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81-497: Rick Jeanneret was the network's primary play-by-play voice and served in that capacity from 1971 to 2022, Dan Dunleavy has taken his place since then, with Rob Ray currently serving as color commentator. In the 2008–2009 season, former Winnipeg Jets / Phoenix Coyotes broadcaster Curt Keilback covered for Jeanneret during the team's western road trip. In the 2009–2010 season, the Sabres did not send their television broadcast crew on

162-412: A Boston -based premium channel previously owned by Spectacor , which was rechristened as SportsChannel New England on January 1, 1983. Other SportsChannel networks launched between throughout the 1980s and early 1990s in markets such as San Francisco , Chicago , Philadelphia and Los Angeles . Throughout most of its history SportsChannel was operated as a joint-venture. The Washington Post became

243-468: A Public-access channel , the TV Guide Network , The Weather Channel , or C-SPAN ); conversely, satellite providers carry both networks on alternate provider-assigned channels. With digital cable, many providers today now have dedicated channels for overflow games. For several years in the 1990s when Cablevision had the rights to seven professional sports teams, a SportsChannel 3 overflow feed

324-596: A 50% share of Fox Sports New England; News Corporation, meanwhile, received Cablevision's ownership stakes in Fox Sports Ohio and Fox Sports Florida (Fox Sports Bay Area was not included in the deal, as News Corporation and Cablevision chose to retain joint ownership of that network). Incidentally, News Corporation would later reverse course and purchase a 49% stake in YES Network in November 2012. In 2005,

405-657: A contract dispute between MSG and the National Hockey League; MSG HD and MSGSN HD returned to NHL Center Ice on March 17, 2010, beginning with the former's telecast of a game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins , confirmed on-air by NHL Hour co-host Gary Bettman during the program. On December 14, 2011, a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied MSG Holdings' petition to review an order by

486-476: A large proportion of Buffalo Sabres games available to subscribers in most of upstate New York . The network carries New York Rangers and Red Bulls games, which mainly air on MSG, in the event that its parent network is scheduled to air a Knicks (in the case of the Rangers) or Liberty (for Red Bulls and until 2018) game at times when MSGSN is not carrying games of its main local teams. Games respectively involving

567-550: A partner in SportsChannel in 1983, gaining 50% interest in the networks. In 1984, CBS also entered the partnership in a deal that gave each of the three companies a one-third interest. The Washington Post and CBS sold back their shares to Rainbow in 1987. In December 1988, Cablevision announced that it would form a joint venture with NBC to operate the cable networks owned by the respective companies, including SportsChannel. Through this partnership, SportsChannel acquired

648-528: A programming agreement FSN maintained with Comcast SportsNet affiliates in markets where there is no local FSN outlet (although CSN maintains a local affiliation with SportsNet New York). As FSN New York, MSGSN formerly aired some Arena Football League games involving the New York Dragons as part of the AFL on FSN package. MSGSN 2 is a gametime-only overflow feed of MSG Sportsnet, that – along with

729-728: A solid commitment to how many games he would call in that season. Most indications were that Jeanneret would call 55 to 65 games for the 2013–14 season. Jeanneret announced his intent to slowly phase out of the Sabres play-by-play job over the course of three years. By then, Dan Dunleavy had been chosen as Jeanneret's successor and slowly took over play-by-play duties, first as the substitute, then permanently starting in 2022. Jeanneret called 47 games in 2014–15 and called 41 games in 2015–16; as of 2014, he still intended on retiring in 2016 but did not entirely rule out changing his mind. Indeed, Jeanneret would sign an agreement to call another half-season of games in 2016–17. On July 1, 2014, Jeanneret

810-862: A stepdaughter, Shelly. His son, Mark Jeanneret, is the events coordinator for the Erie Sports Commission in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he used to be the play-by-play announcer for the Erie Otters of the OHL. He also substituted for Rick as an announcer for the Buffalo Sabres games against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers on December 27 and 28, 2010. Chris teaches Radio Broadcasting at Niagara College in Welland, Ontario . Shelly

