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Will Pegula start a new TV Network?

I

intheeno

I know this is a radio site but...do you think Pegula will bring back a Sabres/local sports TV Network? With Ted Black's background in running a succesfull Network in Pittsburgh, will he do it here? Can it work? I think it can. UB's success can certainly add to the offerings. I know there are plenty of radio guys and girls out there who would love to host a TV show.
 
Since Time-Warner is operating its own cable sports network in Rochester (and maybe Buffalo as well--can someone familiar with the Buffalo cable dial tell me?) there could be an opportunity for a Sabres/TWC partnership. It would certainly give the Sabres greater regional prominence than they get as a secondary service of MSG.
 
Bob1370 said:
Since Time-Warner is operating its own cable sports network in Rochester (and maybe Buffalo as well--can someone familiar with the Buffalo cable dial tell me?) there could be an opportunity for a Sabres/TWC partnership. It would certainly give the Sabres greater regional prominence than they get as a secondary service of MSG.
Click to expand...

Indeed, Bob, Time Warner's cable sports network airs here on cable channel 13. The concept of a partnership between TWC and Pegula is intriguing. I think it would be an improvement for Sabres fans. Whenever Buffalo plays one of the New York City teams, we get the MSG pre-game show rather than our own, which is one of my pet peeves. On the other hand, I'm thinking I'd rather see him spend his cash on all things hockey-related, as he is promising to do, as opposed to the venture that is under discussion here. The Sabres-MSG partnership, other than the minor criticism mentioned above, seems to be working and is not really broken.
 
Back in the days when team ownership, ownership of the Sabres radio flagship and the ownership of the Buffalo/Niagara Falls cable franchise were united, a regional Sabres-driven sports network was an integral part of the package and a major revenue source. I doubt Mr. Pegula will be interested in buying WGR and I'm sure Entercom isn't selling...but a cable partnership with TWC could become a profit center for his hockey operation if run right. Not saying it'll be the local equivalent of YES, MSG or SNY but it could create a nice added chunk of change if done right.
 
Hard to know what the former king of hydro-fracking will do, but it's certain he has the cash. I don't know what to make of Terry Pegula. You want good things to happen to him and the Sabres, but one gets the feeling we've seen this movie before and we're hoping iy doesn't turn out to be Rigas Family, Nightmare On Ice, Part 2 ("I'll give them the tools to get the job done.")

But! I'll be happy to admit I'm wrong two years from now when the Sabres win the Cup and parade it down Delaware avenue and I'm wearing my Sabres swag to the victory parade.

The Pegula Press Conference was kind of freaky. He introduced everybody except for the ushers in section 128, including his kids (another Rigas thing), shed tears, reminisced about the French Connection. (Okay, Pegula gets major props for getting Rick Martin... or Ree-CHARD Mar-TAN for you out of town readers and posters... back with Gil Perreault and Rene Robert... Row-BEHR.)

Pegula went on and told us his wife's the computer genius in the family and his daughters are mad daddy fans of the team. The fans like that stuff for a little while, but it wears thin. I'm a fan who wants a Scotty Bowman / Punch Imlach / Floydd Smith approach. "The team needs to improve and I'm here to improve it... lot of work to be done... I'm looking forward to bringing a Stanley Cup to Buffalo... thanks for coming, now I have some calls to make." All that aside, most fans are glad Larry Quinn is past tense. What a showboating 'bag.

Another thing stood out the other day when Pegula was on WGR with Jeremy White... Pegula told White that "players have feelings too" and that they deserve a break. I get that whether you make 40 grand or 4 million, it's tough to hear some guy from Cheektowaga rip your performance, even worse when the ripping is fomented daily by a 28 year old radio talk show host who knows everything about everything. But that's the way it works in pro sports. You walk on the field or skate onto the ice, expect to get hit. It's one of the reasons you get the big bucks. Pegula seems to think the media's job is to serve as a cheerleader for his team. Another Rigas flashback to the Sabres on 107.7. Sorry Pegs, it doesn't work that way. But take heart, Buffalo media are far more sympathetic to its teams than their contemporaries in NY, Philly, DC or Boston. Howard Simon was about the only person on 107.7 to take the Sabres to task during the Rigas era.

If Pegula wants a radio station to play cheerleader, maybe he'll buy one... or a cluster. Hey Fareeeed, call for you on line three. Sabres back on WHTT or maybe the Edge this time. Sorry. WECK, WWWS, WXRL and WLVL can't "turn up the amps" as Ted Black recommended to WGR.
 
With how the insane fans in this area have romanticized Pegula, it will go downhill hard as this team isn't going to be a Cup contender anytime soon. And owners who care too much about their team usually doesn't end up well... you don't want them making personnel decisions.

I hope he buys his own station, but I really doubt that happens. Any competition to WGR is needed immediately.
 
If an Empire Sports Network type of station were to somehow get off the ground and up and running within the next 1 to 2 years, I would want Howard Simon, Dennis Williams, Mylous Hairston and Jay Moran all involved in some capacity. Use them as hosts for sports update shows or maybe have a daily "FAN TV" type of segment. Fill in with other talents but bring in some veterans who have on air experience with TV and radio and make it credible right off the bat instead of using all young kids.

I know, I know, it's going to cost money.... BUT PEGULA HAS THE $$$$$$ !!!!!
 
In an earlier response, I wrote that a new Sabres TV network isn't a priority for Terry Pegula. After what happened today, I take that back. There is just no excuse -- NO EXCUSE -- for MSG switching the feed from the Sabres to a college basketball game. MSG should suspend, if not fire, the person responsible. I'm sure Mr. Pegula will be registering his complaint!
 
Philip_Airtime said:
In an earlier response, I wrote that a new Sabres TV network isn't a priority for Terry Pegula. After what happened today, I take that back. There is just no excuse -- NO EXCUSE -- for MSG switching the feed from the Sabres to a college basketball game. MSG should suspend, if not fire, the person responsible. I'm sure Mr. Pegula will be registering his complaint!
Click to expand...

Phil, this was probably a computer switching error rather than a guy in master control flipping a switch like the Heidi game. Still, it's pretty hard to excuse. Did you happen to notice if WGR lost their feed too, because I tuned in and heard one of their spoard-ops summarizing the last minute of the game.
 
Yeah, Niner, I went to WGR, too. Apparently, MSG's HD channel continued with the Sabres game, and WGR's Brian Kozial, I believe, described the action from the HD video feed. It's interesting that WGR must carry to audio feed of MSG main channel (Channel 28 for those of us subscribing to Time Warner) or why would they have lost the audio. I figured it was a computer error, but it's still inexcusable. There are too may fans watching to allow such a thing to occur!
 
Find a spot for Danny Gare. If it means ousting Rob Ray, so be it.

Gare is good. He's someone who can add interesting perspective to the action during the games.
 
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