Rick Jeanneret - Play by Play

[WildCard]

Rochester too?

I hope so

[bcsaberks]

I can't say but its local. And free.

Sweet.  Cord will be cut on that day.

[Weave]

Hopefully it has reach too.

[PASabreFan]

It's not like Rick doesn't have other options.

 

[Brawndo]

I've been hoping El Pegual picks up WBBZ on the cheap and makes it must see tv.

I think you might be onto something here. It calls itself Your HomeTown Station and already produces local content, including the Robert Woods Show. They could have a local sports programming including HC Shows for both teams. They could bring back a version of Fan TV, The Empire Sports Report and a longer post game show. Hell they could even do a Bills Post Game Show as well. With interest in the Sabres and Bills approaching all time highs, finding sponsorship would not be a problem. They could even do programming based on the music acts of PSE.

[tom webster]

Let me add a dissenting voice. I loved listening to first Ted and then Rick has a kid and young adult but Rick was awful last year. Maybe now that is health is no longer an issue he will return to form but if we are getting 2014/2015 Jeaneret, count me among the disappointed.

 

 

Also, wasn't there talk of them ending the simulcast and splitting TV and radio?

Edited September 26, 2015 by tom webster

[beerme1]

Let me add a dissenting voice. I loved listening to first Ted and then Rick has a kid and young adult but Rick was awful last year. Maybe now that is health is no longer an issue he will return to form but if we are getting 2014/2015 Jeaneret, count me among the disappointed.

 

 

 

Was in on the tank. Had to make it sound legit.

[PASabreFan]

Let me add a dissenting voice. I loved listening to first Ted and then Rick has a kid and young adult but Rick was awful last year. Maybe now that is health is no longer an issue he will return to form but if we are getting 2014/2015 Jeaneret, count me among the disappointed.

 

 

Also, wasn't there talk of them ending the simulcast and splitting TV and radio?

Of course you have to separate out the voice issues. I would agree he wasn't the Jeanneret of old otherwise. Lots of uncharacteristic mistakes. I attribute them to how lousy the team was and how meaningless the games were. When the final game did count, for pride anyway, and everyone felt liberated, I thought Rick sounded like the Rick of old. I expect with an offseason to continue regrouping, and with an exciting team on the ice and meaningful games, that Rick will be Rick.

 

Ending the simulcast would allow them to put Dan on radio and get lots of experience, with Rick jumping in for the playoffs when games aren't locally televised. But the decision to keep Rick around is testament to his meaning to the brand, so I'm guessing they don't want to dilute things. They want Rick to be the voice.

[Doohickie]

I can't say but its local. And free.

 

So where does that leave expats in other cities watching on Center Ice?  By "free" do you mean broadcast?  As in, not on cable?  If that's the case I fear the CI crowd will be stuck listening to NESN, the NYC MSG crowd, etc.  That would truly suck.

 

 

Let me add a dissenting voice. I loved listening to first Ted and then Rick has a kid and young adult but Rick was awful last year. Maybe now that is health is no longer an issue he will return to form but if we are getting 2014/2015 Jeaneret, count me among the disappointed.

 

I'm with you, Tom.  I love RJ but his best years are behind him and I don't see any chance that he will return to form.  

[JJFIVEOH]

A washed up RJ is better than Dunleavy and Duff on their best days.

 

No offense to Dunleavy, but he needs some time. As of now he's just like every other cliche-loaded, cookie cutter announcer. Duff isn't bad, but as has been mentioned he doesn't paint a great picture for those listening on the radio. It was difficult to tell which team scored when I heard him call the Sens game.

 

Not saying either of those guys are bad, they just need time. Duff is one of the best reporters in the biz.

[SwampD]

A washed up RJ is better than Dunleavy and Duff on their best days.

 

No offense to Dunleavy, but he needs some time. As of now he's just like every other cliche-loaded, cookie cutter announcer. Duff isn't bad, but as has been mentioned he doesn't paint a great picture for those listening on the radio. It was difficult to tell which team scored when I heard him call the Sens game.

 

Not saying either of those guys are bad, they just need time. Duff is one of the best reporters in the biz.

Dunleavy absolutely does not need time. What he needs is a team worth calling for. I really like him and hope that when it's time, he takes over. RJ has been living on past glories in all of our minds the past couple of seasons (that's not a bad thing, just the truth).

[JJFIVEOH]

Would be nice to know when somebody actually scores a goal......... 'Ennis with a backhand' doesn't tell me anything.

[Taro T]

Dunleavy absolutely does not need time. What he needs is a team worth calling for. I really like him and hope that when it's time, he takes over. RJ has been living on past glories in all of our minds the past couple of seasons (that's not a bad thing, just the truth).

Agreed.

 

And also hoping RJ doesn't stick around too long. I will always consider it a tragedy that my last memories of Van Miller are essentially 'Bledsoe back to pass, he hands off, no he drops back,he's sacked, no he throws to Price, no Moulds, it's dropped, no it's intercepted, no TOUCHDOWN, Jay Riermsma.' Slight exaggeration, but in his heyday Van painted an awesome picture; towards the end, he just had a hard time w/ names, yardages, and events. To me, Van will always be THE voice of the Bills and though I didn't hear it live, hearing on NFL Gamenight 'this is pandemonium, this is fandemonium, this ia FANtastic' still gives me goosebumps of my best football memory ever.