891-625: A streaming service under the MSG Plus branding in March 2023. On August 28, 2024, MSG Networks, along with the YES Network announced a combined streaming app for their teams called the Gotham Sports App. Their television rights are not affected. MSGSN holds the regional broadcast rights to the NHL 's New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders . MSG Sportsnet also serves an overflow feed in

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972-683: A team collapse the way the Sabres had that year. He eventually decided to return. In April 2020, in an interview with the Buffalo News , Jeanneret noted he would likely retire following the 2020–21 season, marking his 50th anniversary with the Sabres franchise. Jeanneret, who called 20 games that season, was set to have his contract expire during the 2021 offseason at the same time as Rob Ray and Dan Dunleavy's; while Sabres spokesman Scott Preisler stated that they intended to bring Ray and Dunleavy back, he made no such commitment to Jeanneret; negotiations for any potential return would not begin until after

1053-624: A years-long continuing carriage dispute between the Dish and MSG Networks . The practice of syndicating games to a local broadcast station has happened only once since MSG took over the broadcast contract: WGRZ and WHEC-TV were given rights to simulcast MSG's coverage of the February 11, 2012 game between the Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning , as a one-time goodwill gesture in the ongoing dispute between Time Warner Cable and MSG;

1134-740: Is a conflict with an Islanders and/or Devils telecast, resulting in these games being relocated to MSG2 and/or MSGSN 2. In addition, when the Knicks are not in contention for the NBA Playoffs and the Rangers are contending for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Rangers telecast usually airs on MSG and the Knicks telecast on MSG2, or vice versa in either case. MSGSN also airs college sports events and local weekly college basketball magazine program for Hofstra University . However, games involving teams in

1215-487: Is a wedding, portrait and event photographer in Niagara Falls. Jeanneret died on August 17, 2023, from multiple organ failure , which his family stated had begun in 2021 during his final season with the team. He was 81. On April 9, 2001, as part of a promotion on radio station WNSA (at the time the Sabres' flagship station), Jeanneret called a fictional game known as the "Sabres Showdown." The fictional matchup

1296-542: Is hosted by WGR personality Brian Koziol. Mike Schopp and Chris "Bulldog" Parker host the pre-game show, which airs only on WGR. On television, a pregame show and postgame show are broadcast, and hosted by Brian Duff and Martin Biron . (Prior to 2005, the television pregame-postgame shows were simulcast on radio. The postgame was known as Hockey Hotline and hosted by Mike Robitaille , first with host Brian Blessing and then Josh Mora.) The theme song for broadcasts has been

1377-510: The 1988 season. This led to a lengthy dispute between Cablevision and MSG that resulted in the network being removed by the provider, resulting in many Cablevision subscribers not being able to see MSG's Yankees telecasts during the 1989 season. In March 1995, Cablevision and ITT Corporation purchased Madison Square Garden and its properties which included the Knicks , the Rangers , and

1458-864: The 2008–09 NHL season . It was further extended in 2008 through the 2009–10 season. He was back for the 2010–11 season along with Neale. During these seasons, Jeanneret did not broadcast games while the Sabres had west coast road trips and a home game against the Boston Bruins . This most recently was from December 27, 2010, through January 8, 2011. He was also off when the Sabres played the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on January 25, 2011. During Jeanneret's vacation, his son Mark and Kevin Sylvester filled in on play-by-play. The idea for Jeanneret to take time off during west-coast road games during these seasons

1539-516: The Anaheim Ducks , Jeanneret suffered an acute medical emergency and abruptly cut out of the broadcast, leaving color commentator Rob Ray and on-site studio host Brian Duff to call play-by-play for the remainder of the game. Almost immediately, fans watching the broadcast or listening to the game took to the Sabres' Twitter page, expressing worry and concern for Jeanneret and asking for updates. Buffalo News sports commentator Mike Harrington

