Olympic Events: Held Mid-Day?

[Skittl1321]

There were also 36 men and 37 ladies at 2017 Worlds, ie, more than at the Olympics.

But the point is that the skaters still managed. People are making it seem like it is catastrophic to skate that early. But clearly they do it at other events.

As a u.s. figure skating fan I wish it was wasn't on in prime time. Their Prime time coverage is terrible. NBC's coverage is made for people who aren't fans of any particular sport

 

[kwanfan1818]

NBC payed 4 billion $ for the broadcasting rights, if they couldn't bear to pay that much somebody else would have go it. Most small and big broadcaster have paid the broadcasting fee, so they are getting the privilege of showing the games.

That must be how the ISU managed to replace all of the US Networks TV money with money from the Russian and Japanese TV networks, who are broadcasting where figure skating is so popular, and their coffers are overflowing like in the good old days.

 

[MacMadame]

OK, before we go any further can we stop with nonsense that short track and figure skating have been swapped around. The only reason figure skating is starting at 10am Korea time is down to NBC.

They have been swapped around. The motivation for it is in question but Short Track is happening at night and figure skating during the day. That part is a fact.

That must be how the ISU managed to replace all of the US Networks TV money with money from the Russian and Japanese TV networks, who are broadcasting where figure skating is so popular, and their coffers are overflowing like in the good old days.

Sarcasm?

 

[jeffisjeff]

Slightly OT, but I am so confused by people saying how NBC's coverage sucks. As far as I know, they plan to live stream all events on NBCOlympics.com. What else do people want?

 

[VGThuy]

They want NBC to make the Olympics a figure skating only championship.

 

[screech]

Isn't speed skating big in South Korea? Which would mean it would likely draw viewers there, in prime time.

 

[Tesla]

Slightly OT, but I am so confused by people saying how NBC's coverage sucks. As far as I know, they plan to live stream all events on NBCOlympics.com. What else do people want?

Do you need a provider?

 

[Skittl1321]

They want NBC to make the Olympics a figure skating only championship.

I'd like them to show non Americans in many sports and less crap fluff packaging to kill time. I love watching all kinds of sports during the Olympics.

The streaming is only available to cable subscribers. People who watch over the air are stuck with over packaged broadcasts.

 

[debo]

I'd like them to show non Americans in many sports and less crap fluff packaging to kill time. I love watching all kinds of sports during the Olympics.

The streaming is only available to cable subscribers. People who watch over the air are stuck with over packaged broadcasts.

I can’t stand the evening packaged broadcast. Fortunately I have cable to avoid most of it, except I don’t get the Olympic Channel. I think Hulu and other services have free trials I’m going to check out.

 

[jeffisjeff]

I'd like them to show non Americans in many sports and less crap fluff packaging to kill time. I love watching all kinds of sports during the Olympics.

The streaming is only available to cable subscribers. People who watch over the air are stuck with over packaged broadcasts.

They stream every event live. That isn't cheap so it isn't free.

The idea that people define NBC's coverage by their prime time show is outdated. We live in a multi-media world.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Somehow, the figure skaters in 1948 managed to compete in broad daylight and survive. I'm sure all those precious hothouse flowers in Gangneung next month will do so too.

Broad daylight and OUTDOORS! Those skating legends were TOUGH! Brrr..

 

[skatingguy]

Isn't speed skating big in South Korea? Which would mean it would likely draw viewers there, in prime time.

Yes, I would think that speed skating & short track speed skating are the events that the Korean's will be paying the most attention to, and probably represent their best opportunities for gold medals.

 

[allezfred]

They have been swapped around. The motivation for it is in question but Short Track is happening at night and figure skating during the day. That part is a fact.

Figure skating is happening in the MORNING. There is a difference between starting at 10am and 2pm or do you not understand how time works?

 

[allezfred]

That must be how the ISU managed to replace all of the US Networks TV money with money from the Russian and Japanese TV networks, who are broadcasting where figure skating is so popular, and their coffers are overflowing like in the good old days.

I know you are making an attempt at sarcasm, but you are closer to the truth than you think.

 

[allezfred]

Oh and since I’ve posted twice in a row I may as well post three times.

Short track and figure being swapped around is a myth not supported by fact. Here’s why - there are only two days in the entire Olympic schedule when both sports are being held on the same day. Neither sport had a 10am start in Sochi.

The ONLY reason that figure is starting at 10am on every single day of the Olympics is because of NBC’s arrogant twattiness.

 

[MsZem]

Eurosport didn't exactly pay pocket change to broadcast the Olympics. While it's not quite as much as NBC is paying, it's not like American broadcast rights are subsidizing everyone else's coverage - not to mention that, well, quite a few people live in Europe (and in east Asia).

They might have been the original reason (though I'm not even sure that is true...it was about the countries, not the athletes)- but the Olympics is a commercial event, plain and simple. It exists because sponsors want it to.

I'm not sure what the sponsors would sponsor without the athletes. But where there's a will there's a fluff!

 

[VGThuy]

Then why is the IOC bending to NBC’s whims?

 

[debo]

Now if Yuna were competing, my thinking is the people of South Korea would have risen and bargained for a “better” viewing time for her events. (A few Summer Olympics ago Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe (?) was about to race in his gold medal event, but it was mid-week, early afternoon Aussie time. Bob Costas related, “We understand the ENTIRE COUNTRY OF AUSTRALIA HAS COME TO A STOP TO WATCH THIS RACE!!) lol

 

[SpeedySucks]

Then why is the IOC bending to NBC’s whims?

NBC’s rights fees still account for over half of the money received by the IOC from all media companies worldwide.

