Sabres will play 8 times on VS. this season

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The following are the eight Sabres' games that will be broadcast by the Versus network, the NHL's national cable TV outlet in the U.S.

Tuesday, Oct. 21 vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 3 @ New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 8 @ Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m
Monday, Dec. 22 vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 @ Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Mar. 10 @ Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Monday, Apr. 6 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.

http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/08/11/daily49.html?jst=b_ln_hl

[rbochan]

Let's all hope they play well enough to justify the national coverage.

[OpIv37]

and I'll get the 4 games against Washington so that means 12 games plus whatever HDNet picks up. Not too bad.

[ddaryl]

just 8 times that sucks the big one...

do they play on any other channel during the year that is not part of the center ice package ?

[OpIv37]

just 8 times that sucks the big one...

do they play on any other channel during the year that is not part of the center ice package ?

HDNet picks up some games.

NBC will pick up some Sunday games later in the season, but they have a "flex schedule" deal that will allow them to pick which games based on how teams are playing.

Those are the only other national channels that pick up games. Other than that, it's just the local channel (MSG if it's a home game, the other team's local channel if it's an away game).

[RockStar36]

and I'll get the 4 games against Washington so that means 12 games plus whatever HDNet picks up. Not too bad.

So you'll get like 15% of the regular season plus any bonus games on HDNet.... Is that going to be enough to bash Vanek this year?

[SabreEleven]

just 8 times that sucks the big one...

do they play on any other channel during the year that is not part of the center ice package ?

8 times for a non-playoff team seems pretty generous to me but, of course, I get the NHL CenterIce every year.

[BlackMetalNinja]

8 times for a non-playoff team seems pretty generous to me but, of course, I get the NHL CenterIce every year.

:hi5: Though, I'm going to have to scrape to pull it off this year since I'm getting Sunday Ticket too...

[Philagape]

I don't want them on Vs at all. Vs sucks.

[RockStar36]

:hi5: Though, I'm going to have to scrape to pull it off this year since I'm getting Sunday Ticket too...

I'm getting Center Ice too. The townhouse I'm moving to will allow me to get Dish, but of course, I have no line of sight and would have to settle for DirectTV.

[rbochan]

I don't want them on Vs at all. Vs sucks.
Haha.
Listening to Emrick's or Beninati's mindless rambling concerning Sidney Crosby (no matter what teams are playing) who walked uphill both ways through four feet of snow to the rink every Tuesday after a new moon rose and always managed to stop at Tim Horton's on the way AND OH NO WHATS THIS? Something's happening in the game? DRIIIIIIIIIVE! And Beninati... don't forget to tell us what color sweaters each team is wearing - 487 times a game. And then don't bother with a replay (Ideas...for life...(TM)) because they have to go back to "Hockey Central" so you can look at Keith Jones' godawful hairpiece looking coif or even worse, Brian "Capt. Hair" Engblom. I mean... c'mon guys, you're on TV, visit a frikken barbershop already.

Last time we played a drinking game was during the last VS Rangers@Sabres broadcast on 2008-03-10. Had to drink every time Emrick and company mentioned Sidney Crosby, the departures of Drury/Briere/Campbell, DRIIIIIIIVE!!, Rangers in their traveling whites etc.

We were all trashed by the end of the first period.

Versus is awful, second only to NBC, where if a playoff game doesn't end in regulation, they'll switch over to a to re-run of Friends of some garbage.

[OpIv37]

So you'll get like 15% of the regular season plus any bonus games on HDNet.... Is that going to be enough to bash Vanek this year?

I don't know why you continue to defend Vanek. He did manage 36 goals, but he was incredibly streaky and disappeared for weeks at a a time. He was also only 52nd in points and had a -5. That's not good enough for a guy making $49 million.

And BTW, I listened to almost every game that I didn't get via XM or the online radio broadcast. Granted, it's not the same, but when RJ says something to the effect of "Vanek fans on it" or "Vanek misses the open net" SEVERAL times a game, I really don't have to see it with my own eyes to know that he's underperforming

[BlackMetalNinja]

I'm getting Center Ice too. The townhouse I'm moving to will allow me to get Dish, but of course, I have no line of sight and would have to settle for DirectTV.

The best part about getting it on DirecTV will that I get to choose the broadcast, so I can always get RJ, plus some of the games are in HD which is huge when it comes to hockey. MSG was hard to watch in SD, pretty bad most of the time.

[RockStar36]

The best part about getting it on DirecTV will that I get to choose the broadcast, so I can always get RJ, plus some of the games are in HD which is huge when it comes to hockey. MSG was hard to watch in SD, pretty bad most of the time.

If I got DirectTV I wouldn't get locals so for me, they are out no matter what. I'm hoping I get some HD broadcasts with Center Ice though. Right now I've been getting NBC in HD and I've been watching a lot of the olympics simply for that reason.

[Philagape]

Haha.
Listening to Emrick's or Beninati's mindless rambling concerning Sidney Crosby (no matter what teams are playing) who walked uphill both ways through four feet of snow to the rink every Tuesday after a new moon rose and always managed to stop at Tim Horton's on the way AND OH NO WHATS THIS? Something's happening in the game? DRIIIIIIIIIVE! And Beninati... don't forget to tell us what color sweaters each team is wearing - 487 times a game. And then don't bother with a replay (Ideas...for life...(TM)) because they have to go back to "Hockey Central" so you can look at Keith Jones' godawful hairpiece looking coif or even worse, Brian "Capt. Hair" Engblom. I mean... c'mon guys, you're on TV, visit a frikken barbershop already.