1620-762: The Chicago Blackhawks . Jeanneret was a Canadian citizen of Swiss descent. He was born on July 23, 1942, in St. Catharines, Ontario , and raised in Terrace Bay, Ontario . He was known for his energetic delivery (especially during big plays and fights), colorful player nicknames, passionate goal calls, and his trademark suspenders worn on air and uncanny resemblance to late comedian Rodney Dangerfield . Jeanneret resided in Niagara Falls, Ontario , with his wife, Sandra. He had two sons, Mark and Chris, and

1701-530: The Sabres Hockey Network for 51 years. Having started with the team on radio during the team's second season in 1971–72 , and ending his career after the 2021–22 season, he was the longest-tenured play-by-play announcer with a single team in NHL history. He moved to television during the 1995–96 season and began doubling both television and radio play-by-play duties during the 1997–98 season. He

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1782-472: The Tennis Channel ). In February 2010, Cablevision spun off MSG Network and MSG+ into The Madison Square Garden Company . After News Corporation acquired a stake in the channel, rights to FSN national programming moved to YES Network. On September 26, 2022, MSG Plus rebranded as MSG Sportsnet (MSGSN), as the "Plus" suffix has largely become synonymous with streaming services. MSG would announce

1863-488: The " Sabre Dance " by Aram Khachaturian since the team's debut. From the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs through the 2009–10 season, the team used for its main theme an instrumental cut of "Hurricane 2000," an orchestral arrangement of the song " Rock You Like a Hurricane " recorded by Scorpions and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on the album Moment of Glory . From the 1990s through 2006

1944-400: The 1974–75 team so as to make it seem as if they were actually playing the game. (For instance, color commentator Jim Lorentz was replaced by Mike Robitaille , who played for the Sabres in 1974–75 but had been traded before the playoffs, and WNSA hosts filled in other positions.) The 1975 team won the game thanks to Gilbert Perreault 's game-winning shootout goal. In all actuality, many of

2025-552: The Bulldog to WROC in Rochester. The Rochester situation is unique in that a different station carries regular season games than in the postseason. This is because WROC has a much weaker AM signal, and the network switched to FM station WBZA to maximize coverage during the postseason. In 2008, with Entercom's purchase of WCMF , Sabres games moved to that station instead. Since 1997, the radio play-by-play has been simulcast on

2106-524: The CD, which was titled Roll the Highlight Film , went to charity. It was followed up in 2006 with Top Shelf (named after his signature call, "Top Shelf, where momma hides the cookies!"), a similarly themed DVD . Each year from the 2004–05 NHL lockout onward, Jeanneret reupped with the Sabres on short-term deals out of concern for his age and health. Jeanneret's contract was extended in 2007 through

2187-607: The FSN New York banner was a college basketball game between the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers and the Robert Morris Colonials from Moon Township, Pennsylvania on March 9. The network was rebranded as MSG+ at 7:00 p.m. on March 10, beginning with its broadcast of an exhibition tennis match at Madison Square Garden between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras (which was also distributed nationally on

2268-644: The Hall's committee considered the closest modern equivalent to bare-knuckle boxing. MSG Plus MSG Sportsnet ( MSGSN , formerly MSG Plus ) is an American regional sports network owned by Sphere Entertainment ; it operates as a sister channel to MSG Network . The network serves 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 ; MSG Sportsnet carries sports events from several of

2349-532: The Knicks and Liberty (which no longer airs on MSG as of 2018) earn higher ratings on MSG than those involving the Rangers or Red Bulls, and rarely air on MSGSN as a result. This is also the case with MSG, as the Islanders or Devils air on that network in lieu of MSGSN, when those teams play simultaneously at times none of MSG's main contracted teams are playing. Since the start of 2006–07 NBA and NHL seasons, some Rangers telecasts have aired on MSGSN even when there

