UniSports announces GP Series Coverage

[TanithandBenFan]

Universal Sports, NBC, and IN Coverage

Universal Sports, the TV channel, will broadcast more than 34 hours of coverage of the GP events. UniversalSports.com will charge $14.95 for coverage of the GP events. IceNetwork will also broadcast all the GP events live and on-demand as part of their annual subscription (price not listed yet). NBC is showing two hours every Sunday of the GP events like they did last year.

[RD]

Link: http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story...046&type=media

Relevant excerpt:

2010 ISU Grand Prix Series Schedule on NBC Sports
(all times ET, check your local listings for times in your area)

Sunday, Oct. 31 - NHK Trophy (Japan) - 4-6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 6 - Skate Canada International - 4-6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 14 - Skate America - 4-6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 21 - Rostelecom Cup (Russia) - 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 28 - Trophee Eric Bompard (France) - 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 12 - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (China) - 12-2 p.m.

A detailed broadcast schedule for Universal Sports will be released at a later date.

NBC Sports and Universal Sports will both televise the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and Universal Sports will have coverage of the 2011 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, which take place March 21-27 in Nagano, Japan.

[Yukari Lepisto]

So is Universal Sports online coverage same as Ice Network's online coverage?

[HisWeirness]

I have to say that this is probably the best possible arrangement, given how the ISU rights have been assigned. I correctly thought that there would be the subscription option from Universal Sports, but I thought that icenetwork would only have Skate America, not all of the events.

I'll probably renew my icenetwork subscription because my computer does not support the version of Silverlight needed to watch Universal Sports content.

My TV/Online schedule (linked to in my signature) includes the NBC schedule posted as part of the press release.

As I read the press release, Universal Sports will live-stream NHK, SC, COC, ROST, TEB and GP Final. (No Skate America streaming)
Icenetwork will live-stream NHK, SC, COC, SA, ROST, TEB and GP Final.

[Yukari Lepisto]

Who is right?

from Ice Network press release

UniversalSports.com will offer live and on-demand coverage of six Grand Prix events (excluding the Cup of China and including Skate America) for a one-time subscription fee of $14.95

from Univ. Sports press release

UniversalSports.com will offer live and on-demand coverage of six Grand Prix events (including the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - China and excluding Skate America) for a one-time subscription fee of $14.95

[Yukari Lepisto]

apparently there is no coverage of 4CC or Euro Championship for Americans.

[nerdycool]

As I read the press release, Universal Sports will live-stream NHK, SC, COC, ROST, TEB and GP Final. (No Skate America streaming)

Actually, US.com won't be streaming CoC, but will be streaming SA. I wonder what the reason is? Perhaps an agreement with IN to not show one of the GP so that IN subscriptions won't plummet? Something about this makes me think that IN will soon be overtaken.

And along the lines of online access, I noticed that US.com is offering to show complete coverage of the world gymnastics championships online for $14.95. It made me wonder if they were thinking of doing the same for World's for figure skating... which would be awesome because complete World's coverage is harder to come by here in the US.

[Jenna]

US offered complete coverage last year and the year before for free.

[Yukari Lepisto]

Actually, US.com won't be streaming CoC, but will be streaming SA. I wonder what the reason is? Perhaps an agreement with IN to not show one of the GP so that IN subscriptions won't plummet? Something about this makes me think that IN will soon be overtaken.

And along the lines of online access, I noticed that US.com is offering to show complete coverage of the world gymnastics championships online for $14.95. It made me wonder if they were thinking of doing the same for World's for figure skating... which would be awesome because complete World's coverage is harder to come by here in the US.

That was either misinformation/typo from Ice Network press release.
US.com will stream all GPs (except Skate America). And they will also stream GP finals.

[HisWeirness]

apparently there is no coverage of 4CC or Euro Championship for Americans.

There was no live online coverage from universalsports.com (the ISU online rights-holder) for 2010 Euros or 4CCs either. Universal Sports TV showed a few hours of these two competitions several weeks after they had concluded.

I hope that universalsports.com decides to offer live streaming of Euros and 4CCs for a fee (or not ) this season, but I would not be surprised if they did not offer streaming.

Actually, US.com won't be streaming CoC, but will be streaming SA. I wonder what the reason is? Perhaps an agreement with IN to not show one of the GP so that IN subscriptions won't plummet? Something about this makes me think that IN will soon be overtaken.

And along the lines of online access, I noticed that US.com is offering to show complete coverage of the world gymnastics championships online for $14.95. It made me wonder if they were thinking of doing the same for World's for figure skating... which would be awesome because complete World's coverage is harder to come by here in the US.

