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

[Alilou]

I hope I'm not doing the wrong thing here, but want to share a bit of possibly hopeful news. I follow an Ice Dance group on FB. Someone there contacted the ISU re broadcasting in Europe. This is the reply (it was posted on FB 6 hours go so I think we can take it as recent news)

Hello, the ISU is currently working on a TV broadcasting agreement which will make figure skating more accessible for all fans globally. This means we are not partnering with Eurosport anymore, but do not worry, we will still be broadcasting figure skating live. Please be patient, we will make a public announcement as soon as negotiations have been finished in all territories.
BR, the ISU Media Team

I hope "territories" includes non-European countries like Canada!

Sorry I can't provide a link. It's just s'thing I read in a closed FB group.

 

[ostile17]

Apparently this is what the ISU replied to someone who wrote to them:

" Hello, it is true that Eurosport will not broadcast figure skating because we are trying to make figure skating more accessible to everyone. There will be an announcement very soon about the new broadcasting, as soon as the negotiations are finished in all territories, and we are sure you will not be disappointed... "

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[Alilou]

Apparently this is what the ISU replied to someone who wrote to them:

" Hello, it is true that Eurosport will not broadcast figure skating because we are trying to make figure skating more accessible to everyone. There will be an announcement very soon about the new broadcasting, as soon as the negotiations are finished in all territories, and we are sure you will not be disappointed... "

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It says it's not available

 

[ostile17]

It says it's not available

Yup sorry, it's a closed FB group, like yours. Probably the same source.

 

[Japanfan]

Hello, the ISU is currently working on a TV broadcasting agreement which will make figure skating more accessible for all fans globally. This means we are not partnering with Eurosport anymore, but do not worry, we will still be broadcasting figure skating live. Please be patient, we will make a public announcement as soon as negotiations have been finished in all territories.
BR, the ISU Media Team

I hope "territories" includes non-European countries like Canada!

Well, it does say 'for all fans globally'. But I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet, so I don't get disappointed.

 

[Japanfan]

So if you combine networks with less money with a sport which is niche and potentially an organising body wanting too much money for the rights - then you get this situation. It might just not be worth the $$ for the networks.

That may be, but it will/could hurt the sport, and ultimately will/could hurt the ISU. Fans who can watch on TV are able to follow the sport, and may attend events live or pay for coverage when that's an option, which is $$ for the sport and for the FSU. Kids may be inspired to try out FS after seeing it during the Olympics.

When I started watching 20 years ago TV provided me with a critical education about FS.

Maybe that's all changing due to availability of live stream?

 

[skatingguy]

That may be, but it will/could hurt the sport, and ultimately will/could hurt the ISU. Fans who can watch on TV are able to follow the sport, and may attend events live or pay for coverage when that's an option, which is $$ for the sport and for the FSU. Kids may be inspired to try out FS after seeing it during the Olympics.

When I started watching 20 years ago TV provided me with a critical education about FS.

Maybe that's all changing due to availability of live stream?

But at this point the only ISU event that will be streamed in Canada is Skate Canada International.

 

[Skate Talker]

But at this point the only ISU event that will be streamed in Canada is Skate Canada International.

Because CTV/TSN is host broadcaster - although when I look at the early information available on the Skate Canada website they are only showing a schedule for streaming of the practice sessions so far.

 

[MacMadame]

Maybe that's all changing due to availability of live stream?

It's definitely changing.

I would say that five to 10 years from now, skating will all be streamed and we'll get our skating that way and not think anything of it. But it seems a bit premature to go there today.

 

[Frau Muller]

...ISU replied to someone who wrote to them:
" Hello, it is true that Eurosport will not broadcast figure skating because we are trying to make figure skating more accessible to everyone...

What was so “inaccessible” about Eurosport before? Turn on the TV and it was there!

 

[skatingguy]

Because CTV/TSN is host broadcaster - although when I look at the early information available on the Skate Canada website they are only showing a schedule for streaming of the practice sessions so far.

If you look under broadcast schedule - https://skatecanada.ca/2019-skate-canada-international/ - it shows the event on CTV/TSN, as you mentioned, and TSN will stream the event on its service. TSN's schedule on their website only goes out to Oct 18, so we'll have to wait to see more information in another week or so.

 

[Alilou]

Posted just now on the closed FB group I belong to:

Latest from isu
Dear . . . . .
We are finalizing our agreements with Broadcasters world wide. Fans are our main concern and we are negotiating for everyone to have the best access possible. You will be able to watch the Grand Prix but until final contracts are signed we can't announce anything. Please bare in mind this is not just down to the ISU but also broadcasters around the globe so it has taken more time this season.
Thank you for understanding.

 

[luckiest1]

Well that sounds hopeful.....fingers crossed!

 

[allezfred]

What was so “inaccessible” about Eurosport before? Turn on the TV and it was there!

Given that you don't live in Europe - Eurosport had the rights to the Grand Prix these past few seasons, but not all of the events were broadcast live on TV. You had to have an extra subscription to Eurosport Player to stream the events.

Many sports are moving away from the TV broadcast model. The World Athletics Championships that ended last week had a free live stream for those of us living in countries where it wasn't being shown on TV. Perhaps the ISU will stream the Grand Prixs via YouTube like they do for the Junior Grand Prixs?

 

[Elka]

Eurosport Player was cheap compared with what they have done to Northern Europe. I am afraid that is what ISU thinks is best access possible. It is about 5 times a month what Eurosport Player would cost. And yet they have no idea what they are going to show and when.

