Sad news - SNY no longer has tv coverage after 2024-25 season (merged)

[EricLA]

I'm ambivalent about it. The thing I care most about is being able to watch the games. SNY was a pain in the neck to get to for folks outside Connecticut. Because I'm in California, I was unable to add the "east coast" sports package to add stations like SNY and NESN so I had to rely on watching replays from the youtube channel.

For me, anything that is more national coverage will be much easier. Honestly, because of my tv package, i was never able to see the Geno show or anything else. Perhaps it could be done as a podcase by an up and coming UConn sports journalist or something.

 

[DEpup]

As one who lives outside SNY territory, I'm interested to see how it plays out.

 

[GoUconn7961]

The SNY network shot itself in the foot when they couldn't negotiate with YouTubeTV. Plus in order to get their app you have to have cable. They did not move with the times. And, in SNY's case it's not just about UConn, they cover the Mets and other NY based sports team. They made themselves hard to access.

 

[meyers7]

The SNY network shot itself in the foot when they couldn't negotiate with YouTubeTV. Plus in order to get their app you have to have cable. They did not move with the times. And, in SNY's case it's not just about UConn, they cover the Mets and other NY based sports team. They made themselves hard to access.

Agree. Not having access to SNY has made it real hard to watch games. I'm glad we are moving on from them. Should be much easier to watch the games.

 

[fireford]

I have enjoyed the SNY coverage and am a little sad about this but similar to when I watch the men's team I'll watch whatever network carries them and will have to get used to no pre and post-game coverage for the women.

One thing about the new network deal is that some of the games will be on Peacock and possibly other streaming networks that I don't already have and don't plan on adding anymore just for a few games so will also have to get used to missing a few games a year as well as a result.

Also if UConn can eventually get a seat at the P4 table they would have probably had to say goodbye to the SNY deal at some point anyway.

 

[Centerstream]

I guess I should be happy that I have been streaming my tv for quite a few years now. I have been able to watch every SNY broadcast via the Fox app, using different streaming devices. The only UConn games that I have missed are the holiday tournaments on FloSports.
I am hoping that come next season, this doesn't change as I already am subscribed to Peacock and MAX, along with the other networks available on Hulu Live.

 

[MSGRET]

I'll take this over SNY any day. If some of the games end up on streaming networks, I'll either miss it or watch if it happens to get posted on YouTube later on.

 

[JoePgh]

Who is going to pay for announcers, camera crews, and their travel for every single Big East Conference game? Is NBC, Fox, or TNT going to consider it cost-effective to pay these expenses for every game, including UConn - Seton Hall, not to mention Seton Hall - Xavier? It's hard for me to see how the streaming revenue from games like this will cover the cost of production, even if the networks assume that some small number of fans will subscribe to their streaming services only because these games are available.

I think it is more likely that these national networks will have a first right of refusal on all Big East Conference games, and that if they are not interested in some of the games (because they cannot recover production costs), then hopefully those games will become available to others who can make a profit from advertising in local markets (either regular TV broadcast or streaming).

If the national networks get to cherry-pick the games that they want to broadcast or stream, but prevent other potential broadcasters from picking up the games that they leave by the wayside, then I don't think all games will be streamed -- although it is more likely that all UConn games will be available.

 

[JoePgh]

To amplify what I said in the previous post, the press release contains the following statement:

"The deal will include 65 regular season games per season and all BIG EAST Tournament games."

By my rough calculations, there are about 100 Big East Conference games played every year, not counting the BE Tournament. So a deal that covers 65 games only includes about two thirds of the games that are played. I am guessing that these national networks get the first choice about which games they wish to broadcast or stream, so they will determine which 65 games are in scope and which 35 games are out of scope.

If the other 35 games are outside the scope of the deal, does that mean that anyone who wants to broadcast them or stream them can do so? That would certainly provide an opening for SNY, unless it turns out that all 18 UConn games are among the 65 that are included in this new deal. That seems unlikely.

But it certainly seems clear that ALL Big East WBB conference games will not be streamed or broadcast under the scope of this deal.

 

[Centerstream]

To amplify what I said in the previous post, the press release contains the following statement:

"The deal will include 65 regular season games per season and all BIG EAST Tournament games."

By my rough calculations, there are about 100 Big East Conference games played every year, not counting the BE Tournament. So a deal that covers 65 games only includes about two thirds of the games that are played. I am guessing that these national networks get the first choice about which games they wish to broadcast or stream, so they will determine which 65 games are in scope and which 35 games are out of scope.

Is the 65 all games or only WBB games?

 

[hoopsfan22]

I could see a local CT station picking up the home games not covered by a national network since UConn has already confirmed SNY is out after next season as a result of this new deal.

 

[JoePgh]

Is the 65 all games or only WBB games?

Assuming that the email that I received from "The Next" can be trusted, they are talking about 65 women's basketball games. Here is the fuller quotation from The Next (note, not from the press release itself):

"BIG EAST women’s basketball coverage will massively grow under this new arrangement. The media rights deal triples BIG EAST women's basketball coverage compared to its current agreement with FOX. The deal will include 65 regular season games per season and all BIG EAST Tournament games."

I could see a local CT station picking up the home games not covered by a national network since UConn has already confirmed SNY is out after next season as a result of this new deal.

