Empire Sports versus MSG: Dish gave me 3 months free

[obrienaj]

As mentioned in an earlier post, it seems that Dish replaced the out- of- business Empire Sports Channel with a special Fox Sports Pittsburg (channel 431) for subscribers in the Buffalo , NY, region. This seems odd because the major franchise that was on Empire, Buffalo Sabres, will be on MSG. MSG is carried by local cable companies. I went to the Fox Sports website and put in my zip code , it says I should have MSG.


I called Dish and told them this, after quite a while on hold they told me that they could only give me FS Pittsburgh. I told them that it made no sense that they gave us something contrary to Fox's web site, and I added they would likely lose subscribers en masse if the local NHL team was available on Direct/cable but NOT on Dish (when and if hockey ever returns :( ).

The Dish CSR kindly game me a three months free subscription to the whole Fox sports pak "to enable you to see games through the end of the season", whatever that means.

So, I will at least get MSG and Fox NY for free until May. This will give me yet another chance to figure out Dish's crazy blackouts of baseball that my neighbor with Direct never gets blacked out ! :mad:

[BFG]

Yes, dish's RSN policy is crazy in my opinion. They need to pony up the extra contracts and give each customer access to the RSNs they carry that are part of your home team. This is problem for many areas in the country, where you live in a home teams area, dish carries that channel, but they don't give it to you in your RSN package, however of course cable does...

[Brian Rector]

Its a silly way to do things for Dish. For example, years ago Dish had my zip code as getting Fox Sports Cincinnati as my RSN, but in order to get the Indiana Pacers games on Dish, Id have to sub to their Sports Pack to get the games. IMHO, it was all just to get an extra 6 bucks from me. I only live about 20 miles from the Indy area.

Things are a little better now with me getting 2 RSNs (Fox Sports Midwest and Cincinnati), but the sports situation at Dish is still 'looney tunes' to say the least.

[obrienaj]

Its a silly way to do things for Dish. For example, years ago Dish had my zip code as getting Fox Sports Cincinnati as my RSN, but in order to get the Indiana Pacers games on Dish, Id have to sub to their Sports Pack to get the games. IMHO, it was all just to get an extra 6 bucks from me. I only live about 20 miles from the Indy area.

Things are a little better now with me getting 2 RSNs (Fox Sports Midwest and Cincinnati), but the sports situation at Dish is still 'looney tunes' to say the least.

and the interesting thing is that when I first subcribed to Dish I DID get two RSNs, Empire and MSG. I then subcribed to the Fox Sports pak, after I canceled that I could never get a second RSA. Who determines whether you get one or 2 ?

[obrienaj]

and the interesting thing is that when I first subcribed to Dish I DID get two RSNs, Empire and MSG. I then subcribed to the Fox Sports pak, after I canceled that I could never get a second RSA. Who determines whether you get one or 2 ?

Now, with my free Fox Sports pak that gives all the Fox RSNs, I watched some of the NY Nicks game last night on MSG. It was blacked out on the 2-3 other Fox RSNs that were carrying it. Does the fact that it was NOT blacked out on MSG tell us anything ? I assume that the other RSNs were blacked out based on my zip code, implying that I was out of their market. The fact that I was allowed to see it on MSG surely implies that my zip code was recognized as being legit for MSG. Which should proove to Dish that I should have MSG as my free RSN, not Fox Pittsburgh....I think :D

[ehren]

I would be happy you don't have to pony up $109 for the half season NBA package just to GET the Knicks!

[obrienaj]

I would be happy you don't have to pony up $109 for the half season NBA package just to GET the Knicks!

Yep, but I'm 500 miles away from NYC.. 60 miles from Toronto and 70 miles from the Ohio border. I'd rather get the Raptors or Calvs.

[BFG]

Now, with my free Fox Sports pak that gives all the Fox RSNs, I watched some of the NY Nicks game last night on MSG. It was blacked out on the 2-3 other Fox RSNs that were carrying it. Does the fact that it was NOT blacked out on MSG tell us anything ? I assume that the other RSNs were blacked out based on my zip code, implying that I was out of their market. The fact that I was allowed to see it on MSG surely implies that my zip code was recognized as being legit for MSG. Which should proove to Dish that I should have MSG as my free RSN, not Fox Pittsburgh....I think :D

exactly, and that's why your cable carries MSG, because the knicks are a home team...

[Salz]

I go to Buffalo State College and we have a Satelite Dish there. I believe it is DirecTV. Will I see Ranger games on MSG or Sabre games if the season resumes?