The Islanders have the "hockey part" of the "proposed
blockbuster trade" that would send RW Ziggy Palffy to the
Rangers "complete," but what remains "unresolved ... is how
often Islanders games will be broadcast next season" on
Cablevision-operated Fox Sports Net NY, according to Tarik
El-Bashir of the N.Y. TIMES. Cablevision paid "almost" $14M
to the Isles for TV rights last season, but "chose not to
broadcast several games" due to scheduling conflicts with
the Devils and Nets. But Isles co-Owners Howard Milstein
and Steven Gluckstern want every game shown and "may be
seeking assurance from Cablevision that their team will not
be shut out of FSNY before they send Palffy" to the
Cablevision-owned Rangers (N.Y. TIMES, 6/15).
FOLLOWING ALONG THE BLURRED LINES: In N.Y., Richard
Sandomir writes that the "possible holdup to completing the
rare trade between local rivals speaks to the power of
Cablevision." Noting the company's relationship with the
Yankees, Mets, Devils, Nets, Rangers, Islanders and Knicks,
Sandomir writes, "These relationships place Cablevision in
the position of doing business with sports-field enemies, an
increasingly common situation when news-media companies own
teams and television outlets" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/15). In N.Y.,
Sherry Ross writes that despite Cablevision owning the TV
rights to both the Rangers and Isles, the NHL "does not
perceive this as a conflict of interest, even though
television is one of the most important marketing tools a
sports team can have" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/15).
HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN SPORTS: In N.Y., Jay
Greenberg writes that "the toughest job in hockey is to be
an Islander season-ticket salesman" (N.Y. POST, 6/15).
