MSG Plus

Infobox TV channel
name = MSG Plus
logofile = Msg_plus.png logosize = 250px
logoalt =
logo2 =
launch = 1976 (as SportsChannel New York)
closed date =
picture format = 480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
share =
share as of =
share source =
network =
owner = MSG Entertainment, a division of Cablevision
slogan =
country = United States
language = American English
broadcast area = New York State
NY metro area
nationwide via satellite
headquarters =
former names = SportsChannel New York (1976-1998)
Fox Sports New York (1998-2000)
Fox Sports Net New York (2000-2004)
FSN New York (2004-2008)

replaced names =
replaced by names =
sister names = MSG
timeshift names =
web = [http://www.msg.com/index.jsp MSG.com]
terr serv 1 =
terr chan 1 =
sat serv 1 = DirecTV
sat chan 1 = 635
sat serv 2 = Dish Network
sat chan 2 = 413 (SD)
363 (HD)
cable serv 1 = Available on select cable systems
cable chan 1 = Check local listings for channels
sat radio serv 1 =
sat radio chan 1 =
adsl serv 1 =
adsl chan 1 =
online serv 1 =
online chan 1 =
network_type = Regional sports network

MSG Plus (MSG+) 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 owned and operated by Cablevision, under the banner of MSG Media. It was formerly known as FSN New York and Fox Sports Net New York as an affiliate of Fox Sports Net, and SportsChannel New York prior to that.

MSG+ is home of the NHL's New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, and MLL's Long Island Lizards.Fact|date-June 2007|date=June 2007

MSG+ also serves an overflow purpose when multiple local teams that would be shown on MSG play at the same time, much like MSG does for MSG+. MSG's teams which may also appear as MSG+ telecast are the NHL's New York Rangers and MLS's Red Bull New York.

MSG is also the television home of the NBA's New York Knicks, WNBA's New York Liberty, and NHL's Buffalo Sabres, although these teams tend to be exclusively on MSG. Although MSG has nine broadcasting zones, MSG+ has eight broadcasting zones because the remaining zone's eligible MSG Media team is the Buffalo Sabres, which is exclusive to MSG.

History

MSG+ was originally launched by Cablevision as SportsChannel New York in 1976. [cite web | url = http://www.rainbow-media.com/about/ourstory_timeline80.html| title = About Rainbow Media- Our Story Timeline 80's
accessdate = 2008-03-10] It was the first SportsChannel America network. In addition to the teams currently shown on MSG+, New York Yankees (MLB), New York Mets (MLB), and New Jersey Nets (NBA) games were shown on the network. In 1998, two years after Fox Sports Net launched in other markets, Cablevision partnered with News Corporation and Liberty Media to rebrand the network as Fox Sports New York (FSNY), with MSG also becoming a part of FSN. Eventually they would rebrand their other SportsChannel networks as well. [cite web | url = http://www.rainbow-media.com/about/ourstory_timeline90.html| title = About Rainbow Media- Our Story Timeline 90's
accessdate = 2008-03-10] Aside from MSG and MSG+, Cablevision eventually sold its stake of FSN networks other than FSN New York to News Corporation and Comcast.

The Yankees telecasts moved to the MSG Network in the 1989 MLB Season (Cablevision did not own the MSG Network at that time).

The last event on SportsChannel New York was the NBA basketball game between the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets from Denver, Colorado on January 27, 1998. The first event on Fox Sports New York was the NBA basketball game on the following night between the New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers in Inglewood, California. The last event on FSN New York was a college basketball game between the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers and the Robert Morris Colonials from Moon Township, Pennsylvania on March 9, 2008. Veteran graphics coordinator Dave Katz was in the production truck for all three of these events.

Until the 2005 MLB Season, the Mets games were shown on FSN New York. Some games were moved to MSG in 2002 as a result of the Yankees launching their own network (YES Network). Later that year, the Nets also joined the YES Network. In 2006, the Mets started SportsNet New York to carry their games.

At 7:00 PM EST on March 10, 2008 FSN New York became MSG+. The first event on the rebranded network was the Roger Federer vs. Pete Sampras exhibition tennis match at Madison Square Garden (the game was also available nationally on The Tennis Channel). [cite web | url = http://www.msgnetwork.com/content_news.jsp?articleID=v0000msgn20080303T173109096&newsgroup=ap.sportsml.columnist.article&sports=baseball&team=other&league=mlb| title = FSN New York Rebranded as MSG Plus
accessdate = 2008-03-10]

Non-Local Programs

Even though the channel has been renamed, it still carries some Fox Sports Net programming, like "FSN Final Score" and "The Best Damn Sports Show Period", [cite web | url = http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-spmedia265592087feb26,0,661191.column?track=rss| title = FSNY to be renamed MSG Plus
publisher = Newsday | first = Neil| last = Best| date = 2008-02-26 | accessdate = 2008-02-26] similar to Comcast SportsNet affiliates where there is no local FSN.

