ISU signs deal with Infront; Will EuroSport & CBC still cover ISU events this season?

[Braulio]

Well is almost a week to the event and the Eurovision ISU sports website does not show anything about upcoming skating events

They used to announce the live streaming with a week to go

 

[Orm Irian]

Meanwhile, I'm on my second attempt at trying to get an answer out of SBS On Demand as to whether they'll be streaming the GP and championships again. Given Eurosport player isn't even available to start with here, what it is or isn't showing is 100% irrelevant to me personally.

 

[misskarne]

Actually ISU confirmed that Eurosport and therefor Eurosposrt Player will NO LONGER broadcast figure skating.

But I'm talking about the Eurovision player, not the Eurosport player. You know, the free stream.

 

[Orm Irian]

But I'm talking about the Eurovision player, not the Eurosport player. You know, the free stream.

Like I said, nobody knows. There hasn't been any news about it, and while the page is still up on the ISU website, there's nothing on there about Skate America (which is only a week away) and for some reason the header image of the Figure Skating page is showing speed skaters...

ETA: I just had a response from SBS On Demand: "Thanks for getting in touch. We might be streaming some upcoming events but unfortunately there's nothing confirmed just yet. I'd suggest checking back in with us in another week or so, and hopefully we can give you some better news ".

Well, at least they're still negotiating, I guess?

 

[nuge]

Well is almost a week to the event and the Eurovision ISU sports website does not show anything about upcoming skating events

They used to announce the live streaming with a week to go

Yep I've been through all the days and there's nothing

 

[ostile17]

SKAM starts one week from today. How long will they keep us waiting???

 

[misskarne]

ETA: I just had a response from SBS On Demand: "Thanks for getting in touch. We might be streaming some upcoming events but unfortunately there's nothing confirmed just yet. I'd suggest checking back in with us in another week or so, and hopefully we can give you some better news ".

Well, at least they're still negotiating, I guess?

Please tell me they're aware that not only is Skate America in less than a week but that Katia and Harley will be there.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Right now, my only option to watch Skate America is to fork out the $70+ AUD for NBC Sports Gold and restart my paid VPN subscription. Lunacy.

 

[Braulio]

Please tell me they're aware that not only is Skate America in less than a week but that Katia and Harley will be there.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Right now, my only option to watch Skate America is to fork out the $70+ AUD for NBC Sports Gold and restart my paid VPN subscription. Lunacy.

Or you can pay the VPN and watch through the russian website Channel 1 that will have the Grand Prix this season

 

[misskarne]

Or you can pay the VPN and watch through the russian website Channel 1 that will have the Grand Prix this season

Ooh, I could do that.

 

[skatfan]

Or you can pay the VPN and watch through the russian website Channel 1 that will have the Grand Prix this season

Totally agree. I’ve been able to watch almost anything I want with a VPN.

 

[Orm Irian]

Please tell me they're aware that not only is Skate America in less than a week but that Katia and Harley will be there.

Well, I very much doubt that the random customer service person who messaged me knows. As to what the channel's negotiators might or might not know or care about, I really can't say, but it's hardly their fault that the ISU decided to switch partnerships and delayed the start of negotiations to air events, after all.

 

[Japanfan]

This is absolutely ridiculous. Right now, my only option to watch Skate America is to fork out the $70+ AUD for NBC Sports Gold and restart my paid VPN subscription. Lunacy.

At least you've got that option. We don't have it in Canada. I'd gladly fork out $70.00 (about $100 CDN) if I could see skating on TV.

 

[Alilou]

NVM

 

[Sally1214]

At least you've got that option. We don't have it in Canada. I'd gladly fork out $70.00 (about $100 CDN) if I could see skating on TV.

Me too.

 

[Braulio]

Guys IF (as we have to wait) those in Canada end up not having a way (via CBC or something) I am sure there will be some alternative streams (thanks to russian folks) or even you will have the option (not expensive) of buying a VPN service so you could connect to the russian Channel 1 website that have said will stream the entire Grand Prix.

 

[Japanfan]

Guys IF (as we have to wait) those in Canada end up not having a way (via CBC or something) I am sure there will be some alternative streams (thanks to russian folks) or even you will have the option (not expensive) of buying a VPN service so you could connect to the russian Channel 1 website that have said will stream the entire Grand Prix.

