shows.
Archival
- The 50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden, a look at the historic events that have gone on inside the famed arena – both sports and non-sports-related – debuted in October 2006.
- MSG Originals, added in 2007, is a series of programs expanding on 50 Greatest Moments to further discuss the Garden's history. Topics include Mecca of Boxing and Spring of 1994.
- MSG Vault, added in 2006, is a series that features classic Knicks and Rangers games (among other events held at MSG) that have not been seen by the public in decades. In some cases, MSG no longer has complete tapes of the games, and so the content often resembles that of a grab-bag. In launching MSG Vault, MSG indicated that it has over 90,000 tapes of Garden events in its archive. As noted, some tapes prior to the 1990s are incomplete (parts of events may have been taped over or erasedWipingWiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
). Hosted by Al TrautwigAl TrautwigAl Trautwig is a commentator with the MSG Network, NBC, Versus, and USA Network. He does the pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams.-Early life:...
, "The Vault" remains one of MSG's most popular programs, with a cult-like following of viewers from all ages. Trautwig, along with a usual guest that pertains to the theme of the program, often describes the story about how the footage was found and other interesting info. - WWEWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
MSG Classics, added in 2006. Airs WWE Classic matches that have been held at Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, hosted by Mean Gene OkerlundGene OkerlundEugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund is a semi-retired American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan...
. - TXT MSG, added in 2010. Classic sports highlights from MSG's library are reviewed in the style of Pop Up Video.
Basketball
- Inside the Knicks, added in 2005, is a weekly Knicks magazine show.
- SummerBallSummerBallSummerball NY is the Thursday night primetime basketball television program and the primary broadcast of the elite summer basketball leagues in New York City. In the past, it has featured Hoops In The Sun at Orchard Beach and Dyckman Basketball League in Washington Heights,...
, added in 2006, is a series that highlights the major summer basketball leagues in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, featuring Hoops in the Sun at Orchard BeachOrchard Beach, New YorkOrchard Beach is a public beach in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. The beach is part of Pelham Bay Park and is situated on the western end of Long Island Sound...
, Dyckman and the Uptowners Basketball League, and especially the EBC at Rucker ParkRucker ParkRucker Park is a basketball court in the Harlem neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard across the street from the former Polo Grounds site...
, hosted by Michael BivinsMichael BivinsMichael Lamont Bivins, a.k.a. Biv , is the founder and member of the R&B group New Edition and the hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe...
. - The Mike D'Antoni Show, added in 2009, is a weekly showed hosted by New York Knicks head coach Mike D'AntoniMike D'AntoniMichael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
and announcer Mike Breen. They look at the recent ongoings of the team and the coach answers e-mails from viewers during the "D-Mail" segment. - Friday Night Knicks, special Friday night New York Knicks games.
Entertainment
- Extended highlights from concerts held at MSG or other Cablevision-owned venues, along with other shows focused on New York musicians. These are frequently used as filler programming in blackout zones.
- Movies, generally sports-related. In addition to some Hollywood blockbusters, MSG has acquired the rights to several NY sports-related fiction or non-fiction programs originally broadcast on ESPN. These are most commonly seen during the summer NHL and NBA offseason.
Football
- Giants Opening Drive Live, a preview show hosted by Harry CarsonHarry CarsonHarold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
and Anita Marks. - Giants Game Day, a pregame show hosted by Bob PapaBob PapaBob Papa is an American sportscaster. Papa is employed by NFL Network, HBO, and the New York Giants.-Biography:Papa grew up in Dumont, New Jersey and graduated from Bergen Catholic High School in nearby Oradell...
. - Giants Chronicles, a 30-minute taped program that offers an in-depth look at the career of a Giants legend, hosted by Papa.
- Coach Coughlin Press Conference, a weekly press conference with Giants head coach Tom CoughlinTom CoughlinThomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
.
Hockey
- Inside the Rangers, added in 2006, is a weekly Rangers magazine show.
- Islanders Illustrated was a monthly Islanders magazine show. Added in 2008, it was cancelled in 2009 when the magazine's run ended.
- MSG Hockey Night Live (formerly Hockey Night New York Live), added in 2005 and renamed in 2007, is a week-in-review show for the Rangers, Islanders, and Devils, and Sabres on Saturday nights during the season. Al TrautwigAl TrautwigAl Trautwig is a commentator with the MSG Network, NBC, Versus, and USA Network. He does the pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams.-Early life:...
is the primary host, with Ron DuguayRon DuguayRonald Duguay is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach who played 12 seasons in the NHL from 1977 through 1989, and served four seasons as a minor league coach...