2430-615: The MSG Network; giving Cablevision broadcast rights to all professional New York-area sports teams (except the NFL ). On April 25, 1995, NBC sold its 50% interest in SportsChannel New York to Rainbow Media for US$ 93 million, citing that "owning a piece of SportsChannel New York made less sense" after Cablevision and ITT purchased MSG. On June 30, 1997, Fox/Liberty Networks – a joint venture between News Corporation (then

2511-458: The MSG overflow MSG 2 – broadcasts in the event that three or four local games are scheduled to air simultaneously on the two main networks (for example, a Knicks or Rangers game would air on MSG2, while an Islanders or a Devils match would be shown on MSGSN 2). Normally, New York Knicks games are televised over MSG2 only during road games that start at least one hour later than a Rangers telecasts due to

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2592-580: The Mets announced that it would launch its own sports network to carry the team's games after FSN New York's contract with the team expired; SportsNet New York became the Mets new cable home when it launched in April 2006, at the start of that year's regular season . As a result of losing the Yankees, Nets and Mets over the span of three years, FSN New York and MSG went from being the sole rightsholders to seven of

2673-620: The National Hockey League. The other 12 games air only on the radio network, including all games broadcast on the league's national outlets. In New York City and the surrounding areas, Sabres games against the New York Rangers , New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils (other hockey teams to which MSG owns TV rights) have usually carried the Sabres Hockey Network feed on the SAP of MSG or MSG Plus . The Sabres also have

2754-746: The Nets telecasts moved to YES Network, MSG and the then-FSN New York relaunched MSG2 and FSN New York 2 (the present-day MSG+ 2) and began producing two separate broadcasts when two of their contracted teams play one another. MSGSN HD is a high-definition simulcast feed of MSGSN HD, which broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. It is carried on Cablevision (except on its system in Litchfield ), Time Warner Cable (in New York and New Jersey), Comcast (which has carried MSGSN HD full-time since October 15, 2009 in areas of northern and central New Jersey within

2835-592: The New York City market) RCN , DirecTV and Verizon FiOS . Sister network MSGSN 2 also maintains an HD simulcast, whose availability depends on geographic location and television provider. MSGSN HD carries all games involving the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and New York Red Bulls in high definition. On January 22, 2009, hockey games broadcast by MSG HD and MSGSN HD were dropped from NHL's GameCenter Live service following

2916-508: The New York area's major sports franchises (excluding the New York Jets and New York Giants , as the NFL does not sell game broadcasts on an individual team basis or to regional cable outlets) to carrying games from only four of the teams. On February 26, 2008, Cablevision announced that it would rebrand FSN New York as MSG Plus (branded in logos as "MSG+"), restructuring it as a spin-off of MSG Network. The last event to air under

2997-512: The New York area's professional sports franchises, as well as college sports events. The channel was first established in 1976 by Cablevision as Cablevision Sports 3 ; the channel later rebranded as SportsChannel New York , and became the charter affiliate of an eponymous chain of regional sports networks. The channel became a sister to MSG Network in 1995 after Cablevision acquired the Madison Square Garden company. In 1998,

3078-453: The Sabres after Dave Hodge , the play-by-play man for the team's first season, had unexpectedly won Hockey Night in Canada duties over the frontrunner for the position, future Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek . In an era before regional sports networks when most hockey games were untelevised, Jeanneret and Ted Darling often worked as a tandem and became very close personal friends. Over

3159-662: The Sabres announced that Jeanneret would be given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and thus be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame . He was inducted on November 12, 2012. Jeanneret was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame on September 20, 2012. The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame inducted Jeanneret as an 'honorary inductee' on July 7, 2018, on the grounds of his calling blow-by-blow on in-game fights , which

3240-496: The Sabres control all television broadcasts of their games. ** = Audacy operates pursuant to a local marketing agreement with Martz Communications Group . Rick Jeanneret John Richard Jeanneret (July 23, 1942 – August 17, 2023) was a Canadian television and radio personality best known as the play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network,

