2012-13 Skatebuzz Season Ticket - subscription required starting with Challenge

[Sylvia]

We knew this was inevitable, right?

Subscription details: http://skatecanada.ca/en-us/eventsre...sonticket.aspx

Skatebuzz live streaming schedule: http://skatecanada.ca/tabid/21858/la...A/Default.aspx

[cameron]

Thanks for positing this. Do you - or does anyone - know if this is available outside Canada, specifically for US based viewers? Thanks.

[Sylvia]

According to the Live Streaming FAQ: http://skatecanada.ca/tabid/21856/la...A/Default.aspx

Are there any events blacked out in my viewing area?

To honour agreements with our broadcast partners, there may be instances where an event will be available in Canada only. Currently, there are no blackouts scheduled for the 2012-13 season.

[cameron]

thank you!

[Spazactaz]

Blahhhhhhh. So basically, deciding if I want to pay $20 just to watch Challenge, lol.

[hohoho]

This really sucks. Skatebuzz was always a way you could watch the developing talent at sectionals and challenge as well as some summer competitions. It was a way that parents, grandparents, and friends who could not get to a competition could watch. I think by adding the subscription that their numbers will drop for viewers. Very bad call on Skatebuzz.

[AJ Skatefan]

Hmmm, makes Ice Network seem like a bargain....

[euterpe]

Apparently you have to be a Skate Canada member to subscribe, since the login ID is a Skate Canada membership number. I guess that means no viewing outside Canada.

[lavenderblue]

Apparently you have to be a Skate Canada member to subscribe. I guess that means no viewing outside Canada.

It doesn't sound like that from the FAQ?

I am a Skate Canada Member. Am I eligible for a discount?

Not for this season. The Skatebuzz Season Ticket is a low, one-time payment of $19.95 for all subscribers.

Are there any events blacked out in my viewing area?

To honour agreements with our broadcast partners, there may be instances where an event will be available in Canada only. Currently, there are no blackouts scheduled for the 2012-13 season.

[puglover]

So - somebody please correct me if I have this wrong - but the way I read it is - to subscribe I need a Skate Canada membership number. I was a member years ago but as my children who skated are all grown I no longer do. I think that means I need to join a skating club in my area and pay the membership dues through them. Is that correct or am I way off base?

[Sylvia]

Has anyone tried to subscribe to/pay online for SkateTV?
https://members.skatecanada.ca/membe....cfm?strLang=E
Clicking on the 3rd option (bolded by me below) brings up an online form to fill out.

For MEDIA accreditation, click here.
To VOLUNTEER at an event, click here.
To Subscribe for SkateTV, click here.

[geoskate]

I subscribed, and I'm not a Skate Canada member.

They've clarified the wording on the form now. At Sylvia's suggestion, I clicked on the third option. That takes you to a second menu where you are asked if you are a Skate Canada member. If you're not (like me), you're probably taken to a different form than a member would be, where you fill out address information, email information etc. that a member would already have on file. The form asks for country (Canada, U.S. or other), so it looks like it will not be geoblocked in general.

It might be $20 wasted, but I not only wanted to see Challenge but also the novice and junior events at nationals. It looks like this is the only option for that. In addition, if last year is any indication they might be showing the lower-ranked senior skaters that CBC may not show.

From their FAQs it sounds like the competitions will also be archived for at least a month, which is useful since I won't have time to watch the entire competition live.

It's not actually clear to me how to log in to the competition (or am I just missing it?). Probably once the competition starts another live link will open somewhere.

[puglover]

Thanks so much for all the info - I was able to follow your directions geoskate and sign up without being a member of Skate Canada.

[hohoho]

Hopefully SC website or Skatebuzz website give a more direct link to the login screen. Seemed to be going around in circles.

[overedge]

Last year IIRC Skate Canada charged $20 for an all-day pass to watch Adult Nationals. So now people can pay $19.95 to watch an entire season of events online? Excellent for people who can't be at the event, but I wonder how this might affect live attendance.

[lavenderblue]

Would it really have a more negative impact than showing those events for free did over the past few years?

[overedge]

Would it really have a more negative impact than showing those events for free did over the past few years?

Well, it seems to me that if an event costs $20 to get into - especially when most people don't want an all-day pass, they just want to come and see their friend/relative's event - and you can watch it online for less than $20 in the comfort and warmth of your own home, the online option is going to be a lot more attractive.

Many of the events that were streamed online for free had free admission anyway, so the online streaming probably didn't hurt their attendance all that much.

[Japanfan]

I looked at the schedule and saw that Worlds was listed on it, then had a momentary delusion that led me to post: According to the schedule, there will be stream of Worlds.

Then I checked again and read:

Actual competition will not be live streamed but will be broadcast by broadcast partner (CBC).

Way to go, CBC. I'll return to looking forward to seeing hardly any of the event via a Canadian media source.

People would pay $19.95 you know, happily, if they actually got to see some of the skating CBC/BOLD is no longer able to cover.

[geoskate]

Repeating a post from another thread, but maybe someone in this thread has a suggestion:

Does anyone know how to access the archived coverage? I can't find any links for this. I have paid for a subscription, but there doesn't seem to be a link anywhere in the promotional material.

Normally I would go to the Skatebuzz Ustream site, where you can select the Challenge option (drop-down menu on the side), but when you click on it you get a message that says something like 'This pro broadcaster has chosen to remove thie channel from the Ustream.tv site'. I don't know where else to look for the archives, since there doesn't seem to be any place to login on the actual Skatebuzz website.

Thanks for any help.

[Sylvia]

From the FAQ: http://skatecanada.ca/tabid/21856/la...A/Default.aspx

When will I be able to access the on-demand archives?

Most events will be archived within 24 hours following completion of the event unless otherwise noted. On-demand archives will be available for a minimum one (1) month after the event is completed.