, Mike KeenanMike KeenanMichael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...
, Stan FischlerStan FischlerStan Fischler is a hockey and New York City Subway historian, broadcaster, author and professor.For his hockey knowledge, Fischler promotes himself as “The Hockey Maven” in both local and national circles...
, Dave MaloneyDave MaloneyDavid Wilfred Maloney is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 until 1984–85....
, Ken DaneykoKen DaneykoKenneth Stephen Daneyko is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman of Ukrainian origin who played his entire career with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League, winning three Stanley Cup championships with the team. He has been affectionately nicknamed "Mr...
, and Butch GoringButch GoringRobert "Butch" Goring is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. He is a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Islanders. Since retiring as a player he has served as head coach of...
among the analysts.
High school sports
- High School Weekly, one of MSG's longest-running shows, focuses on high school football and basketball from around the region, hosted by Mike Quick. Many NFL, NBA, and WNBA stars have appeared on the show during their high school days.
- High School Game of the Week, broadcasts a weekly high school football, basketball, or lacrosse game on tape delay from various parts of the NYC metropolitan area; the games typically feature schools from the suburbs (where MSG's parent, Cablevision, tends to be the dominant cable provider), or private schools in NYC itself. Selected games air live, such as the annual PSALPSALThe Public Schools Athletic League, known by the acronym PSAL, is an organization that promotes student athletics in the public schools of New York City. It was founded in 1903 to provide and maintain a sports program for students enrolled in New York City public schools. The PSAL serves both boys...
basketball championship at MSG, and occasional holiday football or basketball rivalry games. - The LAX Report, added in 2006, is a local high school lacrosse show similar to High School Weekly, hosted by Mike Quick.
Horse racing
- Nightly highlights of races held at NYRANew York Racing AssociationThe New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...
tracks, plus a weekly magazine show. Selected Saturday afternoons feature live racing (normally graded stakesGraded stakes raceA graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
).
Online programming
MSG's website, MSG.com, has offered exclusive podcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
programming since 2006. These include:
- This Week in Hockey, added in 2006, features guests from around the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and from MSG Networks, including Stan FischlerStan FischlerStan Fischler is a hockey and New York City Subway historian, broadcaster, author and professor.For his hockey knowledge, Fischler promotes himself as “The Hockey Maven” in both local and national circles...
, Joe Micheletti, and a fantasy hockey perspective provided by the RinkRat. - Batt'r Up!, added in 2006, is a weekly baseball podcast hosted by Matt Loughlin and long-time baseball analyst Fran HealyFran Healy (baseball)Francis Xavier Healy , is a former Major League Baseball catcher best known for his long tenure calling television broadcasts for the New York Mets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York....
, with guests from around Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, and fantasy advice from The Knuckler. New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
columnist and MSG baseball analyst Joel Sherman also contributes. - CenterCourt, added in 2006, is an all-basketball podcast hosted by Gus JohnsonGus Johnson (sportscaster)Augustus Cornelius "Gus" Johnson, Jr. is an American sportscaster. Formerly employed by CBS Sports, he currently calls play-by-play for Fox Sports, Showtime, the Big Ten Network and EA Sports.-Education:...
and featuring John AndarieseJohn AndarieseJohn Andariese is a color commentator for the New York Knicks and NBA TV and a former college basketball player. He also hosts NBA Legends with Johnny Hoops on NBA TV.-Playing career:...
and Walt "Clyde" FrazierWalt FrazierWalter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
. Gus recaps the latest in NBA news and offers fantasy advice, while Clyde answers fan emails in "Dishin and Swishin" and John tells basketball stories in "Tall Tales". David Dominik hosts the Three-Point Play segment and conducts the One-on-One interviews with some of the biggest names in the NBA.
Soccer
- Premier League, added in 2002, features a rebroadcast of games originally aired on Fox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
, plus a weekly highlights show. - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, added in 2009, features a live game on each Tuesday of the competition, produced by FSC. MSG or MSG Plus also rebroadcasts a second game originally aired on FSC. - New York Red Bulls live games.
Talk shows
- Halls of Fame, hosted by Fran HealyFran Healy (baseball)Francis Xavier Healy , is a former Major League Baseball catcher best known for his long tenure calling television broadcasts for the New York Mets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York....
, features interviews with famous players and coaches from a variety of sports. - The Game 365, hosted by Fran HealyFran Healy (baseball)Francis Xavier Healy , is a former Major League Baseball catcher best known for his long tenure calling television broadcasts for the New York Mets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York....
