AJ1 Posted September 10, 2008 Author Posted September 10, 2008 Yes, the station can, typically, ask (and get) a different game from the one assigned. Depending on the clout of the station, the relationship of between the person at the station and the person at the network, and other assorted variables, it can be a fairly easy change, or a little bit of a war. BB27, thanks for the link to the distribution map...I seemed to have misplaced it. But, as you can see, CBS is trying to make the Indy/Minn game their "big" early game. I'd bet that, due to certain sales arrangements, they have to deliver a sizable audience for that particular game. Fortunately (kind of) for Bills fans, Albany is a smaller market and losing that market doesn't hurt the Indy/Minn delivery all that much, The flip side of being small, is you often have less intelligent and forceful people in charge at the stations, and less influential people as your contact at the network. Best bet is to continue to call, email, etc. Use the radio, letter to the editor, whatever, to try and get the attention of the station and convince them to make the necessary phone calls/emails. The person at the station may come to their senses, and your letters/emails/calls will serve as evidence to CBS that the Bills' game is in the station's and network's best interest. Another good approach is, if you own a business that does a lot of TV advertising (or are friends with someone who does), have them call the Local Sales Manager (or GSM) and offer to buy some spots in the game IF it is the Bills game. My feeling is something or someone must have changed in management at CBS-6. I'm sure they were more forceful in rejecting the network's planned distribution a few years ago. Lately, they have seemed more than willing to go along with the program. Peyton looked bad and Minnesota hopeless and CBS views this as their 'big' early game? I severely question their judgement if they think that there is any viewer interest outside of the 2 home states, especially regarding the Vikings.
eSJayDee Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 What sort of clout would like the local Time Warner "office" have? Us w/ TWC are stuck w/ whatever the local affiliate shows, w/o even NFL Network replays available. It's in TW's best interest that the product that they offer (retransmission of local affilate) is the best possible product and that we not seek alternatives, i.e. satellite TV.
The Dean Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 What sort of clout would like the local Time Warner "office" have? None. Unless they offer to buy ad time in the game IF it is the Bills game.
DonInBuffalo Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 Indy Minnesota is the "big game" for CBS because of casual fan name recognition of Manning but possibly even more so Adrian Peterson. When a NFC team with a recognizable name hosts an AFC team, it's not uncommon for CBS to feature that game. I looked over the web site. It's not quite as bad a joke as WUTV, which among other things doesn't have the name of a single person who works at the station listed anywhere on their website. I did notice that the station is owned by a company called Freedom Communications. It's quite possible nobody who actually works at the station has the authority to petition to get the game changed without first getting corporate approval. I also noticed several M&T Bank ads on their site. One featured Moorman, and all of them listed M&T as "the official bank of the Buffalo Bills". Maybe if someone knows somebody who works at M&T, they can get them to find someone who works in Sales/Marketing to contact the station.
BB27 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 I also noticed several M&T Bank ads on their site. One featured Moorman, and all of them listed M&T as "the official bank of the Buffalo Bills". Maybe if someone knows somebody who works at M&T, they can get them to find someone who works in Sales/Marketing to contact the station. This is the best idea I've seen. Get someone at M&T to threaten to pull their advertising with this station and maybe it will get done. Hit them where it hurts, in the wallet.
Gordio Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 Yes, the station can, typically, ask (and get) a different game from the one assigned. Depending on the clout of the station, the relationship of between the person at the station and the person at the network, and other assorted variables, it can be a fairly easy change, or a little bit of a war. BB27, thanks for the link to the distribution map...I seemed to have misplaced it. But, as you can see, CBS is trying to make the Indy/Minn game their "big" early game. I'd bet that, due to certain sales arrangements, they have to deliver a sizable audience for that particular game. Fortunately (kind of) for Bills fans, Albany is a smaller market and losing that market doesn't hurt the Indy/Minn delivery all that much, The flip side of being small, is you often have less intelligent and forceful people in charge at the stations, and less influential people as your contact at the network. Best bet is to continue to call, email, etc. Use the radio, letter to the editor, whatever, to try and get the attention of the station and convince them to make the necessary phone calls/emails. The person at the station may come to their senses, and your letters/emails/calls will serve as evidence to CBS that the Bills' game is in the station's and network's best interest. Another good approach is, if you own a business that does a lot of TV advertising (or are friends with someone who does), have them call the Local Sales Manager (or GSM) and offer to buy some spots in the game IF it is the Bills game. Or you could just stop the complaining(not you Dean), get Direct TV & drop the $250 & order the NFL Ticket. I do not know how any bills fan that lives outside the local market for Bills games goes without the Sunday Ticket. If I lived outside WNY I would definately have it. In fact I had it for the last 3 years even though I go to all the bills games. I decided to drop it this year because it just was not worth it with me being at the Ralph 8 sundays a year. I would just look at it as a cost saving measure. I am saving a $1000 by not getting my pair of season tickets, plus another $70 - $100 a week going to a bar to watch the game(I like to booze it up on Sundays) & it virtually pays for itself within the first month of the season.
