US Nationals TV Schedule

[Cyn]

Ice Network is showing the entire event, except for what is being shown live on NBC television this weekend.

It is NBC/Universal that has curtailed its coverage.

I understand that. It's NBC/Universal Sports with who I am pissed.

As for IceNetwork, to me it is not financially worth spending $30 to watch skating online for just a couple of days/one competition.

In past years, the short programs (at least for Mens and Ladies) have always been shown, both on NBC and ABC. Why they decided to act as though they don't exist is ridiculous.

Would they show only the second half of the Superbowl or the chack the first four games of the World Series? Of course not. Hell, USA Network (owned by NBC) is airing every friggin' round of the Australian Open.

Interesting that the rep from Universal Sports who kept us abreast last season has conveniently disappeared . An explanation and an apology would have been nice.

[Frau Muller]

The very recent buy-out of NBC/UnivSports/other affiliates by Comcast must have brought about the changes. Too bad. We had a really great run of skating with UnivSports for a few years. I'm afraid that Comcast is more of a "for the masses" -- read that "profit" -- concern, so I would not be surprised if Olympic-type sports disappear from UnivSports in the coming days and we see NASCAR and wrestling in their place. Hope I'm wrong but the winds of profit are blowin' in. It's not just Keith Olberman that's gone.

[aliceanne]

I suspect that USFSA is the one that limited the U.S. Nationals coverage on Universal Sports because they don't want them competing with Icenetwork.

I get emails from USFSA every other day promoting Icenetwork subscriptions. I also notice competition results on the USFSA homepage link to Icenetwork's webpage, so they probably have a financial deal with them.

[Frau Muller]

I suspect that USFSA is the one that limited the U.S. Nationals coverage on Universal Sports because they don't want them competing with Icenetwork.

I get emails from USFSA every other day promoting Icenetwork subscriptions. I also notice competition results on the USFSA homepage link to Icenetwork's webpage, so they probably have a financial deal with them.

But limiting audiences to a little computer screen would knock-out a huge segment of the interested public. Not everybody owns a computer with internet access. Two different market groups - those who prefer skating on the big screen and those who don't mind hunching over a computer.

Why ignore the marketing group that prefers the TV experience, if they can't afford to be in Greensboro in person?

[aliceanne]

But limiting audiences to a little computer screen would knock-out a huge segment of the interested public. Not everybody owns a computer with internet access. Two different market groups - those who prefer skating on the big screen and those who don't mind hunching over a computer.

Why ignore the marketing group that prefers the TV experience, if they can't afford to be in Greensboro in person?

I don't know for a fact, I'm just speculating. It doesn't make sense for Universal Sports not to cover it either. The purpose of the channel is to cover Olympic Sports and this is a premier Olympic sport. They are still showing GP Events repeatedly, so why wouldn't they want to cover this?

From what I understand Icenetwork covers skating at every level around the world (regionals, sectionals etc.). Maybe Icenetwork's survival is more important to USFSA than Universal Sports?

[RD]

Ice Network's streaming schedule: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

Of particular interest to many people:

This seems to be new. I'm glad IN will at least show us live the skaters that won't make it to TV instead of locking us out of it.

Still, the one thing that sucks about the Nationals coverage being on a broadcast network is dealing with the local stations breaking into coverage or pre-empting it completely.

[RD]

In past years, the short programs (at least for Mens and Ladies) have always been shown, both on NBC and ABC. Why they decided to act as though they don't exist is ridiculous.

According to the schedule the SPs of Ladies and Mens WILL be shown. it's the Pairs SP and short dance that will not be on (and IIRC this was always the case)

[SpeedySucks]

I suspect that USFSA is the one that limited the U.S. Nationals coverage on Universal Sports because they don't want them competing with Icenetwork.

My guess is that it's NBC's decision not to broadcast the SPs on Universal Sports. It's very expensive to broadcast all of the live coverage like they did last year. We get full coverage for Skate America because NBC has to produce the world feed, so it's not that expensive for them to show the coverage on Universal Sports. NBC will tape the SPs from the top 5-6 men and ladies, but it's too expensive to do any more than that.

[John 3 17]

-Bridget

[caseyedwards]

I don't there will be a short program as good as Sasha Cohen's was last year. I watch that sometimes if I want to see really good skating. So if there was a really good skate I would miss not being able to watch it again. Unless it is on Youtube which I don't think is likely as american performances from 2010 are not there.