, features profiles and interviews of players and coaches with the backdrop of following each episode's guest around for a day in his/her athletic environment. - Boomer and Carton in the MorningBoomer and Carton in the MorningBoomer and Carton in the Morning is a morning drive sports radio program on WFAN in New York City. The hosts of the radio program are former NFL quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, Boomer Esiason and former Jersey Guy Craig Carton.The show debuted on...
, a simulcast of the WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
morning show. - The Dan Patrick ShowThe Dan Patrick ShowThe Dan Patrick Show is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by DirecTV Sports Group and is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The three-hour program broadcasts live every day beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern/6 a.m. Pacific time on Fox...
, a simulcast of the Fox Sports RadioFox Sports RadioFox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
/The 101The 101Audience Network is a general entertainment television channel owned by DirecTV and available exclusively on their satellite television service throughout the United States...
midday show, airs in upstate New York when Rangers games are replayed on MSG in the New York metropolitan area.
On-air staff
- Kenny AlbertKenny AlbertKenny Albert , is an American sportscaster, and the son of sportscaster Marv Albert and the nephew of sportscasters Al Albert and Steve Albert...
: Knicks alternate play-by-play announcer - Mike BreenMike BreenMichael "Mike" Breen is a play-by-play commentator for the NBA on ABC and the lead commentator for New York Knicks games on the MSG network...
: Knicks play-by-play announcer - Steve Cangialosi: Red Bulls play-by-play announcer; Devils studio host/backup play-by-play announcer
- Tina CervasioTina CervasioTina Cervasio is a U.S. television and radio sportscaster, currently working for the MSG Network as the sideline reporter for the New York Knicks and New York Red Bulls telecasts, as well as contributing as a reporter and host on the network's other sports programs...
: Red Bulls sideline reporter and Knicks halftime host - Spero DedesSpero DedesSpero Dedes is a Greek-American sportscaster born in Paramus, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Paramus High School and a 2001 graduate of Fordham University in New York....
: Fill-in Knicks play-by-play announcer - Mike "Doc" EmrickMike EmrickMichael "Doc" Emrick, is an American sports commentator noted mostly for his work in ice hockey. Emrick is currently the lead announcer for NHL national telecasts on both NBC and Versus...
: Devils play-by-play announcer - Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
: Host of The Boomer Esiason Show - Stan FischlerStan FischlerStan Fischler is a hockey and New York City Subway historian, broadcaster, author and professor.For his hockey knowledge, Fischler promotes himself as “The Hockey Maven” in both local and national circles...
: hockey analyst; MSG Hockey Night Live studio analyst - Walt "Clyde" FrazierWalt FrazierWalter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
: Knicks game color analyst - Anthony "Fooch" Fucilli: reporter (mostly football)
- Danny GareDanny GareDaniel Mirl Gare is a retired National Hockey League player, most notably of the Buffalo Sabres. During a 14-year professional career, Gare also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers. He was a two-time All-Star right winger who twice scored 50 goals for the Buffalo Sabres,...
: Sabres alternate color analyst - John Giannone: Rangers rinkside reporter and fill-in play-by-play announcer; Inside the Rangers host
- Jason Horowitz: Liberty play-by-play announcer
- Rick JeanneretRick JeanneretRichard "Rick" Jeanneret is the television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971–72 season, he is the longest-tenured announcer in the NHL...
: Sabres play-by-play announcer - Dave JenningsDave Jennings (American football)David Tuthill Jennings is a former American football punter with a 14 year career from 1974 to 1987 in the National Football League. He played for the New York Giants and the New York Jets. He worked as a radio color commentator for Giants games from 2002 until 2007, when he was replaced by former...
: football analyst - Mike KeenanMike KeenanMichael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...
: Rangers studio analyst - Bill PidtoBill PidtoBill Pidto was a former radio personality on Mad Dog Radio on the show The B-Team and is currently an anchor for MSG Network's coverage of New York Rangers road games and select New York Knicks games. He was formerly a journalist for ESPN from 1993 to 2008. He was often seen as one of the anchors...
: Studio host for Rangers and Knicks road games - Deb PlaceyDeb PlaceyDeborah Kaufman Placey is the New Jersey Devils news anchor/reporter for the team's televised home and road games on MSG Plus and the MSG Network. Placey is joining the New Jersey Devils after ten seasons reporting for the New York Islanders...
: hockey studio host; Liberty home games sideline reporter - Dave MaloneyDave MaloneyDavid Wilfred Maloney is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 until 1984–85....