Graphics/Tickers

MSG and MSG+ plan to use the same graphics for their telecasts. Both networks have separate scoreboard tickers with some differences. The MSG+ ticker operates continuously, even during commercial breaks (but not during the live NHL games in progress (except during the intermission)), unlike the MSG ticker. The in-game scorebar graphic is more likely a graphic from Buffalo Sabres telecasts.

MSG/MSG+ Broadcasting Zones

*1: Tri-State New York Area: All Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Liberty, and Red Bulls games on MSG and MSG+.
*2: Upstate New York Area (north of Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess Counties): All Knicks, Liberty, Red Bulls, and Sabres (via MSG telecast on MSG or MSG+) games, up to 50 games each for Rangers, Islanders, and Devils games on MSG or MSG+.
*3: Western New York Area (within convert|50|mi|km of Buffalo, including Rochester): All Knicks, Liberty, Red Bulls, and Sabres games on MSG and MSG+.
*4: Northeastern Pennsylvania Area (excluding Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerene, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties): All Liberty and Red Bulls games on MSG and MSG+.
*5: Central Connecticut Area (north and east of Fairfield County) and Northeastern Pennsylvania Area (Wilkes-Barre and Scranton Areas): All Knicks, Liberty, and Red Bulls games, up to 50 games each for Rangers (sometimes all, depending on NHL's outer-market rules), Islanders and Devils games on MSG or MSG+.
*6: Eastern Connecticut Area (New London and Windham Counties): All Red Bulls games, up to 50 games each for Rangers (sometimes all, depending on NHL's outer-market rules), Islanders, and Devils games on MSG or MSG+.
*7: Southwestern New York Area (within convert|100|mi|km of Cleveland): All Red Bulls and Sabres games on MSG or MSG+.
*8: Northeastern Pennsylvania Area (Bradford, Lackawanna (excluding Scranton area), Luzerene (excluding Wilkes-Barre area), Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties): All Knicks, Liberty, and Red Bulls games on MSG or MSG+.
*9: Northwestern Pennsylvania Area (areas in the Buffalo Sabres market ): All Sabres games on MSG.

MSG2 and MSG+ 2

Like MSG's MSG2, MSG+ also has MSG+ 2. These networks air only when three or four local games air on MSG and MSG+ combined and at the same time. The Knicks or the Rangers game airs on MSG2 and the Islanders or the Devils on MSG+ 2. Normally, the Knicks game airs on MSG2 only when they are on the road and start at least one hour later than the Rangers due to the fact that the Knicks is the Madison Square Garden and MSG's highest-rated property. However, several Knicks home games originally scheduled to air on MSG were moved to MSG2 in 2008, in favor of Rangers playoff games.

On cable systems, these networks air mostly on the TV Guide Channel as the "over-the-air" telecast. On satellite systems, these networks will air on alternate channels assigned by the satellite television provider. When MSG2 and MSG+ 2 air both at the same time, one of them will air on the alternate channel, mostly, for cable, on C-SPAN2.

From the 1998-1999 NBA and NHL seasons to the 2004-2005 seasons, instead of these alternate channels, Cablevision placed games on their MSG Metro Channels, which were available in a limited number of homes, causing certain customers to miss the games. In high cases of overflow, partially caused by the New Jersey Nets being broadcast on the now-rebranded FSN New York at the same time, games were also placed on 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. Beginning in the 2005-2006 NBA and NHL seasons, when Metro was discontinued and Nets telecasts moved to YES, FSN New York (now MSG+) and MSG resumed airing FSN New York 2 (now MSG+ 2) and MSG2 and produce two broadcasts when two of their teams are playing against each other.

Arena Football League Coverage

FSN New York (now MSG+) aired some New York Dragons games as part of the "AFL on FSN" package. MSG+ will continue to air the Dragons games. By the current contract of FSN, only Dragons games are eligible to air. Other Arena Football League teams' games are not available. Some Dragons games air on SNY when not airing on FSN, ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC.

Collegiate Programming

MSG+ also airs college sports games (many produced by FSN) and local weekly college basketball reports for Hofstra University (MSG carries weekly college football or basketball reports for Rutgers University and St. John's University). However, games involving teams in the Tri-State New York Area are generally blacked out outside this area. Time Warner Cable, among others, often acquires rights to the local games in order to put them on its own channels in certain markets. Nationally broadcast FSN games will air in all MSG+ zones, unless a local team is playing at the same time. In such a case, the college game will be shown as joined-in-progress basis, on MSG if there is no other live game scheduled, or not at all.

