U. S. Nationals 2012 - Viewing Options

[A.H.Black]

Quote:
SUNDAY, JANUARY 15
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
IMPROV-ICE STARRING STYX (tape)
Commentators: Brian Boitano, Peggy Fleming
Site: Bi-Lo Center, Greenville, SC

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
US FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (live)
Commentators: Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, Tracy Wilson, Andrea Joyce
Site: San Jose, CA

9 p.m. – 11 p.m.
US FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (live)
Commentators: Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, Tracy Wilson, Andrea Joyce
Site: San Jose, CA

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
US FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (live)
Commentators: Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, Tracy Wilson, Andrea Joyce
Site: San Jose, CA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
US FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (tape) (exhibition/skating spectacular)
Commentators: Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, Tracy Wilson, Andrea Joyce
Site: San Jose, CA

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
PANDORA UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS OF LOVE ON ICE (tape)
Commentators: Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan
Site: Kent, WA
Source: http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/s...5683143228.xml

HisWeirness was kind enough to post the current schedule for upcoming Nationals. I thought it deserved a thread of its own.

Here are a few thoughts.

- NBC has the rights to Nationals; not Universal (please correct me if I'm wrong).

- There is no Nationals schedule listed for Universal Sports in the NBC link provided above. That link does list other sports on Universal.

- In checking the Universal Sports site, there is no schedule for Nationals (or any other upcoming skating event).

Given the current situation with Universal Sports - not available for most viewers. Given that there is now a station called NBC Sports (the old Versus). I wonder if there is just a chance that we might see some of Nationals on NBC Sports.

I realize that NBC Sports is supposed to cover a lot of hockey and other not-skating-type sports. However, we don't know what changes will be made in the coming months to the NBC Sports schedule preceding the London Olympics. I think that NBC will want to make as much money as they can on Nationals. If nothing else, I can envision having repeats of the NBC network broadcasts on NBC Sports.

It's just speculation, I know, but I can hope.

I will leave the streaming options - Icenetwork etc. for others to post.

[AJ Skatefan]

NBC has the rights to Nationals. I think Ice Network shows the parts of Nationals that aren't shown on tv, then adds the rest later, after the tv broadcast. I highly doubt that NBC Sports will show any of Nationals, but you never know. I'd love to be wrong about that.

[HisWeirness]

- NBC has the rights to Nationals; not Universal (please correct me if I'm wrong).

- There is no Nationals schedule listed for Universal Sports in the NBC link provided above. That link does list other sports on Universal.

- In checking the Universal Sports site, there is no schedule for Nationals (or any other upcoming skating event).

Given the current situation with Universal Sports - not available for most viewers. Given that there is now a station called NBC Sports (the old Versus). I wonder if there is just a chance that we might see some of Nationals on NBC Sports.

1. The last 2-3 seasons or so, both NBC and Universal Sports TV have shown US Nationals, so I assume they both have rights to show it on TV this year (2012). Previously Universal Sports TV has shown SPs (in 2010, but they only showed repeats last year (2011)), for example, while NBC has shown Free Skates/Free Dances live.

2. The schedule posted each week by NBC Sports typically includes 4-6 weeks worth of NBC Sports programming but only the next 7-10 days worth of Universal Sports programming.

3. It is still too early, from my experience, for the Universal Sports TV schedule to be posted on their website. So, it is still uncertain at this point what content from Nationals Universal Sports TV will be showing, if any. I highly doubt the network formerly known as Versus will be showing any US Nationals coverage.

Online coverage of Nationals will be only on icenetwork.com.

Hope this helps.

[A.H.Black]

1. The last 2-3 seasons or so, both NBC and Universal Sports TV have shown US Nationals, so I assume they both have rights to show it on TV this year (2012). Previously Universal Sports TV has shown SPs (in 2010, but they only showed repeats last year (2011)), for example, while NBC has shown Free Skates/Free Dances live.

Online coverage of Nationals will be only on icenetwork.com.

Thanks for the input and the information about the Universal schedule. I remember how the coverage has worked for the last 2-3 years. I think Universal's access to Nationals has come from NBC since they are both part of the same network family. I'm pretty sure the rights are with NBC.

For example: I found this in one of the Nationals press releases from 2010 -

For the second year in a row, Universal Sports will cover the action from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships as part of a multiyear agreement between NBC Sports and U.S. Figure Skating.

I think that's the way it works. I think you're right that NBC Sports probably won't show Nationals on the new network. I'm just hoping out loud.

[HisWeirness]

Icenetwork.com has posted their live streaming schedule:

All times Eastern.