NBC TV (and possibly Universal Sports TV) is not showing Cup of China. Icenetwork.com and universalsports.com are showing Cup of China.

USFSA (and in turn, icenetwork.com) own the exclusive online and TV rights to Skate America. Like last season, it appears that they have made a deal with NBC Sports/Universal Sports to show Skate America on television on the NBC and Universal Sports TV channels.
icenetwork.com retains the sole rights to the online streaming for Skate America.

US offered complete coverage last year and the year before for free.

Starting this summer universalsports.com seemed to have changed their online sports streaming strategy. Now most higher-profile sports events/series require a paid subscription (usually between $9.95 and $19.95).

For clarity from the USFSA press release (with my interpretations noted):

NBC Television
two hours each of the following events:
NHK Trophy (shown 1 week after event)
Skate Canada (shown 1 week after event)
Skate America (probably live)
Rostelecom Cup (same weekend)
Trophee Eric Bompard (same weekend)
Grand Prix Final (held in China) (same weekend)
NO Cup of China

Universal Sports TV
press release states that "five events" will be shown, plus re-broadcasts of all NBC TV coverage. Probably the same events as NBC.
34+ hours (total) of the following events:
NHK Trophy
Skate Canada
Skate America (probably live)
Rostelecom Cup
Trophee Eric Bompard
Grand Prix Final (held in China)
(I realize there are six events here, not sure if the "five events" is a typo or not. It makes sense that UniSports TV would show the same six events NBC has committed to broadcast)
NO Cup of China?

Universalsports.com (online streaming, price $14.95)
90+ hours of live streaming "every session of every event":
NHK Trophy
Skate Canada
Cup of China
Rostelecom Cup
Trophee Eric Bompard
Grand Prix Final (held in China)
NO Skate America

icenetwork.com (online streaming, price TBA)
90+ hours of live streaming "every session of every event":
NHK Trophy
Skate Canada
Cup of China
Skate America
Rostelecom Cup
Trophee Eric Bompard
Grand Prix Final (held in China)
All 7 Events Shown

[Jenna]

*sigh*

Well, it was good while it lasted.

So, both Ice Network and Universal Sports are live streaming the Grand Prix Series? I'm just going to use Ice Network. No use in me paying an extra $14.95, even if the coverage is a tiny bit better.

[Garden Kitty]

Starting this summer universalsports.com seemed to have changed their online sports streaming strategy. Now most higher-profile sports events/series require a paid subscription (usually between $9.95 and $14.95).

They did this with their cycling coverage too. They offered extensive coverage of the Giro and Vuelta on tv, but also had online, on demand coverage that you could watch whenever you wanted and that was also commercial free.

[skatesindreams]

It looks as though I'll be renewing my Ice Network subscription.
I'll be keeping Universal's online coverage, "under advisement".

Despite much lobbying, I can't get Universal Sports in my area.

[RD]

Ok, I think I get it now.

NBC will be showing NHK and SC on a 1-week tape-delay. SC will be shown the weekend that COC is going on. Then SA will be shown live, and the events after that (COR, TEB, GPF) get tape-delayed, but same-weekend coverage.

[Alexei'sgirl]

What's the reason for the chacking of Cup of China? That's actually one I really want to see. Good thing I'll be keeping my icenetwork.com subscription I guess.

[HisWeirness]

What's the reason for the chacking of Cup of China?

I don't know. All I know is that last year NBC also did not show Cup of China, but Universal Sports TV did broadcast 8 hours of coverage, compared to the 6-7 hours USTV televised of the other GP events (so, instead of 8 hours of coverage split between USTV and NBC, USTV showed all 8 hours).

RD, thanks for mentioning NBC's broadcast delay for NHK and SC. I've noted this in my previous post.

[Polymer Bob]

I have had mixed results with IceNetwork. Sometimes the streaming is good, sometimes I get a black screen.

[Debbie S]

Just got an e-mail about Ice Network renewal. They conveniently wait until the end of the e-mail to tell you the (new) price - "only" $39.95. That would be a $10 increase over last year.

Looks like same coverage as last year - Nats, GP series, JN, Synchro Nats, Adult Nats. Also Regionals and Sectionals, and "feature skating programs" - presumably that means backstage bits from the Disson shows.

They also tout "improved video quality" - say streaming rates "up to" 1 Mbps will be offered.

[Jenna]

*Sigh* that the cost went up, but I will certainly be returning.

For the amount of coverage, though, I don't think that price is outrageous. A down economy effects everyone.

[Lanie]

So, will GP coverage be on Universal Sports or just on NBC television-wise? I'm so lost.