There appears to be "no chance for a settlement" in the coming days in the MSG/Time Warner Cable feud, but Buffalo's WGRZ-NBC has "worked out a deal with MSG to carry the Lightning-Sabres game Saturday, according to Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE. As an NBC affiliate, WHEC in Rochester "will also carry the game." WGRZ GM Joe Toellner said, "This is the No. 1-rated hockey market in the country. We’re excited about it." While there is an agreement only for one game, Toellner said that it is "possible more will air on the NBC affiliates." Oklobzija reported when the MSG/TWC dispute began, WGRZ officials called the Sabres and "let them know they’d be interested in carrying a game or games, if MSG would allow it." Within the past week or so, MSG officials "phoned WGRZ and the negotiation to air games began." The station will "simply pick up the MSG broadcast, but WGRZ’s sports staff will do its own half-hour pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m.," which will also air in Rochester. The MSG postgame show will be "televised until 10 p.m." MSG gave the stations the "right to sell a few of their own advertising spots during the game," and they will also "sell the pre-game show." Oklobzija noted to carry the Sabres, the NBC affiliates "must pre-empt network programming," and networks "usually don’t like that, but Saturday is mostly a repeat night on NBC" (DEMOCRATANDCHRONICLE.com, 2/6).