3321-609: The Sabres were both under the control of John Rigas from 1996 until Rigas's arrest in 2003. Prior to the launch of the Empire Sports Network, Sabres telecasts were managed under the brand Niagara Frontier Sports Network and syndicated to local television stations. NFSN briefly owned the station now known as WNYO-TV in the late 1980s but sold off that station after a short time after it became clear that scrambled subscription over-the-air television (a proposition that NFSN had planned on being its primary business model)

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3402-534: The Sabres. "I had enough of two jobs. I finished the game, came home and had to be up by 4 a.m.," he said. Jeanneret helped close the Aud on the final night of the regular season in 1996 with an emotional tribute to his colleague Ted Darling, who was the voice of the Sabres from 1970 until the worsening effects from Pick's Disease forced him to retire in the midst of the 1991–92 season . "I wish that standing next to me right now would be Ted Darling," said Jeanneret from

3483-509: The SportsChannel networks into the group; SportsChannel New York would also be rebranded as Fox Sports New York , while MSG would also become an FSN outlet, while retaining its existing brand. National Sports Partners, the venture formed through Cablevision's entry into the News Corporation/Liberty partnership to operate the existing and newly acquired Fox Sports owned-and-operated regional networks, later announced that

3564-596: The Tri-State area are generally blacked out outside the New York City market. Some cable providers, such as Time Warner Cable , acquire the rights to the local games for broadcast on local origination and regional sports channels in certain markets. MSGSN previously carried most college sports events televised by Fox Sports Networks (including football and basketball games from the Pac-12 Conference and Big 12 Conference ), before these rights were transferred to

3645-523: The United States after four decades of work in the country. On November 7, 2014, Jeanneret announced that following a CAT scan he was clear of cancer. He returned to broadcasting Sabres games eight days later on Saturday, November 15, calling the first period of the game against the Maple Leafs. In April 2018, Jeanneret said that he was leaning toward returning for the 2018–19 season, but he

3726-468: The YES Network in September 2013 as part of its affiliation with FSN through 21st Century Fox 's ownership interest in the network. Nationally televised FSN games aired in all of MSGSN's broadcast zones, unless a local team was playing at the time of the national telecast. In such cases, the collegiate event would be joined-in-progress at the end of the local telecast (if the ended before the conclusion of

3807-432: The cable television rights to the National Hockey League , which aired several games involving non-New York area teams on the SportsChannel regional networks at times when no games involving local teams were set to air and served as the programming cornerstone for national sister network SportsChannel America. SportsChannel New York lost the broadcast rights to the Yankees to the MSG Network, then its main competitor, after

3888-579: The capabilities to broadcast preseason home games on the team's Web site. MSG Western New York is carried on DirecTV , channel 635-1. The network is also available on Charter Spectrum , the predominant cable provider in New York State. The channel is available on Verizon FiOS , with high-definition feeds only arriving in late 2011 after a protracted legal dispute in which MSG refused to provide Verizon with an HD feed. The channel and therefore most Sabres games are not available on Dish Network due to

3969-459: The channel—along with the remainder of the SportsChannel chain—was relaunched as part of Fox Sports Networks , later becoming FSN New York . In March 2008, the channel rebranded as MSG Plus to closer align it with its parent channel; the service later dropped FSN programming. MSG+ originally launched in 1976 as Cablevision Sports 3 , a local sports network owned by Cablevision and available to their subscribers on Long Island (the "3" referenced

4050-573: The event that multiple local teams whose games would normally be televised on MSG (such as the NBA 's New York Knicks and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres ) are playing at the same time. In turn, through MSG's regional television rights agreements, MSG Sportsnet also broadcasts certain NHL games involving the New York Rangers and Major League Soccer games featuring the New York Red Bulls not broadcast by its parent network. MSG Sportsnet also carries