: Rangers studio/color analyst - Shep MessingShep MessingShep Messing is a former American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster. He played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and six in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was also a member of the U.S...
: Red Bulls color analyst - Joe Micheletti: Rangers color analyst
- Mary Murphy: LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
color analyst - Harry NealeHarry NealeHarold Watson Neale is a hockey colour commentator, who currently works for the Buffalo Sabres on the Sabres Hockey Network...
: Sabres color analyst - Mean Gene OkerlundGene OkerlundEugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund is a semi-retired American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan...
: Host of WWE Madison Square Garden ClassicsWWE Madison Square Garden ClassicsWWE Madison Square Garden Classics is a professional wrestling television program on the MSG Network, produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. It debuted in a two hour block on July 12, 2006 and was hosted by longtime wrestling announcer "Mean" Gene Okerlund.-History:On July 12, 2006, WWE... - Mike Quick: Host of High School Weekly and The LAX Report; high school sports reporter
- Rob RayRob RayRobert John Ray, nicknamed Rayzor is a Canadian sports broadcaster and former professional ice hockey player. He was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy by the National Hockey League in 1999 for leadership and humanitarianism....
: Sabres studio analyst and rinkside reporter - Glenn "Chico" Resch: Devils color analyst
- Mike RobitailleMike RobitailleMichael James David Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks...
: Sabres studio analyst - Malik RoseMalik RoseMalik Jabari Rose is an American former professional basketball player, and current broadcaster, serving as a studio analyst for the New York Knicks, and the lead color analyst for the NBA D-League team, the Austin Toros.-High school and college:Rose graduated from Overbrook High School in...
: Knicks halftime studio analyst - Sam RosenSam Rosen (sportscaster)Sam Rosen is an American sportscaster, best known as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Rangers games on MSG. On June 8, 2008, Rosen was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame....
: Rangers play-by-play announcer - Jon RothsteinJon RothsteinJon Rothstein is a College Basketball Insider for MSG Network, CBS Sports Network, and CBSSports.com.In late 2010, Jon joined CBS Sports Network as their College Basketball Insider. As part of his duties, Jon is a regular studio analyst on Inside College Basketball, CBS College's weekly college...
: NBA and College Basketball Insider - Kevin SylvesterKevin Sylvester (broadcaster)Kevin Sylvester is the alternate television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network...
: Sabres studio host and alternate play-by-play announcer - Al TrautwigAl TrautwigAl Trautwig is a commentator with the MSG Network, NBC, Versus, and USA Network. He does the pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams.-Early life:...
: Rangers and Knicks studio host; New York Hockey Night Live host, Inside the Knicks, MSG Vault, and MSG, NY - Kelly TripuckaKelly TripuckaPeter Kelly Tripucka is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1981 to 1991. During his ten seasons in the league, he played for the Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets...
: Knicks color/studio analyst
MSG Radio Network
- Kenny AlbertKenny AlbertKenny Albert , is an American sportscaster, and the son of sportscaster Marv Albert and the nephew of sportscasters Al Albert and Steve Albert...
: Rangers primary play-by-play announcer - John AndarieseJohn AndarieseJohn Andariese is a color commentator for the New York Knicks and NBA TV and a former college basketball player. He also hosts NBA Legends with Johnny Hoops on NBA TV.-Playing career:...
: Knicks radio color analyst - Bill Daughtry: Knicks studio host
- Mike CrispinoMike CrispinoMike Crispino is an American sportscaster who currently serves as the radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Knicks as well as host of the MSG Network's golf show, The Road to the Barclays. Crispino is also the lead play by play announcer for St. John's Red Storm Men's Basketball team on...
: Knicks play-by-play announcer - Don LaGreca: Rangers studio host and Fill-in Rangers play-by-play announcer
- Dave MaloneyDave MaloneyDavid Wilfred Maloney is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 until 1984–85....
: Rangers color analyst - Bob PapaBob PapaBob Papa is an American sportscaster. Papa is employed by NFL Network, HBO, and the New York Giants.-Biography:Papa grew up in Dumont, New Jersey and graduated from Bergen Catholic High School in nearby Oradell...
: Rangers secondary play-by-play announcer - Bob Wischusen: Fill-in Knicks and Rangers play-by-play announcer
Former on-air staff
- Marv AlbertMarv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
: Knicks and Rangers play-by-play announcer; MSG SportsDesk anchor (now with CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
and TNTTurner Network TelevisionTurner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
) - Gary Apple: MSG SportsDesk anchor (now with SportsNet New YorkSportsNet New YorkSportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
) - Bill ChadwickBill ChadwickWilliam Leroy "The Big Whistle" Chadwick was the first US-born referee to serve in the National Hockey League...