[RD]

Strange...I was wondering why some of the skaters were promoting the HECK out of the icenetwork coverage on Twitter, almost as if they were paid to do so...anyway, looks like that's the only way to get live coverage of anything other than the top 6 freeskates in each discipline.

Not that it mattered that much to me personally since I don't get the channel anyway.

[shsocu]

Here is a link to watch the NBC coverage live from the East Coast
http://www.tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=2185

[Skate Talker]

That one even works for me here in central Canada. Too bad it isn't universal sports because I already get NBC from my cable provider, both eastern and western time zones, both SD and HD.

[neptune]

We've got nice links posted here for all the coverage, but does anyone know of a link for the entries (Senior)? I can't find one anywhere.

[stjeaskategym]

My guess is that it's NBC's decision not to broadcast the SPs on Universal Sports. It's very expensive to broadcast all of the live coverage like they did last year. We get full coverage for Skate America because NBC has to produce the world feed, so it's not that expensive for them to show the coverage on Universal Sports. NBC will tape the SPs from the top 5-6 men and ladies, but it's too expensive to do any more than that.

I think Universal Sports televised every single Ladies and Mens short program last season. They only showed a couple Pairs and maybe some Original Dances, but it was better than nothing. The year before, there were hours and hours of SP coverage televised on Universal Sports as well. Some of it was tape delayed by a few hours and commentary free... I remember loving how much coverage there was.

I wonder what has changed this year?

[Frau Muller]

I think Universal Sports televised every single Ladies and Mens short program last season. ....I wonder what has changed this year?

Every Sr Lady SP was shown and many men (not all).

What changed:

(a) NBC/Universal was just bought-out by Comcast (read that = Profit$ Uber Alles)

(b) This is not an Olympic season

(c) No big-name skater -- like Cohen last year -- is competing.

There's still a small chance that live SPs coverage on UnivSports will be announced. It doesn't begin 'til tomorrow (Srs-level SPs) and there are nice big "TBD" gaps in my on-screen Comcast guide for the exact times tomorrow when SPs are happening in Greensboro. Since hubby and I will be in Greensboro for the sr events, a neighbor-friend will be on the look-out for us, ready to record if the schedule changes. I still have a small hunch that something will pop-up for tomorrow/Friday senior events....but not as much hope as I had before the big Comcast buy-out announcement last week.

[Cyn]

I think Universal Sports televised every single Ladies and Mens short program last season. They only showed a couple Pairs and maybe some Original Dances, but it was better than nothing. The year before, there were hours and hours of SP coverage televised on Universal Sports as well. Some of it was tape delayed by a few hours and commentary free... I remember loving how much coverage there was.

I wonder what has changed this year?

Last year, US broadcast the final two groups in the OD live.

What's changed, in addition to the Comcast buyout, is the deal between USFS and IceNetwork. Giving sole airing rights to IN via pay-per-view (at 30 bucks a pop ) drives business to their site, which in turn drives $$$ to USFS.

[John 3 17]

Last year, US broadcast the final two groups in the OD live.

What's changed, in addition to the Comcast buyout, is the deal between USFS and IceNetwork. Giving sole airing rights to IN via pay-per-view (at 30 bucks a pop ) drives business to their site, which in turn drives $$$ to USFS.

Or in my case, just drives me AWAY. Between this and the ridiculous, ludicrous jacket display all season in the k&c, I'm beginning to really dislike USFS...

-Bridget

[RD]

Maybe IN was operating at a loss, and they figured having exclusive rights to US Nats is one way to turn things around...?

[gkelly]

Giving sole airing rights to IN via pay-per-view (at 30 bucks a pop ) drives business to their site, which in turn drives $$$ to USFS.

It's not 30 bucks a pop (competition) -- it's 30 bucks for the whole year.

Now, if you're only interested in one competition a year, it's not a very good deal.

But if you want to see regionals and sectionals and the various internationals that they cover as well as Nationals, then it is a good deal.

Assuming you can actually watch the coverage whenever you want. It was great for me last year.

This year they're using a faster transmission rate and my home DSL can't handle it, so I really only get value for the $30 when I watch from my office computer. If that will still be the same case next year, then I won't renew.