4131-623: The fact that the Knicks (whose telecasts are the highest-rated sports events on MSG Network) normally take precedence on the main MSG network when played at Madison Square Garden. However, several Knicks home games originally scheduled to air on MSG were moved to MSG2 in 2008, in order for the former to carry the Rangers' Stanley Cup Playoff matches. Previous names for this service were SportsChannel Plus , SportsChannel 2 , Fox Sports New York 2 (FSNY2) , and MSG Plus 2 (MSG+ 2) . Traditionally cable providers mainly transmit MSG 2 and MSGSN 2 by preempting telecasts on other non-critical networks (such as

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4212-530: The following day on January 28, with the first event aired as a Fox Sports Net outlet that evening being an NBA game between the Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California . Five of the seven other remaining SportsChannel networks relaunched as member networks of Fox Sports Net later that week (SportsChannel Florida, which was rechristened Fox Sports Florida ,

4293-504: The ice surface in a postgame ceremony. He closed out with, "See you in September, one block in that direction," pointing toward the new arena, then dubbed the Crossroads Arena and now called KeyBank Center . Jeanneret consistently declined to accept the title of "voice of the Buffalo Sabres" out of deference to Darling. In 2005, Jeanneret and the Sabres released a CD that collected some of his most memorable calls. Proceeds from

4374-664: The members of the 1974–75 squad are still together, working for the Sabres organization and playing occasionally for the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team . Jeanneret, along with former Sabre Dale Hawerchuk were inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame on November 8, 2011. On June 6, 2012, the Sabres announced that Jeanneret would be inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. On June 8, 2012,

4455-421: The national game) on MSG, if there is no other live game telecast scheduled, or not at all. Since joining Fox Sports Net, MSGSN had also carried select non-sports programming distributed by FSN (such as FSN Final Score , The Best Damn Sports Show Period and The Dan Patrick Show ). Even after the network's rebranding as MSGSN, it continued to carry these programs until they were discontinuance, similar to

4536-627: The network's channel slot on Cablevision, where it remained through the 1990s). When it debuted, the network had agreements to carry the home games of the New York Islanders and New York Nets . The service was renamed SportsChannel New York in March 1979. The next month, both the New York Yankees and New York Mets signed agreements with SportsChannel. SportsChannel would also gain the New Jersey Devils when

4617-430: The other SportsChannel networks would be relaunched under the "Fox Sports Net" banner. Prior to the deal with Cablevision, FSN programming had aired on then-independent station WBIS-TV during its S+ era, where it carried a hybrid of sporting and business programming; by June 1998 the station dropped the format and eventually became WPXN-TV (though it continued to air Fox-sourced programming until August); FSN programming

4698-556: The parent company of the New York Post and Fox owned-and-operated station WNYW (channel 5) and Liberty Media (a spin-off of TCI , an American cable-television group) – purchased a 40% interest in the SportsChannel networks, Madison Square Garden , the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers from Cablevision. The deal was intended to expand the reach of Fox Sports Net – a group of regional sports networks launched by Fox/Liberty in November 1996 through News Corporation's purchase of Liberty's Prime Network – by integrating

4779-477: The play-by-play of a Niagara Falls Flyers Junior A hockey game for the regular announcer, Edd Felstead, who had become sick. Jeanneret became the color analyst the following season before assuming full-time play by play radio duties in 1965. During the 1960s and early 1970s, Rick did several radio advertisements for local Niagara Falls hardware store Buildall. Jeanneret also called Buffalo Bisons (AHL) road games in 1969–70. In 1971, Jeanneret began working for

4860-507: The regional television rights to the Yankees and Nets (both owned by their and the network's co-parent at the time, YankeeNets ) from FSN. In 2004, the channel shortened its name to FSN New York , through the networks' de-emphasis of the "Fox Sports Net" brand. On February 22, 2005, Cablevision and News Corporation agreed to trade several sports-related assets. Cablevision acquired majority control in Fox Sports New York, Fox Sports Chicago, Madison Square Garden and its associated properties, and