New York Rangers and Red Bull New York on MSG+

New York Rangers and Red Bull New York games are mainly aired on MSG, but they air on MSG+ when New York Knicks (for Rangers) or New York Liberty (for Red Bulls) air on MSG and there are no other local teams that air mainly on MSG+ at the same time. The Knicks and Liberty have higher ratings for MSG than the Rangers and Red Bulls, respectively, thus they rarely air on MSG+.

The same goes for MSG, that either the New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils, teams that mainly air on MSG+, air on MSG when these teams play at the same time and when no other local teams that mainly air on MSG are playing at that time.

Since the start of 2006-2007 NBA and NHL seasons, there are strategy changes. Some Rangers telecasts air on MSG+ even when there is a conflict with Islanders and/or Devils, resulting these telecasts to be moved to MSG2 and/or MSG+ 2. Also, when the Knicks are out of the playoff contention and the Rangers are in the playoff contention, the Rangers telecast usually air on MSG and the Knicks telecast on MSG2.

MSG+ in Upstate New York

Hoosick area

The Hoosick area was formerly the only market on Time Warner Cable of Albany (within New York) that did not carry the now-rebranded FSN New York. The Hoosick area was also formerly provided by Adelphia's system in Bennington, Vermont (now part of Comcast). It formerly carried FSN New England (now CSN New England), but because of FSN's rule, it was replaced by FSN New York.

Central New York

Time Warner Cable of Central New York formerly carried the now-rebranded FSN New York only on the digital standard package, but it is now also carried on the standard cable package after the deal with Cablevision/Rainbow Media to place it on the standard cable package in most areas in the region. This was largely to accommodate Buffalo Sabres fans.

outhern Tier New York

The following markets on Time Warner Cable of Southern Tier New York currently do not carry MSG+:
*Fredonia
*Jamestown
*Sayre, PA
*Ulysses

Rochester area

The following markets (as well as markets formerly provided by Adelphia) on Time Warner Cable of Rochester are the only markets that carry MSG+:
*Rochester
*Dresden
*Finger Lakes

Western New York

Time Warner Cable of Western New York currently does not carry MSG+.

Personalities

*Steve Cangialosi: Devils sideline reporter and pre- and post-game show and intermission report host; Red Bulls sideline reporter and pre- and post-game show and halftime report host; fill-in Devils and Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
*Jonathan Coachman: Dragons play-by-play announcer
*Mike Crispino: Fill-in Islanders sideline reporter and pre- and post-game show and intermission host
*Ken Daneyko: Devils pre- and post-game show and intermission report analyst
*JP Dellacamera: Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
*Mike Emrick: Devils play-by-play announcer
*Stan Fischler: MSG Hockey Night Live studio analyst, occasional Devils sideline reporter
*John Giannone: Rangers sideline reporter; occasional MSG Hockey Night Live studio analyst
*Butch Goring: Islanders pre- and post-game show and intermission report analyst
*Billy Jaffe: Islanders color analyst
*Sal LoCascio: Lizards color analyst
*Dave Maloney: Fill-in Rangers color analyst
*Jiggs McDonald: Fill-in Islanders play-by-play announcer
*Shep Messing: Red Bulls color analyst
*Joe Micheletti: Rangers color analyst
*Deb Placey: Islanders sideline reporter and pre- and post-game show and intermission report host
*Jean Potvin: Fill-in Islanders pre- and post-game show and intermission report analyst
*Chico Resch: Devils color analyst
*Carl Reuter: Lizards play-by-play announcer
*Howie Rose: Islanders play-by-play announcer
*Sam Rosen: Rangers play-by-play announcer
*Al Trautwig: MSG Hockey Night Live host; Rangers primary sideline reporter and primary pre- and post-game show and intermission report host
*Bob Wischusen: Fill-in Rangers play-by-play announcer

MSG+ HD

MSG+ also has a high-definition feed named MSG+ HD. However, MSG+ 2 does not have an HD feed, thus MSG+ 2's games are not broadcast in high definition. All of the home games for New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, and Red Bull New York and select road games for these teams airing on MSG+ are HD-Available (Lizards games are currently not HD-Available). It is carried as a 24/7 channel on Cablevision (except Cablevision of Litchfield), Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey, and DirecTV [ [http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4380112 DirecTV's HD Channel Lineup] ] . Comcast will be carrying MSG+ HD full time starting on October 15th for Northern and Central NJ systems that fall into the NYC DMA [ [http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21098076-NJ-MSG-HDMSG-Plus-HD-coming-1015- Announcement of Comcast-MSG/MSG+ HD carriage] ] . MSG+ HD is currently not available on other providers that carry MSG+. According to Verizon, MSG+ HD was excluded from the agreement with Verizon from Cablevision/Rainbow Media, along with MSG HD.

Former Logos

References

ee also

*MSG Network
*SportsNet New York
*YES Network

External links

* [http://www.msg.com/ MSG Network]
* [http://www.nyoverflow.com/ FSN New York 2 & MSG2 Listings]