1billsfan Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 Television programers have about as much vision as corporate radio programers. They're stupid times ten. If they looked at the Bills schedule they would see that a Bills win against the Jags would mean ratings gold down the road. They have two Bills/Jets games later in the season! Why wouldn't you start the ball rolling and show one of the NFL's best up and coming teams who are right in their own back yard???? This decision is so mind-numbingly corporate it's ridiculous. How do these people keep their jobs? In the long run it won't matter to Bills fans there because that station will be showing the Brett Favre Jets throughout this season. My tip is to go out and get Direct TV, I've never regretted it.
BuffaloWings Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 Or you could just stop the complaining(not you Dean), get Direct TV & drop the $250 & order the NFL Ticket. I do not know how any bills fan that lives outside the local market for Bills games goes without the Sunday Ticket. If I lived outside WNY I would definately have it. In fact I had it for the last 3 years even though I go to all the bills games. I decided to drop it this year because it just was not worth it with me being at the Ralph 8 sundays a year. I would just look at it as a cost saving measure. I am saving a $1000 by not getting my pair of season tickets, plus another $70 - $100 a week going to a bar to watch the game(I like to booze it up on Sundays) & it virtually pays for itself within the first month of the season. I was afraid this would come up....let's not get into this one, please. Some of us can't afford a dish or pay for the ticket. I emailed Doug Sherman last year about them not showing the Bills and he gave me the same response - they just go with what the corporate guys in NYC want. They must have ticked someone off or just have zero influence at all. The game I asked about wasn't changed and I avoided CBS for those 3 hours. This surprises me because of the way the Bills rolled over Seattle. I can buy the name recognition thing, but someone needs to realize that there are PLENTY of Bills fans in this area. Maybe they'll change the plan if they get enough complaints, but we need to start emailing & calling now.
Gordio Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 I was afraid this would come up....let's not get into this one, please. Some of us can't afford a dish or pay for the ticket. I emailed Doug Sherman last year about them not showing the Bills and he gave me the same response - they just go with what the corporate guys in NYC want. They must have ticked someone off or just have zero influence at all. The game I asked about wasn't changed and I avoided CBS for those 3 hours. This surprises me because of the way the Bills rolled over Seattle. I can buy the name recognition thing, but someone needs to realize that there are PLENTY of Bills fans in this area. Maybe they'll change the plan if they get enough complaints, but we need to start emailing & calling now. Alright, I do not want to get into anybody's financial situation. I have been thru Albany a few times & it is a Giants/Yankees town first & I believe a Bills town 2nd(even over the Jets). CBS should always being showing the Bills game whenever possible.
1billsfan Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 I was afraid this would come up....let's not get into this one, please. Some of us can't afford a dish or pay for the ticket. I emailed Doug Sherman last year about them not showing the Bills and he gave me the same response - they just go with what the corporate guys in NYC want. They must have ticked someone off or just have zero influence at all. The game I asked about wasn't changed and I avoided CBS for those 3 hours. This surprises me because of the way the Bills rolled over Seattle. I can buy the name recognition thing, but someone needs to realize that there are PLENTY of Bills fans in this area. Maybe they'll change the plan if they get enough complaints, but we need to start emailing & calling now. So you're saying that there's a large number of Bills fans who both don't have the NFL Sunday ticket and don't go to a sports bar (ends up being much more costly than the dish) for three hours? They never get to watch the Bills unless they're playing the Pats or Jets? Wow, that sucks if it's true.