Last time we played a drinking game was during the last VS Rangers@Sabres broadcast on 2008-03-10. Had to drink every time Emrick and company mentioned Sidney Crosby, the departures of Drury/Briere/Campbell, DRIIIIIIIVE!!, Rangers in their traveling whites etc.

We were all trashed by the end of the first period.

Versus is awful, second only to NBC, where if a playoff game doesn't end in regulation, they'll switch over to a to re-run of Friends of some garbage.

Don't forget the interviews that take up a quarter of the screen ... DURING PLAY.

Yes, we much prefer seeing Darcy's talking head instead of the puck!!!

[OpIv37]

VS coverage does blow.

Unfortunately, it's better than no coverage at all, which is what I usually get for Sabres games.

[SpillerThrills]

just 8 times that sucks the big one...

do they play on any other channel during the year that is not part of the center ice package ?


depending on where you live will depend on if you get the games on any other channels. Living in way upstate NY, I get just about all the games on MSG, even when the Rangers are on, I still usually get the Sabres games over the Rangers.

[SabreEleven]

Don't forget the free week of NHL CenterIce in the beginning of the season :up:

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

I :check:ed this out by calling up Stereo Advantage in Amherst today and they told me that

If you have dish or DirectTV subscribers you will get to see the Sabres games but NOT in (SabresHD) that's what it's being called this year. Only TW cable has SabresHD which is on MSGHD.

[OpIv37]

can somebody sticky this for the season?

[RockStar36]

Ugh...if I have to

[Myers57]

Time Warner guy earlier in the summer told me that AWAY Sabres games are likely to be in HD as well this year which is a freaking miracle because whoever runs the main camera for away games is really bad at it. The guy would zoom in way too much, at least now the widescreen can compensate for it.

I remember being so pissed off that the Islanders beat the Leafs to the playoffs 2 seasons ago because Nassau Coliseum is the absolute worse place to watch a game on TV.

Time Warner is coming over tomorrow to do some work so I'll check up on whats happening this year.



Does anybody know if the Sabres and Time Warner signed an exclusive deal for TW to be the ONLY provider of HD games? And if so, when does it expire?

[RockStar36]

Don't forget the free week of NHL CenterIce in the beginning of the season :up:

Where did you read this?

I still can't even find pricing information for this upcoming season let alone any sort of free offers.

[RockStar36]

Nevermind, I found it. I also finally found the prices from Time Warner. Boy, this isn't going to make my lady friend too happy. I hope a good chunk of games will be in HD.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Nevermind, I found it. I also finally found the prices from Time Warner. Boy, this isn't going to make my lady friend too happy. I hope a good chunk of games will be in HD.Each Time Warner is different, but Center Ice down here offered no HD games as a part of the package.

[RockStar36]

Well, I just took the plunge and ordered Center Ice. Hopefully I get my moneys worth. I got it for $10 cheaper than the advertised "early bird" price that was online so I'm definitely happy about that.

[TEtoLeeTD]

does anyone know if they show sabres games on the sports net NY channel?

[BlackMetalNinja]

does anyone know if they show sabres games on the sports net NY channel?I think that's the channel that carries Devils games, so that would be the only time they are on there.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Well, I just took the plunge and ordered Center Ice. Hopefully I get my moneys worth. I got it for $10 cheaper than the advertised "early bird" price that was online so I'm definitely happy about that.I'm thinking of calling up and whining about how much I'm spending on Sunday Ticket and Superfan and seeing what kind of deal they'd cut me...

[RockStar36]

I'm thinking of calling up and whining about how much I'm spending on Sunday Ticket and Superfan and seeing what kind of deal they'd cut me...

It's worth a shot. Worst case scenario is they say no which leaves you in the same boat you're in now.

The lady cracked me up though. She was like "If you're watching now it will take about 10 minutes for it to go through." to which I responded "Well I have until the end of this week before they even play a game so I guess it will work out".

I asked her about HD and of course I might as well as just spoke chinese into the phone. Whatever. I got my games.

[TEtoLeeTD]

I think that's the channel that carries Devils games, so that would be the only time they are on there.

thanks man. that sucks!! i can only see the sabres like 10 times all season.

can u watch them online anywhere?

[BlackMetalNinja]

It's worth a shot. Worst case scenario is they say no which leaves you in the same boat you're in now.

The lady cracked me up though. She was like "If you're watching now it will take about 10 minutes for it to go through." to which I responded "Well I have until the end of this week before they even play a game so I guess it will work out".

I asked her about HD and of course I might as well as just spoke chinese into the phone. Whatever. I got my games.No dice, but I did get HBO and Starz free for another 3 months, better than nothing I guess. They told me they had no option to offer Center Ice at a discounted rate, 4 payments of $39.99 a month was all they could do.

[JD]

thanks man. that sucks!! i can only see the sabres like 10 times all season.

can u watch them online anywhere?

I'd assume there will be places that host the games online.. just search on gamedays.. you might get lucky.

[RockStar36]

No dice, but I did get HBO and Starz free for another 3 months, better than nothing I guess. They told me they had no option to offer Center Ice at a discounted rate, 4 payments of $39.99 a month was all they could do.

Mine was like 4 payments of 37.95 or something like that. I just canceled my gym membership which was $39 a month so it all balances out.

The Good News:
I'll get about one game a night in HD

The Bad News:
According to the HD schedule none will be Buffalo in the month of Oct