Syracuse University Sports

[PMD3]

Verizon contracts with Time Warner Cable in Central NY to carry football and basketball games on their Channel 501. For some reason many of these games are never announced in program listings and guides. The first few games are usually started late and appear only after a flood of calls from angry FIOS subscribers who were promised this service as part of their contract.

Would it be possible for someone at Verizon to insure that this service operate properly and on time this year? The first games (basketball exhibitions) have been announced by Time Warner for Aug. 21 - 24.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this issue.

[vsu77]

The same thing is happening this year.  Last night's basketball game (11/14) was on ESPN3 and on Time warner's cable network, but not on Verizon 501.  This is the only reason I switched.   I guess I can understand not showing the exhibition games, but this was a regular season game.  Very frustrating, and I may go back to Time Warner when my contract expires.

[PMD3]

Despite promises from sales people that SU sports would be carried on Verizon they haven't been. Even when they are on the newspaper doesn't list them under Verizon but only Time Warner. Calls to the newspaper send the blame back to Verizon as they indicate that Is where they get the info. So the bottom line is that the Verizon sales spiel is a lie.

[sangs1]

Why would Time Warner Cable allow FiOS to broadcast its in-house produced SU games? That makes absolutely no sense. I would never expect a TWC production to be distributed on a competitor's system. It would lose the advantage of being able to claim they have more SU games. Friday's game wasn't available on my FiOS system and it wasn't available on Directv either. This happens from time-to-time during the cupcake portion of the schedule, when it's a locally-produced broadcast. Now, when it's an ACC Network-produced game THAT'S when you should anticipate it being on FiOS 501. (Though in my area of NJ the SU games are put on a different network in that situation, WLNY, channel 510.) If you want all the TWC-produced games, you'll need to swith to TWC. They simply won't be on FiOS.

[PMD3]

Verizon sales people tell you that the company won a lawsuit against TWC regarding the broadcast of the games. The result was they had the right to take the feed and show it on their Sports Channel (501). I believe that is the case as most games have been shown on there in past years. However the person in charge of turning on the feed apparently forgets to turn it on many times. The Tech Support line gets a lot of calls and then they turn it on meaning customers miss the first 10 minutes of the game. It usually only happens on the first game or two. 

For some reason the contract apparently doesn't cover pre-season games as they have never been shown. It also isn't as big a problem since Syracuse joined the ACC. That league controls the TV network and sells the games off to various networks (MSG, ESPNU, etc.). So most games now are carried on another channel other than Verizon's 501.

The reason people complain is due to the lies they were told when they switched from TWC to Verizon. SU Sports is one of the strongest demands in Central NY.

[sangs1]

Oh I know how important SU sports are, was born and raised in the area for my first 20 years. 🙂 Sadly, if they're going to play like they did last night, you might be glad the Verizon people misinformed you. 😉

[PMD3]

You got that right. Lots of room for improvement. JB will shape them up.

[sangs1]

He'd better, or they next time they see MSG after today might be in the NIT. The offense was sluggish and the zone defense was porous. Not going to beat the Dukes and UNCs of the world with peformances like that. Let's hope they rally today.