 

I didn't pay close enough attention the past 2 years to have that 'ouch' moment / memory of RJ if he had 1 or a few. Really hoping he nails it this year and however long he stays AND that when the time comes, he accepts it, and meets it graciously. It would suck to have him suffer the same sorts of rumors Ted Darling suffered. (Recalling Ted makes me realize (again), man were we lucky with our local announcers - Chuck Healy, Van, Ted, RJ, Stan Roberts, Pete Webber on Bisons.)

[Thorny]

So where does that leave expats in other cities watching on Center Ice?  By "free" do you mean broadcast?  As in, not on cable?  If that's the case I fear the CI crowd will be stuck listening to NESN, the NYC MSG crowd, etc.  That would truly suck.

 

I'm wondering about this too, in regards to Gamecenter Live.

[LTS]

If the Sabres own the broadcast rights to their games then I think the most obvious answer is that they will have a streaming package to view those games online.  Perhaps they will partner with Netflix?  They could opt for a more open option like Youtube as well.

 

http://www.lightreading.com/video/ott/are-sports-next-for-netflix/a/d-id/718421

 

Their camera work can easily be fed to GameCenter and other NHL properties.. no problem. 

[MattPie]

If the Sabres own the broadcast rights to their games then I think the most obvious answer is that they will have a streaming package to view those games online.  Perhaps they will partner with Netflix?  They could opt for a more open option like Youtube as well.

 

http://www.lightreading.com/video/ott/are-sports-next-for-netflix/a/d-id/718421

 

Their camera work can easily be fed to GameCenter and other NHL properties.. no problem. 

 

I'd be surprised if the Sabres go completely off the reservation and build their own gamecenter or even partner with someone outside of gamecenter. Streaming is a bigger task than it sounds (or at least I assume it is, considering how the NHL has struggled with it and has contracted with MLBAM to do it this year). I think the safe play is they'll set up their own cable network like usual. Maybe they broadcast locally as well, but I'm not sure how that actually works in terms of licenses and whatnot. I'd be surprised if the NHL doesn't get a say in how it's league is broadcast, even to local fans. And all those NHL NBC cable deals are at least somewhat exclusive.

[LTS]

I'd be surprised if the Sabres go completely off the reservation and build their own gamecenter or even partner with someone outside of gamecenter. Streaming is a bigger task than it sounds (or at least I assume it is, considering how the NHL has struggled with it and has contracted with MLBAM to do it this year). I think the safe play is they'll set up their own cable network like usual. Maybe they broadcast locally as well, but I'm not sure how that actually works in terms of licenses and whatnot. I'd be surprised if the NHL doesn't get a say in how it's league is broadcast, even to local fans. And all those NHL NBC cable deals are at least somewhat exclusive.

 

Whatever plan they have would include gamecenter, I am sure they have no choice.  The bigger issue is having broadcast be streaming and/or local access only.  Fans with DirecTV/Dish will want to see the game.  People in the more rural areas will be without a way of viewing the games if it's streaming only.  My parents live in Franklinville and have satellite internet.  No way they stream a game.  

 

So any plan will have to include at least some kind of regional sports carriage or they hurt themselves.  I don't know how DirecTV,Dish, etc. will take to having the games streaming for free.  There's little incentive for them to carry the network but it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.  

[MattPie]

Whatever plan they have would include gamecenter, I am sure they have no choice.  The bigger issue is having broadcast be streaming and/or local access only.  Fans with DirecTV/Dish will want to see the game.  People in the more rural areas will be without a way of viewing the games if it's streaming only.  My parents live in Franklinville and have satellite internet.  No way they stream a game.  

 

So any plan will have to include at least some kind of regional sports carriage or they hurt themselves.  I don't know how DirecTV,Dish, etc. will take to having the games streaming for free.  There's little incentive for them to carry the network but it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.  

 

The second paragraph hits it on the head. Free streaming means TV providers have less incentive to carry the channels.

[LTS]

The second paragraph hits it on the head. Free streaming means TV providers have less incentive to carry the channels.

 

And yet.. by NOT carrying the channel they also provide no incentive for people to sign up for their service either.  By not offering an alternative to the streaming they are actually raising the value of the streamed content. I should rethink the free streaming as I would suspect the Sabres probably would not get enough in ad revenue alone to support the streaming, but it might be possible.  Even then, it could be a nominal fee.  I don't have enough information on the back end logistics of that at the moment to comment.

[spndnchz]

Has nothing to do with Rick but the Sabres are going to be making a "coaches show". Not sure of content yet.

[Hoss]

On the coaches show - Bylsma had a show in Pittsburgh with ROOT sports that the fans loved. He's a funny guy so they showed it off.

 

On the Sabres broadcast rights - that was STRONGLY denied (which means it's either dead wrong or dead on). But I was told the Pegulas/Sabres are keeping ALL options open in regards to broadcasting games (the all was stressed again when their own regional network possibility came up).

 

Speculating with no mind to what I've heard: if what Chz says is true on them leaving (which would be tough because the Sabres deal goes for two more years meaning they'd have to get out of the MSG deal to move after this season) - wouldn't WBBZ fit that bill? They're local. They're free. If the Pegulas starting putting content on there it would buy them time, give them a partner if they want to purchase a network that already has groundwork in place and keeps them fully self-producing their content.