NBC Network Olympics Coverage

Tony Wheeler said:
That would be why he said final group :)
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Terry should have told viewers “Stay with NBCSN after the re-icing, to see Group 3.” He never did. I stayed with NBCSN because I had a hunch that they’d be coming back for Group 3.
 
Here's another tool to use. When I post the starting order and schedule link, you can get a pdf of the starting order and times. The times are exact and they do stick to them. They come from the skating people and organizing people and not from the media. As you are watching, you will be able to tell more clearly what is likely to happen.

Watching Olympics takes some planning. Figure skating fans have always been up to the challenge. After all, we were among the rare people who could program our VCRs. Good luck.
 
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Frau Muller said:
Right. But Susan alluded above to the switch happening at 10pm, which was not correct. Folks just have to stay awake and watch the show, not program to record it and expect everything to be perfect. I drink strong espresso after dinner so that I be alert.
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I didn't allude that "the switch" happened at 10 p.m. *I* stopped watching at 10 when it looked like they were just going to show hockey, which did happen another time.

I can drink Dr. Pepper all day and not stay awake. I record practically everything I want to watch at 10:00 just in case. Before the O's, one night I started falling asleep around 9:30, got up and brushed my teeth and went to bed and didn't go to sleep till after 12:30 a.m.

Tony Wheeler said:
That would be why he said final group
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I don't remember him saying anything. I don't sit with my ear to the t.v. speaker for further information without moving or making any noise, just in case they say something. If I heard anything, it might have registered as final groupS or final skaters.
 
NBC seems to be trying very, very hard to get TV-watching fs fans to switch from NBCSN to NBC. Notice when they split the screens to remind viewers what’s going on at NBC...as if die/hard fs fans care for snowboarding or whatever. This may be what’s behind the little deception going on and why Terry Gannon did not tip-off viewers to stick around to see Gp 3 last night...but got the unsuspecting to switch to NBC before the zamboni break. Remember: it’s all about the viewership on NBC, where ads are much more expensive than they are on the cable channels.

Advice from a long-time recorder (sans ads) of Olympic skating off US television: do not pre-program. Stay awake. Record as it happens and be ready for last-minute changes. Have your finger on the Pause button, to not capture ads or fluff. This began with 1980 Lake Placid with one of the first Betamaxes sold in my town...all now transferred to DVD. First my parents, now my husband, know that the world stops for 16 Days every four years for me to go into Skate Recording Maniac mode!
 
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A.H.Black said:
Here's another tool to use. When I post the starting order and schedule link, you can get a pdf of the starting order and times. The times are exact and they do stick to them. The come from the skating people and organizing people and not from the media. As you are watching, you will be able to tell more clearly what is likely to happen.

Watching Olympics takes some planning. Figure skating fans have always been up to the challenge. After all, we were among the rare people who could program our VCRs. Good luck.
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Thanks. Four years ago, all I did was watch it all live every day on one channel! I didn't have to watch any of the O's in the evening. If they are going to make skaters skate at 10 a.m. so they can show it on prime time, they should make it easier to watch.

VCRs! When Nationals used to be on ABC and the short programs were on ESPN in the evening, I used to program the skating for the night, take the tape out in the morning and replace it with the tape which was already set to tape All My Children every day, come home and watch whichever thing I could, then make sure the skating tape was in and set vcr again. Now you just bring up the screen and hit record (and change the ending settings).

p.s. Gosh, which comp was it my vcr died and I flew over to my parents' house to borrow theirs. I was driving too fast and got STOPPED by a cop. When I explained that I had to get home and set the vcr before the men's program started he let me go with a warning. I could have been speeding away from stealing someone's vcr. I guess I looked like a figure skating fan. LOL.
 
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Wasn't there an Olys along time ago that offered subscriptions to various sports?

NBC viewership is way down so whatever they are doing isn't working for them.

I would love to know the proportional relationship between actual sport coverage v listening to two guys talking in a living room v commercials. It is way out of wack.
 
Susan1 said:
Thanks. Four years ago, all I did was watch it all live every day on one channel! I didn't have to watch any of the O's in the evening. If they are going to make skaters skate at 10 a.m. so they can show it on prime time, they should make it easier to watch.

VCRs! When Nationals used to be on ABC and the short programs were on ESPN in the evening, I used to program the skating for the night, take the tape out in the morning and replace it with the tape which was already set to tape All My Children every day, come home and watch whichever thing I could, then make sure the skating tape was in and set vcr again. Now you just bring up the screen and hit record (and change the ending settings).

p.s. Gosh, which comp was it my vcr died and I flew over to my parents' house to borrow theirs. I was driving too fast and got STOPPED by a cop. When I explained that I had to get home and set the vcr before the men's program started he let me go with a warning. I could have been speeding away from stealing someone's vcr. I guess I looked like a figure skating fan. LOL.
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I’m sure that it drove NBC nuts when, in 2014, skating fans watched the great live NBCSN coverage (Tara & Johnny) and avoided the crappy prime time coverage on NBC (Scott & Sandra...although I love Scott and am happy that he still has a role this year). Viewership of prime time went down, so prices for advertising went down. It’s all about the profit$.
 
