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OT: MSG Networks no longer carried by Optimum

B

BigEastPhil

Heisman Winner
Gold Member
Nov 25, 2007
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I’m really pissed about this.

Contract expired 12/31/24

I’m a Big hockey fan and now I have to be a victim of this cable carriage fee nonsense between Optimum and MSG - both who generate profits in the Billions or Hundreds of Millions !

I hope this issue resolves itself shortly !

I have left messages with an Optimum executive who I don’t expect will call / email me back.

Is anyone else affected and if so - what options are there to see Devils / Rangers / Knicks games etc?

May have to switch to Verizon Fios.
 
Couple of years ago the same happened with Spectrum. IIRC it was resolved in a few days.

When did you call? I hope you didn't expect a call back on Jan 1.
 
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mdk01 said:
Couple of years ago the same happened with Spectrum. IIRC it was resolved in a few days.

When did you call? I hope you didn't expect a call back on Jan 1.
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I better get a call by tomorrow as I intend to give this exec a mouthful.

Sick of the innocent consumer getting screwed over greed and negotiation leverage etc.
 
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I’ve been a part of the xfinity blackout of MSG for years. At first I figured it was both sides then MSG launched their own app for 360 a year and I figured out where the problem is. They can rot. Im not switching providers and I'm never going in person. Fans are created by watching games. To do this in a hard cap league is completely asinine business strategy and proof that the Dolan kid is a POS.
 
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Plum Street said:
lol let us know
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Actually someone left a message and email with me today from Optimum based on the scathing message I left earlier in the day.

I unfortunately was unavailable to take the call.

I will speak with the Optimum rep who called me tomorrow.

I ll hear the typical BS

Deep down it seems to be MSG is the culprit

When all is said and done , I ll probably be switching to Fios or will do something with the Apps etc

Thanks for all the above posts !
 
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BigEastPhil said:
I’m really pissed about this.

Contract expired 12/31/24

I’m a Big hockey fan and now I have to be a victim of this cable carriage fee nonsense between Optimum and MSG - both who generate profits in the Billions or Hundreds of Millions !

I hope this issue resolves itself shortly !

I have left messages with an Optimum executive who I don’t expect will call / email me back.

Is anyone else affected and if so - what options are there to see Devils / Rangers / Knicks games etc?

May have to switch to Verizon Fios.
Click to expand...
I have You Tube TV AND an 18-year-old son. Because of his knowledge with streaming, we can watch all the hockey we want. Any team, anytime, anywhere. The way that he showed us to stream gives us the option of watching the Devil broadcast or the broadcast of the team they are playing. We haven't missed a game all season. LET'S GO DEVILS!
 
BigEastPhil said:
Actually someone left a message and email with me today from Optimum based on the scathing message I left earlier in the day.

I unfortunately was unavailable to take the call.

I will speak with the Optimum rep who called me tomorrow.

I ll hear the typical BS

Deep down it seems to be MSG is the culprit

When all is said and done , I ll probably be switching to Fios or will do something with the Apps etc

Thanks for all the above posts !
Click to expand...

Returns a call on 1/1 along with an email and you're already trashing the rep? I'd suggest giving the person a chance.
 
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BigEastPhil said:
Actually someone left a message and email with me today from Optimum based on the scathing message I left earlier in the day.

I unfortunately was unavailable to take the call.

I will speak with the Optimum rep who called me tomorrow.

I ll hear the typical BS

Deep down it seems to be MSG is the culprit

When all is said and done , I ll probably be switching to Fios or will do something with the Apps etc

Thanks for all the above posts !
Click to expand...
This sounds good ! Let us know
 
BigEastPhil said:
I’m really pissed about this.

Contract expired 12/31/24

I’m a Big hockey fan and now I have to be a victim of this cable carriage fee nonsense between Optimum and MSG - both who generate profits in the Billions or Hundreds of Millions !

I hope this issue resolves itself shortly !

I have left messages with an Optimum executive who I don’t expect will call / email me back.

Is anyone else affected and if so - what options are there to see Devils / Rangers / Knicks games etc?

May have to switch to Verizon Fios.
Click to expand...
I always laugh when people overstate the value and financial health of companies.

Sphere Entertainment, the parent company of MSG, posted a $200 million net income LOSS in 2023. Altice did post a $52M FY23 net income win, but hardly hundreds of millions or billions in profit.

I do agree this sucks though.
 
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BigEastPhil said:
I better get a call by tomorrow as I intend to give this exec a mouthful.

Sick of the innocent consumer getting screwed over greed and negotiation leverage etc.
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Not sure you're blaming the right person. Msg won't let Optimum have the channel unless it's part of the basic lineup. However since a FAR MAJORITY of those with Optimum don't even watch Msg, why would Optimum pass those costs onto ALL subscribers of the basic plan?

Greed eats Greed

I switched to YouTube TV a year ago. YouTube TV has no contract with Msg.

and I won't pay $35 for the awful "Gotham Sports" app (new name for MSG app with horrific streaming complaints online all over)
So I just stopped watching, things have moved on nicely for me!
 
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I finally signed up for Fubo and I'm happy with it as it carries MSG, YES, and the BIG Network.
 