Sunday, Jan. 22
1:00 p.m. - Novice pattern dance
4:00 p.m. - Novice ladies short program
5:45 p.m. - Novice men's short program
7:25 p.m. - Novice pairs short program
10:30 p.m. - Junior men's short program

Monday, Jan. 23
1:30 p.m. - Novice free dance
3:30 p.m. - Novice ladies free skate
6:45 p.m. - Novice men's free skate
8:45 p.m. - Novice pairs free skate
11:45 p.m. - Junior ladies short program

Tuesday, Jan. 24
5:30 p.m. - Junior pairs short program
9:10 p.m. - Junior short dance
11:00 p.m. - Junior men's free skate

Wednesday, Jan. 25
4:00 p.m. - Junior free dance
6:30 p.m. - Junior pairs free skate
12:00 a.m. (Midnight) - Junior ladies free skate

Thursday, Jan. 26
7:00 p.m. - Senior pairs short program
10:30 p.m. - Senior ladies short program

Friday, Jan. 27
5:30 p.m. - Senior short dance
10:30 p.m. - Senior men's short program

Saturday, Jan. 28
3:00 p.m. - Senior free dance (Group 1)
4:00 p.m. - Senior free dance (Groups 2-3)* (this portion of the event will be shown on your local NBC affiliate and be available on icenetwork.com on-demand)
7:00 p.m. - Ladies free skate (Groups 1-2)
9:00 p.m. - Ladies free skate (Groups 3-4)* (this portion of the event will be shown on your local NBC affiliate and be available on icenetwork.com on-demand)
11:30 p.m. - Senior pairs free skate (Groups 1-2)

Sunday, Jan. 29
12:30 p.m. - Senior men's free skate (Groups 1-2)
2:30 p.m. - Senior pairs free skate (Group 3)
3:00 p.m. - Senior pairs free skate (Group 4)* (this portion of the event will be shown on your local NBC affiliate and be available on icenetwork.com on-demand)
4:00 p.m. - Senior men's free skate (Groups 3-4)* (this portion of the event will be shown on your local NBC affiliate and be available on icenetwork.com on-demand)

*Please note, all events with an asterisk will be shown on your local NBC affiliate and be available on icenetwork.com on-demand only starting Tuesday, Jan. 31 at Noon ET.

Schedule is subject to change. Please check back for updates.

This schedule also indicates exactly what groups NBC is planning on showing live. Hope this year that as few skaters as possible wind up being invisible (no icenetwork.com or NBC live coverage) to those @ home.

[HisWeirness]

Icenetwork has updated their schedule with the following items:

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

The 2012 U.S. Hall of Fame induction ceremony of Michelle Kwan will take place during the ladies free skate [Saturday evening] and be streamed live for Season Pass subscribers.

There will also be a program streamed live on icenetwork called "ICE Desk Live"

Hughes and Weir will share hosting duties of ICE Desk Live with Peter Carruthers and Tonia Kwiatkowski. Featured guests at the ICE Desk will range from past champions to Hall of Fame inductees.

ICE Desk Live is free to all icenetwork.com registered users. Viewing times as follows:

Friday, Jan. 27: 10:15 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. prior to men's short program

Friday, Jan. 27: 12:40 a.m. - 12:50 a.m. post men's short program

Saturday, Jan. 28: 11:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m. post ladies free skate

Sunday, Jan. 29: 6:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. post men's free skate

**All Times Eastern

In addition, Hughes and Navarro will serve as sideline reporters conducting interviews and filing backstage reports. Weir will offer color commentary during the men's event at 2012 U.S. Championships.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

ETA: More information on Nationals coverage:

NBC will provide seven hours of live, high-definition coverage of senior-level events, including two hours in primetime. In total, NBC will air nine hours of skating, which includes the two-hour Smucker's Skating Spectacular, airing from 2-4 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Championships will be carried in more than 127 countries and be available to nearly 300 million homes worldwide.

NBC's broadcast team of Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Scott Hamilton (analyst), Sandra Bezic (analyst), Tracy Wilson (analyst) and Andrea Joyce (reporter) will call the action from HP Pavilion.

In addition to NBC's coverage, live and on-demand broadcast coverage will be available to Season Pass subscribers on icenetwork.com. The icenetwork.com team, led by Mike Mancuso, features former Olympic, World and U.S. competitors. Returning to the broadcast booth are Tonia Kwiatkowski, a three-time U.S. medalist, and Peter Carruthers, the 1984 Olympic silver medalist. Joining the broadcast team in San Jose are Sarah Hughes, the 2002 Olympic champion and Kim Navarro, a two-time U.S. medalist. Johnny Weir, an Olympic and World competitor who announced today his intent to return to competitive figure skating for the 2012-13 season, will also work on the announce team.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...e_pressrelease

There is no mention of Universal Sports TV coverage of US Nationals in this press release, which leads me to doubt that Universal Sports will show any of the events.