 

[Tesla]

They stream every event live. That isn't cheap so it isn't free.

The idea that people define NBC's coverage by their prime time show is outdated. We live in a multi-media world.

But it is free if you have cable or satellite. NBC already received their money from the cable and satellite companies. It isn't like they're charging people extra for the streaming. I get that streaming isn't cheap, and I would gladly watch ads. Yes, it is a multi-media world but there are a lot of cord-cutters that they should look entice.

 

[jeffisjeff]

But it is free if you have cable or satellite. NBC already received their money from the cable and satellite companies. It isn't like they're charging people extra for the streaming. I get that streaming isn't cheap, and I would gladly watch ads. Yes, it is a multi-media world but there are a lot of cord-cutters that they should look entice.

Streaming services carry the NBC networks. These are not free, of course. However, they do often have free trials.

That said, I am not sure why NBC should focus on attracting cord-cutters, particularly since they own a number of cable channels? I am not an expert, but it seems to me that, rather than catering to cord-cutters, they are looking for ways to make their cable services more attractive to customers (so, convincing cord-cutters that there is value to not cutting the cord). Subscribing to cable doesn't just mean getting cable TV anymore. These days, it means getting access to the various add-ons they offer to their subscribers, one of which is the free NBC streaming of the Olympics. If that isn't worth the price for you, that is your choice. But I am not sure why NBC should be expected to provide all that coverage to anyone who wants it for free?

 

[kwanfan1818]

I know you are making an attempt at sarcasm, but you are closer to the truth than you think.

The ISU has cut prize money significantly and, most recently, the number of skaters who get championship prize money.

I wonder what they're doing instead with all of those restored millions paid by Japanese and Russian TV?

 

[allezfred]

The ISU has cut prize money significantly and, most recently, the number of skaters who get championship prize money.

I wonder what they're doing instead with all of those restored millions paid by Japanese and Russian TV?

It’s mostly Japanese TV. Practically all. Maybe the ISU is just being more frugal than it was before. The new president is Dutch after all.

Figure skating is much more popular and more lucrative in Japan now than it ever was in the U.S. back in the day. And bonus is that it wasn’t down to someone getting whacked on the knee.

 

[MacMadame]

Figure skating is happening in the MORNING. There is a difference between starting at 10am and 2pm or do you not understand how time works?

Oh I see the hair-splitting you are doing there.

Short Track speed skating often happens in the AM though so I'm not sure it's as real a distinction as you think.

Figure skating is much more popular and more lucrative in Japan now than it ever was in the U.S. back in the day. And bonus is that it wasn’t down to someone getting whacked on the knee.

Then why aren't the ISU's tv revenues higher than they were back when the US was paying millions for broadcast rights? (This is an honest question, not sarcasm.)

 

[VGThuy]

Couldn't they give some of that money to the French Federation?

 

[Rock2]

I think when it comes to money you have to keep in mind revenue will ebb and flow with the popularity of the sport and its athletes. Starpower/stories drives revenue fluctuations more than the sport itself. And that's on a country by country basis.

That means volatility.

If you're managing the sport you stay responsible with your expenses and infrastructure. Pocket some extra cash if you're having a few good years to get you through the years when the money isn't so much there.
Even though it sounds unfair to skaters there is some benefit to maintaining prize money etc at a fairly consistent level so athletes can plan. Giving and taking away year after year can have more downsides than upsides.

Hopefully if the ISU is in fact clawing back on prize money they aren't blowing it elsewhere, and instead doing so for reasons of fiscal responsibility.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Pocket some extra cash if you're having a few good years to get you through the years when the money isn't so much there.

That might be a reason not to raise the prize money when the revenues are flowing in. Is it a reason to cut prize money when the revenues are flowing in and increasing?

 

[Rock2]

On the skate times:
Yeah it sucks, but luckily the athletes were given tons of notice so they can make the necessary arrangements to condition their bodies to the competition schedule.

In practice, these guys are running longs at 8 in the morning anyway so they are used to giving a hard effort not long after dawn. The part they have to learn over the years is trying to compete well at 9-10 pm for most comps because that's NEVER when they are training or at full energy.

Not sure about other nationals but we in Canada had some senior events start at 10 am and it looks like everyone survived in tact.

Also, in singles especially the top 2 groups are skating after noon so it's not really all that bad.

I personally feel the worst part of the schedule is skating individual events on back to back days. That's the most dramatic change that was necessary to squeeze in the team event. More than any event, you are so amped up competing at the Olympics; there's no way you sleep the night after the short. It's a quick turnaround to rest, recover and practice your long (like at 6 am or whenver they get ice time) to bring even more energy for the next day.

This is why I think the men's event will again like Sochi be a battle of attrition. With the big content planned, I'm not predicting many cleanish skates. Those who do are superhuman in my mind.

 

[Rock2]

That might be a reason not to raise the prize money when the revenues are flowing in. Is it a reason to cut prize money when the revenues are flowing in and increasing?

Could be. You're only isolating a fraction of the ISUs balance sheet and P&L.
Depends on the state of their cash reserves and where else they are investing. I can't say the ISU is the smartest governing body out there, but at least a part of me will give them the benefit of the doubt until I see their financial statements. Are those public?

 

[skatingguy]

Then why aren't the ISU's tv revenues higher than they were back when the US was paying millions for broadcast rights? (This is an honest question, not sarcasm.)

I think the US networks have always been much more aggressive in bidding for the Olympics, particularly back in the '90's when the Olympics used to move between different US networks. The competition created bidding wars that were ultimately won by NBC, which now has the long term deal with the IOC.