I've had great luck with Optimum over the years. And isn't MSG a "flavor enhancing" spice? Didn't even know it was a channel/network/whatever. Never watched it, that I can recall.
 
I ended up getting a one time credit ( which I had requested) from Optimum which was actually more than I had anticipated - albeit it doesn’t offset the intangible cost of losing my ability to watch the Devils / Rangers / Knicks etc on MSG.

The options they provided to me to still watch MSG was comical via purchasing Gotham Sports App / FUBO etc.

Will be waiting for about 1 month to see if both Optimum and MSG can settle - and if not - I ll be switching to FIOS
 
mildone said:
I've had great luck with Optimum over the years. And isn't MSG a "flavor enhancing" spice? Didn't even know it was a channel/network/whatever. Never watched it, that I can recall.
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Me too. Until they sold to Altice our service was essentially flawless for many years. Since the sale, our internet will occasionally go down for short periods but nothing major. In fact, Optimum just sent me a postcard letting me know they upgraded my internet service from 300 down to 1 Gig down for free. I tested it and it's true! They didn't say why, they just did it. 🤷‍♂️
 
BigEastPhil said:
That’s exactly what I am fearful of.
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I called Comcast and was told there wasn't public interest in showing MSG sporting events in NJ which is nonsense.Sports fans were interested in watching Knicks,Rangers and other events like the Billy Joel concerts.
 
RU-AGK said:
Me too. Until they sold to Altice our service was essentially flawless for many years. Since the sale, our internet will occasionally go down for short periods but nothing major. In fact, Optimum just sent me a postcard letting me know they upgraded my internet service from 300 down to 1 Gig down for free. I tested it and it's true! They didn't say why, they just did it. 🤷‍♂️
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I would imagine that bumping you up to 1GB is easier and/or cheaper for them, although I have no idea why.

Altice does my internet too, which is bidirectional 1G. But I think Optimum still does my cable service. And I'm billed for it all through Optimum.

I've had Optimum (was Cablevision originally) forever. Outages have been very rare and very brief when they happen.

They try to sneak the pricing up over time, but I call periodically and ask for the same deals they're giving new customers and they switch me to the "retention dept" and offer me a discount for year. Last time I did that, they cut $100 off my bill. The argument that I'm a long time customer and it makes no sense to give new customers better pricing than longtime loyal customers. That always seems to resonate and get them to lower the price.

My wireless phone service does the exact same thing as Optimum w/pricing and will also give me lower price if I call and point at lower-priced packages offered to new customers. It's a racket of sorts, but seems like if you make the wheel squeak a bit, it gets greased by both companies.
 
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gmay8 said:
I use the Gotham app to watch Knicks and Devils. 19.99/month. It’s not perfect but gets the job done
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Not perfect? It’s a piece of crap. Constantly cuts outs out loses sound google reviews on it. It’s a mess.
 
mildone said:
I've had great luck with Optimum over the years. And isn't MSG a "flavor enhancing" spice? Didn't even know it was a channel/network/whatever. Never watched it, that I can recall.
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Knicks, Rangers, Devils, Islanders local broadcast network. Before the YES network they used to also carry the Yankees.
 
RUJMM78 said:
I called Comcast and was told there wasn't public interest in showing MSG sporting events in NJ which is nonsense.Sports fans are interested in watching The Devils and other events like the Billy Joel concerts.
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Fixed it for ya. Happy New Year.
 
RUInsanity said:
Knicks, Rangers, Devils, Islanders local broadcast network. Before the YES network they used to also carry the Yankees.
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That explains it. I've never been a baseball or hockey fan at all, and when I was a pro BB fan, I was a Jordan/Bulls fan. Perhaps I watched some Bulls/Knicks games on MSG way back when, but I can't recall it.

I can certainly understand the frustration for fans of those teams, though. To me, the solution is to eliminate everything that stands in the way of all out competition between service providers. Guessing that's an uphill battle with a precipitous slope. Consumers would need some way to combat the service provider lobbies, but I can't imagine what that would be - the money is all with the service providers.
 
Joey Bags said:
I always laugh when people overstate the value and financial health of companies.

Sphere Entertainment, the parent company of MSG, posted a $200 million net income LOSS in 2023. Altice did post a $52M FY23 net income win, but hardly hundreds of millions or billions in profit.

I do agree this sucks though.
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LOL that doesn't mean that executives are not getting paid millions just because the company has a loos or a small profit. They are sucking the life out of these companies
 
fg7321 said:
LOL that doesn't mean that executives are not getting paid millions just because the company has a loos or a small profit. They are sucking the life out of these companies
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And what did the executives get paid in '23?
 
The only reason I have Altice/Optimum is so I can watch the New Jersey Devils and News 12 New Jersey.

News 12 New Jersey has been completely destroyed by the new owner Altice.

The programming has gone from 75% New Jersey news and 25% national news to 40% New Jersey news 40% New York news and new programming to promote New York and less and less New Jersey news.

There are 500 stations covering New York news I , I need to know what is going on in the state I live in.

Year after year there is less and less NJ news and now the Devils will get less and less coverage.
 
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