What I don't get is NBC owns so many freaking channels, why don't they designate channels for prime sports and show the entire event for the die hard fans, then just do recaps of top people on Prime Time for those who want to just watch "The Olympics", which is frankly the majority of viewers. They own NBCSN, USA, Bravo, CNBC, hell they could even use MSNBC. How about NBCSN shows all skating; CNBC shows all hockey games and curling, USA shows all skiing events, Bravo shows all sled events, MSNBC shows all X Games events, blah blah blah. Let the athletes actually compete at normal competition times for their own sports (instead of 10a start time for skating!), even its its 3a-8a for us North 'mericans, just run it Live on the designated channel (cause we'll all record it anyway if its the middle of the night), then piece together a segment for Prime Time (like they did for gymnastics at 2016), and so the home country people can actually attend events on their own time schedule. In 2014 when they ran the entire skating event Live from 10a-3p EST, did it really affect Prime Time ratings "that" much? I don't think it did. Most North 'mericans were at work during the day, just us die hards who burned vacation time sat at home and watched the whole thing. :lol: I don't know about y'all, but I still watched the Prime Time coverage. Anyway .... rant over. Continue thread. :P
 
BaileyCatts said:
What I don't get is NBC owns so many freaking channels, why don't they designate channels for prime sports and show the entire event for the die hard fans, then just do recaps of top people on Prime Time for those who want to just watch "The Olympics", which is frankly the majority of viewers. They own NBCSN, USA, Bravo, CNBC, hell they could even use MSNBC. How about NBCSN shows all skating; CNBC shows all hockey games and curling, USA shows all skiing events, Bravo shows all sled events, MSNBC shows all X Games events, blah blah blah. Let the athletes actually compete at normal competition times for their own sports (instead of 10a start time for skating!), even its its 3a-8a for us North 'mericans, just run it Live on the designated channel (cause we'll all record it anyway if its the middle of the night), then piece together a segment for Prime Time (like they did for gymnastics at 2016), and so the home country people can actually attend events on their own time schedule. In 2014 when they ran the entire skating event Live from 10a-3p EST, did it really affect Prime Time ratings "that" much? I don't think it did. Most North 'mericans were at work during the day, just us die hards who burned vacation time sat at home and watched the whole thing. :lol: I don't know about y'all, but I still watched the Prime Time coverage. Anyway .... rant over. Continue thread. :p
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You echo my thoughts! I keep feeling that somebody “up high” at NBC thinks that it’s important to lure specific-sport die hard fans to the prime time shows, to justify high advertisement fees (via high viewership numbers)...and to hell with the happiness of fans (or participants).

I fear that they may be cooking up something similar for Beijing-2022. When would Beijing’s skating sessions have to start, to allow live prime-time shows in the US?
 
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Frau Muller said:
You echo my thoughts! I keep feeling that somebody “up high” at NBC thinks that it’s important to lure specific-sport die hard fans to the prime time shows, to justify high advertisement fees (via high viewership numbers)...and to hell with the happiness of fans (or participants).

I fear that they may be cooking up something similar for Beijing-2022. When would Beijing’s skating sessions have to start, to allow live prime-time shows in the US?
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They'd have to start an hour earlier at 9am. That might be pushing it, but it's NBC so who knows.
 
BaileyCatts said:
What I don't get is NBC owns so many freaking channels, why don't they designate channels for prime sports and show the entire event for the die hard fans, then just do recaps of top people on Prime Time for those who want to just watch "The Olympics", which is frankly the majority of viewers. They own NBCSN, USA, Bravo, CNBC, hell they could even use MSNBC.
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Minor summer Olympic events WERE on MSNBC. I remember not being able to watch campaign coverage at the time. I think they had other stuff on USA or something too. And I have noticed hockey or curling (how much curling can there even be - every day?) on CNBC when I'm flipping around. Geez - THE Olympic channel is only Olympic news and medal ceremonies.
 
Susan1 said:
Minor summer Olympic events WERE on MSNBC. I remember not being able to watch campaign coverage at the time. I think they had other stuff on USA or something too. And I have noticed hockey or curling (how much curling can there even be - every day?) on CNBC when I'm flipping around. Geez - THE Olympic channel is only Olympic news and medal ceremonies.
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Since most people don't have the Olympic Channel, they probably didn't want to put any live sports action on there.
 
I think a lot of it has to do with two things.
1. The time difference makes it difficult for people on the East Coast to watch a lot of the coverage, and most overnight coverage is replayed during the work day - when people can't watch.
2. The US just isn't winning medals. I'm a fan of the Olympics, sure, but I am more inclined to pay attention to things where my country wins - particularly in sports like Speed Skating, Curling, or distance skiing where I have very little interest in the actual sport. Unfortunately, US Olympians just haven't been winning.
 