[Skittl1321]

I hate that icenetwork has to blackout when NBC shows nationals. I can't get NBC on my TV and I seriously doubt I could go to a bar to watch like my husband does when his sports are on NBC...

[A.H.Black]

The Championships will be carried in more than 127 countries and be available to nearly 300 million homes worldwide.

I find this quote confusing too. Does it mean NBC online might be available to viewers outside the U.S.? The only other possibility I can think of is that the NBC coverage might be available on the ISU network - but that doesn't seem possible.

[Simone411]

Thanks, HisWeirness. I received an e-mail a couple of days ago with the updated live streaming schedule. Nothing has changed so far with the updated schedule that you posted.

[aka_gerbil]

I hate that icenetwork has to blackout when NBC shows nationals. I can't get NBC on my TV and I seriously doubt I could go to a bar to watch like my husband does when his sports are on NBC...

I do get NBC, but our affiliate will show college basketball instead during the afternoon broadcasts. *sigh*

[Carolla5501]

I hate that icenetwork has to blackout when NBC shows nationals. I can't get NBC on my TV and I seriously doubt I could go to a bar to watch like my husband does when his sports are on NBC...

You might be surprised. Some friends and I once watched Worlds at a bar in Nashville. We just asked the manager if the TV near us could show that and he changed the channel. (Helped that there weren't many people there and no "big games" but....

[rfisher]

Going to be some late night viewing for us on EST.

[Coco]

I hate that icenetwork has to blackout when NBC shows nationals. I can't get NBC on my TV and I seriously doubt I could go to a bar to watch like my husband does when his sports are on NBC...

There's always a conveniently timed trip to Best Buy or some other store that sells TVs, lol. Also, lots of gyms have individual TVs on their cardio machines. Maybe a guest pass?

(Obviously I've had to be creative before - HA! Boyfriend refuses to stop talking throughout skating, and while I can handle that sometimes, (yeah that he watches!), during the Olympic long programs, I decided it best to not expose him to my intense watching.)

[crzesk8dad]

I find this quote confusing too. Does it mean NBC online might be available to viewers outside the U.S.? The only other possibility I can think of is that the NBC coverage might be available on the ISU network - but that doesn't seem possible.

Other networks around the world pick up the feed from IceNetwork and show it. Last year one of the Japanese networks showed all the Senior events in their entirety.

[Pikachuusb]

You might be surprised. Some friends and I once watched Worlds at a bar in Nashville. We just asked the manager if the TV near us could show that and he changed the channel. (Helped that there weren't many people there and no "big games" but....

my family did the same. We were at ESPN Zone eating and had them change the tvs near us to watch Worlds.

Im sure the waiter was all in the kitchen about us. LOL

My family is soo into skating. Had you heard/seen us in the bar youd have thought we were watching football

[acraven]

The Universal Sports web site is beginning to show US Nationals programs on its schedule. So far they seem to be reruns of NBC broadcasts.
http://www.universalsports.com/tv-li...=FS/index.html

[Iceman]

I hate that icenetwork has to blackout when NBC shows nationals. I can't get NBC on my TV and I seriously doubt I could go to a bar to watch like my husband does when his sports are on NBC...

I don't know. I live in a very small town and during, I believe it was one of the world competitions, I passed a Mexican restaurant and lo and behold worlds was on their tv. Obviously, I had a very casual and long Mexican meal that day as I did not have access to the programming on my tv. You might call around. Sure, you'll get a few WHAT'S?!!!, but maybe you'll luck out like I did.
What we put ourselves through to be a fan of skating.

[CzechGuy]

I find this quote confusing too. Does it mean NBC online might be available to viewers outside the U.S.? The only other possibility I can think of is that the NBC coverage might be available on the ISU network - but that doesn't seem possible.

Last Year I watched US Nationals in Germany online. I think it was a NBC coverage. I hope somebody will post here the live streaming schedule of NBC. Thanks.

[semogal]

Last year some kind soul posted a link to an NBC affiliate that streamed the broadcast and so I was able to watch live. I have my fingers crossed that someone will find a link again this year because my affiliate will be showing basketball.

[HisWeirness]

The quality is not great, but I found these NBC streams so far:
http://www.phstream.com/2010/09/watc...ve-stream.html
http://livetvcafe.net/video/8XBK9SMHGS9U/NBC