I've no doubt there will be stream. But I enjoy watching skating on the bigger TV screen, and generally appreciate commentary. Also, as I think I previously mentioned, Mr. Japanfan and I have enjoyed watching together for many years. We prepare our dinner and have wine or beer on hand, and it's like a 'date night'.

I very much doubt that Mr. Japanfan will watch stream with me on the computer. In which case, I'll miss our skating dates.

 

[MsZem]

I'm not concerned about the ability of people here to watch; skating fans can always find streams. I'm concerned that going to a streaming-only (and paid at that) model will kill the visibility of figure skating.

Back when I started watching skating, Eurosport regularly showed Euros and Worlds, and one day I just stumbled onto 1999 Euros and stuck around. Obviously there are way more options now, but skating on TV is still more accessible and findable to many people. If the only way one can find skating is by actively looking for it, it'll be hard to attract new viewers; this is not bingeable Netflix content. To me, what the ISU appears to be doing is sacrificing the long-term (and medium-term) health of the sport for a short-term gain.

I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

[MIREILLE]

Of course I'm willing to pay for watching the full season, as long as it's reasonable. I was happy with Eurosport Player and especially the On Demand button. And for a fair price. Now we are still uncertain what is going to happen and Skate America is less than a week........

 

[Desperado]

I've no doubt there will be stream. But I enjoy watching skating on the bigger TV screen, and generally appreciate commentary. Also, as I think I previously mentioned, Mr. Japanfan and I have enjoyed watching together for many years. We prepare our dinner and have wine or beer on hand, and it's like a 'date night'.

I very much doubt that Mr. Japanfan will watch stream with me on the computer. In which case, I'll miss our skating dates.

I hook my laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable for better viewing. Not ideal, but still better than a laptop monitor.

 

[SLIVER]

I hook my laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable for better viewing. Not ideal, but still better than a laptop monitor.

Doesn’t that distort the speed a little. The ice coverage seems amazing from everyone when you do that, even if they’re crawling.

 

[Skate Talker]

Doesn’t that distort the speed a little. The ice coverage seems amazing from everyone when you do that, even if they’re crawling.

I think that's really going to depend on your set up, Internet connection, tv and laptop. I'm the only one watching in my household so mostly find the smaller, sharper picture up close to be preferable to the big screen.

 

[Alilou]

I also use an HDMI cable - for watching everything on TV (cable is not hooked up ) and it doesn't distort anything. What I see on the TV screen is what I see on my laptop.

 

[quartz]

I’m currently watching soccer on TSN2, and they just had a commercial showing upcoming events - there was a real quick shot of Piper and Paul and the voiceover mentioned Skate Canada.
So, there’s that, at least.

 

[MacMadame]

I've no doubt there will be stream. But I enjoy watching skating on the bigger TV screen, and generally appreciate commentary.

There should be ways to cast a stream to your tv. It might take a bit of technical know-how if your tv is older though.

 

[Japanfan]

There should be ways to cast a stream to your tv. It might take a bit of technical know-how if your tv is older though.

I've done it. I just prefer edited television coverage with commentary, though when only final flights are shown, I may watch the second flight on stream.

 

[Shogun]

I live in Norway and I just checked the channels owned by NENT for next weekend. Viasport3 shows "Day 1" of Skate America 22.00 Saturday night, scheduled for four hours. Not too bad...? -I assume they show more skating the following night, but I cannot verify that just yet. Where I live, the Viasport channels are free in the standard tv package, hopefully that is true for a lot of viewers in the Nordic countries.

 

[ivagall]

So it looks that in my area CT sport got the rights for GP series, from Skam they plan to air men SP+LP, women LP. From Skate Canada men, women and pairs LP. Very poor coverage even compared to what Eurosport aired in past years, if this is the "better access to figure skating" that ISU had in mind, than no thank you.

 

[Elka]

Where I live, the Viasport channels are free in the standard tv package, hopefully that is true for a lot of viewers in the Nordic countries.

Not free in Finland.

 

[miffy]

Can anyone provide a link to the Russian Channel 1 please? I will buy a VPN service, I have used Windscribe before and it was fine.
I assume on Channel 1 you can only watch live? I loved Eurosport player as you could also watch later.

 

[skoppa]

Not free in Finland.

And not an option in Iceland, I at least could subscribe to eurosport player when they had skating there