That's certainly possible, but there is no reason why SNY itself can't bid for these games if it wishes to do so. I think that the UConn announcement referred to SNY's previous arrangement, which ends after next season, but does not necessarily close the door to some smaller SNY deal for a lesser number of games.

 

[Inthepaint]

Agree 100% with what you wrote except all UCONN women basketball games will be telecast by Fox, NBC, or TNT. Some will be streamed. Hope you have a fat wallet if you want to watch all UCONN women basketball games starting in 2025-26. Back to listening to their games on free radio if you live in Conn. or paying for internet broadcasts when living out of state.

 

[Linart]

What I'll miss most about having the games on cable was my ability to record them. I would start watching the recording about 30-45 minutes after the start of the game. Then I would fast forward through all the commercials. I'm sure a lot of other people did this too. You couldn't go on Chat though.

 

[maple]

The nice thing about SNY is that they actually put effort into the production end of things. As someone who has watched way too much lower tier basketball on ESPN+, it’s usually the bare minimum and looks cheap (because it often is). I just want whoever picks up whatever’s left of UConn’s games actually makes it worthwhile.

 

[maple]

Agree 100% with what you wrote except all UCONN women basketball games will be telecast by Fox, NBC, or TNT. Some will be streamed. Hope you have a fat wallet if you want to watch all UCONN women basketball games starting in 2025-26. Back to listening to their games on free radio if you live in Conn. or paying for internet broadcasts when living out of state.

There’s still the Varsity app where you can listen to the game on the radio for free, don’t need to be local. I believe it’s the same for the UConn app (or at least used to be).

The Audacity app might be an option as well, though I’ve never tried it for UConn games. Right now I use it to listen to Yankees games when I’m traveling for work — beats paying MLB for crappy service.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The nice thing about SNY is that they actually put effort into the production end of things. As someone who has watched way too much lower tier basketball on ESPN+, it’s usually the bare minimum and looks cheap (because it often is). I just want whoever picks up whatever’s left of UConn’s games actually makes it worthwhile.

Yeah they were a big part of the media coverage that we got beyond just games. They supplied a lot of the practice footage for example and followed the team on excursions outside of Storrs and covered senior day. They did the Geno Show and the all-access shows. We're not going to get that anymore if SNY is ultimately cut out of the picture.

 

[Smp7598]

Agree 100% with what you wrote except all UCONN women basketball games will be telecast by Fox, NBC, or TNT. Some will be streamed. Hope you have a fat wallet if you want to watch all UCONN women basketball games starting in 2025-26. Back to listening to their games on free radio if you live in Conn. or paying for internet broadcasts when living out of state.

Not true! Fox ,NBC and TNT basic cable probably pay the same as SNY and Peacock $20 a year. Doesnt sound like a fat wallet too me!

 

[skidroe]

This in Sunday's upcoming Don Amore's Hartford Courant sports column:

UConn women and Big East TV deal​

The six-year, $480 million deal the Big East signed with Fox, NBC and TNT will spell the eventual end for UConn women’s basketball on SNY, the New York cable station that has televised games since 2012. Nothing will change this year.

“UConn womens games will no longer be on SNY beginning with the 2025-26 season,” according to a UConn statement. “All games will instead air through one of the Big East partner networks. More information will be available at a later date.”

I am crushed! I live in Los Angeles and when I discovered a few years ago that I could get SNY through a sports pak on Direct TV, I was in heaven. Getting to see every game in the season, even the non-competitive conference games? For a Husky junkie, what could be better. And now this?! Do you think Fox, NBC, etc will be showing St John's at UConn in mid February? I don't think so. So disappointing. Like others have said, it's the money, not the diehard fan, that wins out.

 

[Centerstream]

Not true! Fox ,NBC and TNT basic cable probably pay the same as SNY and Peacock $20 a year. Doesnt sound like a fat wallet too me!

Fans may also need to subscribe to MAX, which is the premium streaming service for TNT.
Just as Peacock is the premium streaming service for NBC.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Fans may also need to subscribe to MAX, which is the premium streaming service for TNT.
Just as Peacock is the premium streaming service for NBC.

It's going to be like trying to watch your favorite baseball team. You need to have ESPN for the handful of Sunday night games, whatever your local RSN is that carries the bulk of the games NESN/YES or MLB.tv, Fox for Saturday night games, Apple TV for Friday night games, Prime for the games they pick up, and Peacock for the random Saturday afternoon games. The streaming world was supposed to make things better and cheaper, but it has done the opposite.

 

[CL82]

I am crushed! I live in Los Angeles and when I discovered a few years ago that I could get SNY through a sports pak on Direct TV, I was in heaven. Getting to see every game in the season, even the non-competitive conference games? For a Husky junkie, what could be better. And now this?! Do you think Fox, NBC, etc will be showing St John's at UConn in mid February? I don't think so. So disappointing. Like others have said, it's the money, not the diehard fan, that wins out.

I think if there were excess games they would have sold them to SNY. They haven't. That leads me to believe everything will be aired somewhere. It probably means that we will all have to subscribe to Peacock though.

 

[Henry]

Does everyone realize this new TV contract doesn't start til the 2025-26 season? We will still have SNY this year. Enjoy it while we still have it.

 

[Smp7598]

Fans may also need to subscribe to MAX, which is the premium streaming service for TNT.
Just as Peacock is the premium streaming service for NBC.

max is going to cover the games that are on the tnt network,so no!