: Rangers radio and TV color analyst - Jonathan CoachmanJonathan CoachmanJonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
: MSG, NY host; Knicks pre-game and halftime host, LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
play-by-play announcer (now with ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - Doug CollinsDoug CollinsPaul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
: Knicks color analyst (early 2000s); now head coach of the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... - John Davidson: Rangers color announcer (now president of the St. Louis Blues)
- JP DellacameraJP DellacameraJohn Paul Dellacamera , known as JP , is an American sportscaster for Major League Soccer with the Philadelphia Union and the Fox Soccer Channel.-Soccer:...
: Red Bulls play-by-play announcer (now with ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - Jim Gordon: Rangers TV play-by-play announcer
- Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
: Mets color analyst (now with SportsNet New YorkSportsNet New YorkSportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
) - Gus JohnsonGus Johnson (sportscaster)Augustus Cornelius "Gus" Johnson, Jr. is an American sportscaster. Formerly employed by CBS Sports, he currently calls play-by-play for Fox Sports, Showtime, the Big Ten Network and EA Sports.-Education:...
Knicks Radio play-by-play announcer (now with FX Network, FOX Sports and The Big Ten Network) - Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
: Yankees color announcer (left for YES NetworkYES NetworkThe Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
; now analyst with MLB NetworkMLB NetworkMLB Network is an American television specialty channel dedicated to professional baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball. Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share... - Michael Kay: Yankees reporter and pre-game host (now with YES NetworkYES NetworkThe Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
) - Tony KubekTony KubekAnthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
: Yankees announcer (retired) - Jim LorentzJim LorentzJames Peter Lorentz, Jr. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. He won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 1970. He was the color analyst for the Sabres on the...
: Sabres color analyst (retired) - Curt MenefeeCurt MenefeeCurt Menefee , is an American sportscaster who is the host of the Fox network's NFL show Fox NFL Sunday. His co-hosts are Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Michael Strahan....
: Unnecessary Roughness host and MSG SportsDesk lead anchor (now with Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
) - Bob Page: MSG SportsDesk anchor
- Spencer RossSpencer RossSpencer Ross is an American sportscaster. With the exception of the New York Mets, Ross has called play-by-play for every professional New York metropolitan area sports franchise, including the Yankees of MLB, the Nets and Knicks of the NBA, and Jets and Giants of the NFL...
: Knicks studio host; Fill-in Knicks radio play-by-play announcer - Ken SingletonKen SingletonKenneth Wayne Singleton is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, and Baltimore Orioles.-Baseball career:Born in Manhattan, New York...
: Yankees color announcer (now with YES NetworkYES NetworkThe Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
) - Kenny SmithKenny SmithKenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...
: Knicks color analyst (now with TNTTurner Network TelevisionTurner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
) - Tommy SmythTommy SmythThomas Michael "Tommy" Smyth is one of the most recognized soccer commentators in the United States. He is a color commentator for ESPN, which he joined in February 1993 as a football analyst. He provides co-commentary or in-studio analysis for major soccer events...
: Red Bulls color analyst (now with ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - Jenna WolfeJenna WolfeJenna Wolfe is a national correspondent for NBC's Today, and the co-anchor of their Sunday edition...
: sports reporter (now with NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
) - Ethan Zohn: Co-host of MSG Soccer Report
MSG HD
MSG HD is a high definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcast of programs from MSG Network, including home games of the Knicks, Liberty, and NHL teams, plus most away games, as well as SEC football and UEFA Champions League soccer. Red Bulls home games and college football or basketball games produced by FSN may also sometimes be in HD. MSG HD can be seen on DirecTV, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and RCN. MSG HD is not yet available on Verizon FiOS TV, Dish Network, or AT&T U-verse TV.
Since January 22, 2009, the NHL and MSG have been involved in a contract dispute which has resulted in MSG HD and MSG+ HD broadcasts being pulled from NHL's GameCenter Live for viewers outside of the local markets for the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres. The HD picture is replaced with stretched SD
Standard-definition television
Sorete-definition television is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either enhanced-definition television or high-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same resolution as...
. As of March 17, 2010 beginning with the game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, MSG HD and MSG+ HD has returned to NHL Center Ice as confirmed by Gary Bettman during the NHL Hour broadcast.