4941-409: The season ended. On August 20, 2021, Jeanneret announced he would retire following the 2021–22 season, during which he would call a total of 20 home games. He stated that he was unwilling to retire from the team during a season in which there were no fans in attendance , even if the 50-year mark had been a logical milestone. Jeanneret called his final game on April 29, 2022, a 3–2 overtime win over

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5022-458: The station's cable partner ( Empire Sports Network from 1997 to 2004, and MSG Network / MSG Western New York from 2005 to the present). Prior to this, Ted Darling was the team's television play-by-play voice, though he was forced to retire due to Pick's disease in 1991. John Gurtler did TV play-by-play from 1991 to 1995, and Rick Jeanneret took over those duties from that point, adding radio simulcasts in 1997. Unlike most shows on MSG Network ,

5103-413: The team relocated in 1982. As the original SportsChannel was growing in popularity in New York City, Cablevision (through its then-broadcasting unit, Rainbow Media ) eventually decided to form a new group of regional sports networks under the SportsChannel brand, with SportsChannel New York serving as the flagship charter affiliate. The expansion began with Cablevision's purchase of PRISM New England,

5184-431: The team used a custom-made theme. Beginning shortly after Terry Pegula 's acquisition of the team, the song was changed back to "Sabre Dance." For the 2011–12 season, a hard-rock version of "Sabre Dance" rotates with MSG Network 's standard hockey theme as the theme for the Sabres Hockey Network broadcasts. The Sabres Hockey Network has produced Sabres games since the team's days on the Empire Sports Network ; Empire and

5265-404: The team, and the decision may have been influenced by the labor dispute that shortened the length of the season. Furthermore, Jeanneret missed the first four games of the season due to illness; he ended up calling 44 games for the Sabres in the shortened 2013 season. Jeanneret confirmed he would return for the 2013–14 season (he had signed a two-year contract the previous year), but did not make

5346-402: The teams that the MSG Networks held the rights to broadcast played against each other, only one broadcast would usually be produced using one of the team's announcing staffs. This was either due to stipulations in MSG's television contracts or a desire to show a different sporting event at the same time. Beginning in the 2005–06 NBA and NHL seasons , after the Metro Networks ceased operation and

5427-502: The two sides had an approximately 1 1 ⁄ 2 -month contract dispute that left games unavailable on cable for most of the state. Games carried by TNT, TBS , ESPN, ABC , and CBC Television are not produced by the Sabres, and these television broadcasts are not considered to be part of the Sabres Hockey Network. The network produces "radio only" broadcasts for its terrestrial affiliates when an ABC game airs. Current: Past: The Sabres radio network also simulcasts Schopp and

5508-451: The western road trip and used the local broadcasts of the Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks , Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks as the "home" broadcast. Jeanneret and then color commentator Harry Neale had reduced duties for 2011–2012, with the duo only handling home games and a third of the road games; Kevin Sylvester and Danny Gare handled the broadcasts of the remaining games that season. The radio network's postgame show

5589-404: The years, he was partnered with a series of color commentators, including Jim Lorentz (his longest-running partner), personal friend Harry Neale , and Rob Ray . From 1984 until 1992, he did the Sabres' play-by-play in addition to being a popular early-morning disc jockey at the now-defunct CJRN-AM in Niagara Falls, Ontario . In 1992, he chose to retire from CJRN and concentrate solely on

5670-451: Was at the game and tweeted about seeing Jeanneret being carried out of the arena on a stretcher - prompting hundreds of further tweets from fans at the Sabres' page. Jeanneret had shown no signs of illness immediately prior to the game. In an interview the next day, Jeanneret, who was still recovering in the hospital, noted that the emergency was not heart-related and that he had overheated prior to losing consciousness (something that he noted

5751-406: Was diagnosed with stage III throat cancer, which required Jeanneret to miss part of the 2014–15 NHL season . Although he initially sought treatment in his native Canada due to Canada's universal single-payer health care system , he later sought American treatment (coincidentally, from the same doctor that also treated Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly ) due to his stronger personal attachment with

