Aiming to keep pace in the high-definition programming race, cableco RCN Corp. today announced that SportsNet New York (SNY) is now available in HD.
Given the high value of sports programming, RCN is but one of countless service providers who have, or are rushing to, provide live content in HD, which plays well with climbing sales of HD TVs.
SNY is a regional sports network that features regular season New York Mets baseball games, pre- and post-game shows and related programs. It showcases New York Jets-related NFL programming, including exclusive in-season and offseason programming. It also broadcasts Big East and Big Ten conference college basketball and football.
The channel telecasts "SportsNite," its signature nightly sports news show and features other classic sports and event programming, and exclusive interview and magazine programs.
In New York, sports TV competition is tough as Cablevision Systems Corp.’s owns Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. Programming for this sports content is already in HD.
RCN provides service in Boston, New York, eastern Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. It recently sold its operations in the San Francisco Bay area.
Should RCN attempt to introduce a sports channel in its Boston market, it would be up against huge competition from Comcast, which just shelled out $570 million to buy Cablevision’s stakes in two FSN regional sports networks, including FSN New England.
RCN Corp. www.rcn.com
