Knickerbockers’ ratings went up 65%, and the 48-day TWC blackout of MSG ended. In 2012, MSG and then Time Warner Cable were involved in a carriage dispute. It might help if the Knicks get off to a fast start, or a star emerges. Nonetheless, when one side feels pressure, for whatever reason, a logjam can be broken. It’s impossible to predict what gets this thing settled. Fans who can’t access the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, and Devils on MSG can seek out alternative providers in their area (more info can be found on ). The deal is over money and how much Comcast is willing to pay to carry MSGN. The dispute impacts about 565,000 Comcast Xfinity subscribers. “We remain prepared to negotiate a new deal at a moment’s notice.” “MSG Networks reached out to Comcast to attempt to restore our programming many times since last year’s disruption, including as recently as last month, only to have been rebuffed by Comcast each and every time,” MSGN officials said in a statement. In a recent attempt to settle the two-year cable TV carriage dispute, which has kept Madison Square Garden Networks (Knicks, Rangers, Devils, Islanders) off Comcast systems in New Jersey and Connecticut, MSGN suits contacted the cable giant to see if an agreement could be reached. Most importantly: Anderson is playing set-up man, giving his partners the best chance to shine under the brightest of spotlights. No one is looking to steal the show by getting in the last word. They know their roles and create a chemical balance - blending in rather than glomming center stage. Never been a fan of the three-person booth but TBS’ Yankees-Astros configuration is working well.īrian Anderson (play-by-play) and the analysts, Ron Darling and Jeff Francoeur, have all worked together before. Still, it doesn’t always take a star voice, or a championship-caliber team, to create must-see-turmoil.įor the NBA, it’s business as usual. That they can manufacture drama when dealing with stars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The perception is cats like SAS, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal are more influential than the players. The NBA Circus needs its full-throated performers to fuel the on-court machine and TV ratings. Smith (was he kidding?) covered his mouth and suggested he might hold his tongue.įorget about that happening anytime soon. That’s the Knicks.”Ī few hours later, on “NBA Countdown,” Smith sheepishly said members of the Knicks “organization” called his “family” and asked if he could tread lightly on the team. When something like that happens, it means something other than pure basketball was in the way. “And the reason you got the job is because your experience in negotiating. “…You got other people on the phone negotiating with Danny Ainge and you’re a former agent” Smith said. Smith claimed Rose also delegated at least one negotiation (a possible trade with the Jazz for Donovan Mitchell, who eventually was shipped to Cleveland) to another Knicks executive. When Rose speaks into a microphone, he usually talks to an MSG Network voice. It’s fact that Rose, like Dolan, is not accessible to the media. The Knicks “culture,” according to SAS, has a trickle-down effect. Smith does not see this as Dolan engaging in collaborative efforts, right? To inject more symbolism into the scene, SAS had Knicks Super Fan, comedian Tracy Morgan, seated across from him on the set of “First Take.” After issuing an optimistic preamble to his Knicks’ soliloquy, Smith said there is still frustration that “comes from the top.” Dolan, the owner, in SAS’ opinion, “needs to go.” Smith narrowed down his issue with Dolan, saying the owner has created a “culture” based on “always finding someone else to follow.” Smith was not celebrating the new season by handing out do-overs to Garden boss James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan or Knicks prez Leon Rose.
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