Golden Wheels Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 Indy Minnesota is the "big game" for CBS because of casual fan name recognition of Manning but possibly even more so Adrian Peterson. When a NFC team with a recognizable name hosts an AFC team, it's not uncommon for CBS to feature that game. And if this was planned before the season started, I have to believe they felt Indianapolis, a big rival to New England, was a reason there would be interest in this game in the northeast. *barf* FWIW, I can afford Direct TV, but it is not allowed at the building I live in. Alot of people are in a situation where it isn't feasible for reasons like this or finance. So please understand why this would be upsetting to many Bills fans. I am fortunate in that I have the option of seeing the game with the local Bills Backers at a bar.
BuffaloWings Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 So you're saying that there's a large number of Bills fans who both don't have the NFL Sunday ticket and don't go to a sports bar (ends up being much more costly than the dish) for three hours? They never get to watch the Bills unless they're playing the Pats or Jets? Wow, that sucks if it's true. I'm not saying every Bills fan in this area doesn't have a dish/Sunday Ticket, but there are enough around here that don't have it and don't want to. And for the most part, we don't see the Bills unless they're playing the Jets. Even if they're playing the Pats*, there's no guarantee. The Seattle game was an exception because it was on Fox and the Giants had already played the Thursday game. The Jets & Giants are king around here....and there are a number of games later in the season where the Jets & Bills conflict (i.e., play at the same time on the same network), so with the Favre lovefest going on all year long, there's no way in Hades we're going to see the Bills those weeks.
The Dean Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 You could always go to Stooge TV, and watch it online (or, as was mentioned in another thread, Justin.tv). I watched all the preseason games online. Sometimes the quality and feed was very good, other times, not so much. I set up my father to watch the Seattle game online, while I went to the bar, The quality of the feed, this past week, was very good. But, that all ignores the point that the CBS station in Albany should be an active participant in what games they show from the network. It sounds like management there is too stupid and/or too passive to make the necessary effort, and noise, to get the game they want, rather than the one that has been assigned. Actually, the management of the station probably is totally apathetic to what game they carry.
BuffaloWings Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 I just sent my email to Doug Sherman....awaiting response. My money is on something like "Sorry, we kiss up to the big boys and do whatever they want."
Realist Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 We're getting the Indy - Minnesota game here in Raleigh, too. According to the Distribution maps, nearly everyone is. That must be their national game and all of the others are regional and only the local areas are getting different games. However, a hell of a lot of places are getting KC in the Midwest, so maybe you folks in Albany have a shot at getting it changed. I think here, we're stuck.
The Dean Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 We're getting the Indy - Minnesota game here in Raleigh, too. According to the Distribution maps, nearly everyone is. That must be their national game and all of the others are regional and only the local areas are getting different games. However, a hell of a lot of places are getting KC in the Midwest, so maybe you folks in Albany have a shot at getting it changed. I think here, we're stuck. You guys don't have a prayer, I fear. Although, in the early 90's, when I was at the NBC affiliate in SF, I managed to get the Bills as our game an insane number of times over a three year period. That distribution map would have looked pretty stupid with the Bills game being telecast nowhere but the two cities where the teams played, and...SF (?). But, the Bills were winning and going to SBs, and we were a renegade station that was always at war with the network, so it was a very different atmosphere. Plus, we had someone (that would be me) who thought the fight was worth it, and was good at his job.
bartshan-83 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 You guys don't have a prayer, I fear. Although, in the early 90's, when I was at the NBC affiliate in SF, I managed to get the Bills as our game an insane number of times over a three year period. That distribution map would have looked pretty stupid with the Bills game being telecast nowhere but the two cities where the teams played, and...SF (?). But, the Bills were winning and going to SBs, and we were a renegade station that was always at war with the network, so it was a very different atmosphere. Plus, we had someone (that would be me) who thought the fight was worth it, and was good at his job. This fckin guy's back...welcome home!
macdaddy Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 518-346-6666 Keep calling. The receptionist is getting a little preterbed. We're making headway!
macdaddy Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 518-346-6666 Keep calling. The receptionist is getting a little preterbed. We're making headway! that would be 'perturbed'. Bad day at the office.
AJ1 Posted September 10, 2008 Author Posted September 10, 2008 that would be 'perturbed'. Bad day at the office. What's the 6666 number?
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