BaileyCatts said:
What I don't get is NBC owns so many freaking channels, why don't they designate channels for prime sports and show the entire event for the die hard fans, then just do recaps of top people on Prime Time for those who want to just watch "The Olympics", which is frankly the majority of viewers. They own NBCSN, USA, Bravo, CNBC, hell they could even use MSNBC. How about NBCSN shows all skating; CNBC shows all hockey games and curling, USA shows all skiing events, Bravo shows all sled events, MSNBC shows all X Games events, blah blah blah. Let the athletes actually compete at normal competition times for their own sports (instead of 10a start time for skating!), even its its 3a-8a for us North 'mericans, just run it Live on the designated channel (cause we'll all record it anyway if its the middle of the night), then piece together a segment for Prime Time (like they did for gymnastics at 2016), and so the home country people can actually attend events on their own time schedule. In 2014 when they ran the entire skating event Live from 10a-3p EST, did it really affect Prime Time ratings "that" much? I don't think it did. Most North 'mericans were at work during the day, just us die hards who burned vacation time sat at home and watched the whole thing. :lol: I don't know about y'all, but I still watched the Prime Time coverage. Anyway .... rant over. Continue thread. :p
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It's an idea. You could float it to NBC. You might make an impact.

I think the reason they don't do this has to do with how advertising dollars work. I think there is still a feeling that over-the-air, free, viewing is king and they don't want to lose the dollars that the major attractions bring in.

I confess I feel a little bit for those who are making the decisions about how to allocate the time on Prime Time NBC. In the summer Olympics they don't normally have to deal with weather delays. Swimming, Gymnastics, and even Track and Field, don't usually get cancelled by weather. In the Winter Games, schedules change. It affects all the timing decisions.
 
Figure Skating Schedule - 02/18 - Short Dance.

Times are eastern -

- Olympic Ice Pre-show - 7:00 pm NBCSN /online (Scott, Tanith)
- Competition - 8:00 pm NBCSN and NBC and online - Early groups will/should be shown on NBCSN. NBC will be going back and forth to other sports, as always. Only time will tell if we get to see ALL the performances between the 2 networks. Make sure to allow extra time for last minute switches. Shibutani's - 10:36. Chock/Bates - 10:43. Hubbell/Donohue - 11:25. Go to the "Official Reports" page to get a pdf that includes all the times.
- Olympic Ice Post-show - 12:00 am online only. (Kristi, Ben, Charlie)
Haven't seen any streams for practice/warm-up yet today.


Streaming site - http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/how-...cs-pyeongchang

Starting order and results - https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang...re-skating/results-ice-dance-qual-000100-.htm
 
mollymgr said:
A lot of people have ditched cable too since 2014.
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I actually switched to Spectrum from my old Time Warner "legacy" subscription (Spectrum wasn't recognizing that I get Standard TV for Starter TV price because it was bundled with WiFi). I now have NBCSN, and I am LOVING the expanded skating coverage I'm getting. I'm DVD'ing the SD tonight and am at 2 hours with the final group left to go. Never got THAT with primetime plain NBC!
 
Nobody does a fluff piece like NBC. Seeing P&C in the streets of Montreal gives me the feels. I am assuming there will be a fluff piece on V&M tomorrow. Cannot wait for 2020!
 
Fabulous coverage of Dance SDs last night, with all 24 teams shown! Unlike previous nights, the switch from NBCSN to NBC (after Gp 3, before Gp 4) was clearly communicated. My only quibble: because they tried to cram-in so many ads, they barely made it to the start of some routines, a split second before the first notes of music.
 
Figure Skating Schedule - 02/19 - Free Dance

Times are eastern -

- Olympic Ice Pre-show - 7:00 pm NBCSN /online (Scott, Tanith)
- Competition - 8:00 pm NBCSN and NBC and online - Early groups will/should be shown on NBCSN. NBC will be going back and forth to other sports, as always. Only time will tell if we get to see ALL the performances between the 2 networks. Make sure to allow extra time for last minute switches. Shibutani's - 10:48. Chock/Bates - 10:17. Hubbell/Donohue - 11:05. Go to the "Official Reports" page to get a pdf that includes all the times.
- Olympic Ice Post-show - 11:30 pm online only. (Kristi, Ben, Charlie)
- Medals Ceremonies - 5:00 am Olympic Channel and online.
Haven't seen any streams for practice/warm-up yet today but it's often on late, right after competition.


Streaming site - http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/how-...cs-pyeongchang

Starting order and results - https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/results/en/figure-skating/results-ice-dance-fnl-000100-.htm
 
TanithandBenFan said:
It said 4:45pm when I logged in this morning. Wonder why they're chacking the first couple of groups.
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It seems to change all the time.

Last night Sui and Han were practicing at one point - I guess for the gala. It's weird, but I'm happy to have it.
 
@A.H.Black Meagan said that Men's and Pair's skaters were being given extra practice ice sessions after the competition so that they didn't have to leave the Olympics to prepare for Worlds. So maybe a bit for the gala but a bit for Worlds?
 
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