The DISH Network dispute with Fox Sports Southwest is dragging into the NHL's regular season (and will be affecting NBA pre-season if it hasn't already) which starts tomorrow. This means if you have DISH Network you will NOT be able to watch the Stars take on the Devils this Friday at 6:00pm CDT in the season opener.

The Stars official web site weighed in on the situation last night detailing the other options you have and all the good things about the broadcasts (all 82 in HD...you've got to love that).

Something that caught my eye was this...

FOX Sports Southwest (and FX and Nat Geo) is offered by a number of other local distributors in our area (AT&T U-verse, Charter Cable, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FIOS). Every Stars game broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest and FOX Sports Southwest-Plus will be available on each of these carriers.

Some of us (me included) had problems with the FSN+ situation last season. Verizon FiOS in particular did not carry it and the number of FSN+ games this season has risen to 12.

I contacted the Stars to make certain and they said the following: They have been told by FOX that Verizon has "purchased the equipment necessary to carry FSN+". So with Center Ice, NHL Network HD, Versus HD and FSN+, Verizon seems just as good a choice as Directv when it comes to watching hockey.

We'll have the FSN+ channel listings later when they get that all sorted out. The first FSN+ game isn't until November 12th.