 

[ostile17]

Well that sounds hopeful.....fingers crossed!

Does it? To me it smells of more money to be forked out to watch the sport.
Hopefully I'm just being pessimistic!

 

[Frau Muller]

Given that you don't live in Europe - Eurosport had the rights to the Grand Prix these past few seasons, but not all of the events were broadcast live on TV. You had to have an extra subscription to Eurosport Player to stream the events.

Many sports are moving away from the TV broadcast model. The World Athletics Championships that ended last week had a free live stream for those of us living in countries where it wasn't being shown on TV. Perhaps the ISU will stream the Grand Prixs via YouTube like they do for the Junior Grand Prixs?

I AM IN EUROPE TIL DECEMBER (ha) and have worked in Europe on & off for the past 35 years.
For example, I remember checking into a hotel in Paris in Jan 2001, turning on the set and seeing Euros ladies SPs, beginning with the very first skater ...how wonderful it was, compared to US crappy coverage back then.
This year I’m screwed unless Herr Muller, back home, remembers to program the DVR.

 

[allezfred]

I AM IN EUROPE TIL DECEMBER (ha) and have worked in Europe on & off for the past 35 years.
For example, I remember checking into a hotel in Paris in Jan 2001, turning on the set and seeing Euros ladies SPs, beginning with the very first skater ...how wonderful it was, compared to US crappy coverage back then.
This year I’m screwed unless Herr Muller, back home, remembers to program the DVR.

Eurosport haven’t broadcast on TV the first skater in a ladies SP in a long time so you clearly haven’t been tuning in too much lately.

And my original point about you not being domiciled in Europe still stands.....

 

[MacMadame]

Does it? To me it smells of more money to be forked out to watch the sport.
Hopefully I'm just being pessimistic!

All I smell is that they are making deals with many small companies instead of fewer deals with a few bigger companies.

What that means in terms of the cost to the fans is up in the air.

 

[Elka]

What that means in terms of the cost to the fans is up in the air.

In Finland it means, compared to Eurosport player, a 328% increase in the cost. Compared to YLE Areena, which was free, it is 720 euros in 4 years.

 

[MacMadame]

Doesn't that depend on what the options are that ISU offers?

 

[Colonel Green]

Perhaps the ISU will stream the Grand Prixs via YouTube like they do for the Junior Grand Prixs?

The problem there, at least for people not watching live, is all the copyright strikes that you get (often for incidental music playing during warmups, etc., not even the actual performances). Unless/until the ISU gets some sort of immunity from those, moving the entire Grand Prix onto YouTube really doesn't make sense. It would be a lot more logical to have their own video site.

 

[Lara]

And most people simply can’t watch everything live so agree it’s a major issue with YouTube. There’s been individual JGP videos that have been blocked too.

 

[misskarne]

Wait, what does this mean for the Eurovision player?

 

[Sally1214]

Posted just now on the closed FB group I belong to:

Latest from isu
Dear . . . . .
We are finalizing our agreements with Broadcasters world wide. Fans are our main concern and we are negotiating for everyone to have the best access possible. You will be able to watch the Grand Prix but until final contracts are signed we can't announce anything. Please bare in mind this is not just down to the ISU but also broadcasters around the globe so it has taken more time this season.
Thank you for understanding.

Sure hope they can work out something that works for skating fans in Canada. The "best access possible" scares me. If they are charging way to much for rights, CBC will not be picking it up and there goes CBC Sports Player and my chance to see figure skating for the next 4 years! We don't have an ice channel we can subscribe to in Canada and our sports channel package includes lots of channels, none of which carry figure skating, with the exception of TSN which partners with CTV for coverage of Skate Canada ONLY. I'm trying to maintain some optimism for some last minute deal with CBC but it's looking grim. ☹

 

[Orm Irian]

Wait, what does this mean for the Eurovision player?

At the moment, nobody knows, unfortunately.

 

[Elka]

Doesn't that depend on what the options are that ISU offers?

Was that related to my post? In case it was I just add that ISU signed the deal with Infront and Infront sold the exclusive Nordic media rights to NENT group. The prices I indicated are those of the NENT group. See post #2 on previous page. They plan also show something on their free channel, but since they do not know yet what they will be showing on their Pay-channels and figure skating is not even mentioned on their web site I have not very high hopes. They show all possible football and hockey games played everywhere in the world and expect those who only want to watch figure skating to pay the same monthly fees as people having 24/7 coverage of their sport of interest.

 

[misskarne]

At the moment, nobody knows, unfortunately.

Have we heard anything from SBS? I might try and get in contact with them. Quite apart from not wanting to miss Jason, I don't want to miss Katia and Harley, either!

 

[Japanfan]

We don't have an ice channel we can subscribe to in Canada and our sports channel package includes lots of channels, none of which carry figure skating, with the exception of TSN which partners with CTV for coverage of Skate Canada ONLY. I'm trying to maintain some optimism for some last minute deal with CBC but it's looking grim. ☹

CTV/TSN also broadcasts Nationals. But who knows what will happen with the network's contract ends?

 

[ostile17]

Given that you don't live in Europe - Eurosport had the rights to the Grand Prix these past few seasons, but not all of the events were broadcast live on TV. You had to have an extra subscription to Eurosport Player to stream the events.

Many sports are moving away from the TV broadcast model. The World Athletics Championships that ended last week had a free live stream for those of us living in countries where it wasn't being shown on TV. Perhaps the ISU will stream the Grand Prixs via YouTube like they do for the Junior Grand Prixs?

At the moment, nobody knows, unfortunately.

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