Cablevision's Newspaper confirms via Msg, who issued a brief statement so in this instance we can allow source game, because the fact's are confirmed.
NYIFC Comments:
Everyone who appears on an Islander, Devil or Ranger broadcast is an Msg employee.
If Msg decides Sam Rosen is out, and wants Mike Emrick, he calls Ranger games or is out of a job.
Very disappointing day because Mr Jaffe was such a positive with his energy, personality, and he did connect with many of the fans. No doubt he will be quickly hired elsewhere, given his work on Versus/NHL Network, and missed by New York Islander fans.
I don't know what happened behind the scenes, but we all know who regulates all aspects of New York Islander coverage and perception, and who all the people covering games are paid employees of.
It's up to you to decide for yourself who is accountable for this decision.
We are all more than familiar, with coverage double-standards, or what happened to staff members/editors, who decided to print information about Cablevision's teams that reflected anything negative, which former Newsday employee Wallace Matthews, made very clear months ago.
Msg's track record is a mile long with questionable/poor decisions regarding the New York Islanders, but this is about holding down ratings/perception.
From the games taken off television a decade ago, to the club hidden from primary network as often as possible, Metro Guide playoff games, the Metro Ice Challenge fiasco a few years ago over fifty thousand dollars, the pre-game pulled for the first month a few years ago, virtually no summer programming, Msg-Ranger centric coverage some years for Coliseum games, Joe Micheletti's departure to Cablevision's hockey team a few years ago.
The past is a mile-long Msg is not the Islander partner in any decisions, even the final post-game was pulled off live television during an interview in April, on Time Warner outlets.
This is the same network that did not care to go live for Ilya Kovalchuk's press conference when most of North America/New York/New Jersey hockey fans would have tuned in, and would have been good for local hockey. The legendary stories of why Marv Albert was fired from the Knicks speak for themselves.
If some folks want to put this on the New York Islanders, there is nothing I can do about it.
All I can do is point out the long-track record.
There is nothing our team can do in response as long as they are paid until 2030 for broadcast, as Devils/Sabres are also, especially given this is the same outlet reporting on LightHouse coverage.
As for those reporting the story, most are Cablevision employees and need their job, many others now need Msg to make a living, and cannot be critical for fear of losing access, and will be self-muted.
Finally, if you really believe the Islanders wanted Billy Jaffe out and had any control of who Msg hires, you can bet Scott Gordon would have asked management to find someone to replace Rob Carlin, or a more professional road post game interview process involving entire media.
These are my thoughts on this decision, you have to make up your own mind.
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