5832-666: Was known as "RJ" within the Sabres organization and by close associates. Jeanneret's career began off air at CHUM in Toronto . To get on the air, Jeanneret took classes from the Midwest Broadcasting School, a Chicago -based institution that Jeanneret described as a "crash course" in broadcasting. Upon graduation, he was hired as a disc jockey at CKLY in Lindsay, Ontario . He was then hired by CHVC, later CJRN in Niagara Falls. In 1963, Jeanneret took over

5913-404: Was not certain because of his age and possible health complications (in addition to the cancer battle, he'd also had a pacemaker installed). Jeanneret appeared in a commercial for Molson Canadian , giving a call for a pick-up pond hockey game. Jeanneret is the play-by-play announcer for ICE's Super Chexx arcade machines. On December 22, 2018, during the third period in a home game against

5994-481: Was not going to be a viable enterprise and launched the cable- and satellite-exclusive Empire Sports Network instead. On September 10, 2016, MSG launched a Buffalo-centric version of MSG Network called MSG Western New York , which incorporates content from both the Sabres and the Buffalo Bills including 70 Sabres games. The play-by-play and commentary is radio simulcasted over video, an arrangement unique in

6075-541: Was occasionally used. From 1998 to 2005, Cablevision instead placed MSG's NBA and NHL telecasts on the MSG Metro Channels , which had limited availability within the provider's systems in the New York metropolitan area. In high cases of overflow, partially caused by New Jersey Nets telecasts aired on the then-rebranded FSN New York at the same time, games were also aired on Riverhead -based independent station WLNY-TV (channel 55). During this era, when two of

6156-475: Was simulated on the NHL 2001 video game, and was said to be a matchup between the 1974–75 Buffalo Sabres and the 1998–99 Sabres, both of whom had been to the Stanley Cup finals. The game was said to have taken place at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium , classic Sabres audio clips were played during intermission, and WNSA purposely held out any regular game staff from the commentary who had actually played on

6237-637: Was subsequently picked up by SportsChannel in the run-up to the relaunch as FSNY, with SportsChannel's own national programming being discontinued in favor of Fox's programming. The last event broadcast on the network as SportsChannel New York aired on January 27, 1998, was an NBA game between the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver . SportsChannel New York officially became Fox Sports New York

6318-503: Was tabbed to call those road games, along with Danny Gare . Jeanneret indicated he would take up an increased workload in 2012–13, although he would stop short of a full-time broadcast. On June 27, 2012, Jeanneret announced that he would return to the broadcast booth full-time during the 2012–13 season , this time with Rob Ray serving as color commentator in addition to the bench reporter role Ray had served in for previous seasons. Jeanneret indicated it would be his last full season with

6399-420: Was that of former managing partner Larry Quinn . On May 26, 2011, the Sabres announced that Jeanneret (and Neale) would cover only home games and 10 to 15 road games for the Sabres in the 2011–12 NHL season . This was in preparation for Jeanneret's pending retirement, in which Jeanneret stated that he almost retired after the 2010–11 season, but sought the reduced schedule instead. Studio host Kevin Sylvester

6480-484: Was the last to join FSN in March 2000, after Rainbow bought Florida Panthers owner Wayne Huizenga 's controlling interest). The network was later rebranded as Fox Sports Net New York in 2000, as part of a collective brand modification of the FSN networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner. In April 2002, Fox Sports Net New York began sharing the broadcast rights to the Mets with MSG, as the newly launched YES Network took

6561-431: Was unusual since the arena is usually cold, although Jeanneret had worn a Santa Claus suit for an extended portion of the evening); he did not miss any more of his scheduled play-by-play duties. Jeanneret stated in April 2019, as the 2018–19 season wound down, that he was going to take much more time to decide whether he would return. He expressed major disappointment in the Sabres play that season, noting he had never seen

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