2011 World Figure Skating Championships on TV

[lawseedoy]

We didn't get to see the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships on tv. We don't even know who won or all of the medalists because it wasn't shown in our city. In the past, ABC and ESPN showed it on tv. We even saw reruns on ESPN. We didn't get to see any of the 2010 Worlds on tv at all. Yeah, it's pretty sad that the USFSA or NBC Sports doesn't try to allow all Figure Skating fans to watch the World Championships. We don't think that RISE and all of our fallen skaters would want this to happen as this is not the spirit of RISE. It's a shame that they don't show it on tv like they used to. We don't get Universal Sports in our city. We want to see the 2011 Worlds. Can everyone email the USFSA or go to this link and help us so we can see and enjoy it too like the lucky U.S. cities that can view it? Here are the emails to complain:

USFSA: info@usfigureskating.org and memberservices@usfigureskating.org
NBC and Universal Sports: info@universalsports.com and adam.freifeld@nbcuni.com

It is very nice of y'all to do this for us. We like to watch figure skating on tv and it's not the same if we get lucky to see it on the internet. It's not the same. I don't know why they deprive the figure skating fans or watching figure skating. Soon we'll be like gymnastics and just lose touch with the beautiful sport of figure skating because we can't see it on tv anymore like we did with gymnastics and now don't know much about the sport. Like we said, we don't even know who won the worlds last year or all of the medalists because we didn't get to see it. Thanks for your assistance with this and God Bless!

[Joesitz]

I'm not the best source for TV showing of figure skating. I am a bit worried about icenetwork. They did show GPs and US Nats, but not 4CC, and have not yet mentioned Worlds. Maybe the distance is too far from America and the cost for using their streams is too high. Dunno.

As for TV, there was some talk of Comcast taking over NBC. I have no idea if Comcast is interested in figure skating. Do they have a website where one can inquire?

Afaik, NBC still holds Universal Sports and all NBC cable shows, so maybe NBC will be interested.

[trains]

CBC/BOLD in Canada has complete coverage if you can get it.
BOLD shows continuous live coverage all day - every skater and the warmups. They only take breaks during floods.


2011 World Figure Skating Championships on CBC
Tuesday, March 22 13:00
00:00
Wednesday, March 23 13:00
00:00
Thursday, March 24 13:00
12:00
Friday, March 25 13:00
20:00
Saturday, March 26 15:00 ET LIVE
Sunday, March 27 20:00





CBCSports.ca - CHAMPIONSHIP FIGURE SKATING ON CBC

2011 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
Saturday, February 19 16:00 - 17:00 ET LIVE - Dance Programs

2011 World Figure Skating Championships on CBC
Tuesday, March 22 TBC
Wednesday, March 23 00:00 ET LIVE
00:45 ET LIVE
04:15 ET LIVE
Thursday, March 24 00:30 ET LIVE
04:25 ET LIVE
23:30 ET LIVE
Friday, March 25 04:00 ET LIVE
Saturday, March 26 00:00 ET LIVE
04:30 ET LIVE
15:00 ET LIVE
Sunday, March 27 03:00 ET LIVE
19:00 ET LIVE

bold
2011 World Figure Skating Championships on CBC
Wednesday, March 23 00:00 ET LIVE
00:45 ET LIVE
04:15 ET LIVE
15:30 ET
16:15 ET
19:45 ET
Thursday, March 24 00:30 a.m. ET LIVE
04:25 ET LIVE
16:30 ET
19:30 ET
23:30 ET LIVE
Friday, March 25 04:00 ET LIVE
15:30 ET
19:30 ET
Saturday, March 26 00:00 ET LIVE
04:30 ET LIVE
16:30 ET
20:00 ET
Sunday, March 27 03:00 ET LIVE
22:00 ET LIVE

[herios]

Bold is not available outside Canada. CBC is, close to the border in the US, but they have usually the canadians and the final flights.

[vlaurend]

I'm not the best source for TV showing of figure skating. I am a bit worried about icenetwork. They did show GPs and US Nats, but not 4CC, and have not yet mentioned Worlds. Maybe the distance is too far from America and the cost for using their streams is too high. Dunno.

As for TV, there was some talk of Comcast taking over NBC. I have no idea if Comcast is interested in figure skating. Do they have a website where one can inquire?

Afaik, NBC still holds Universal Sports and all NBC cable shows, so maybe NBC will be interested.

From what I've heard, IceNetwork did not get the rights to Worlds, but Universal Sports will be broadcasting it live online for a $9.00 subscription fee, and I *assume* broadcasting it on Universal Sports TV but not sure.

[lawseedoy]

The USFSA will ruin the sport of figure skating. We like both figure skating and gymnastics. We lost touch with the sport of gymnastics because the U.S. never showed it on tv. This will happen with the sport of figure skating too if the USFSA doesn't give the rights back to ABC/ESPN. NBC bought the rights to figure skating, but they don't show it on tv unless you get Universal Sports and they don't offer that in our city. NBC is also trying to make a buck off the deal. ABC/ESPN seemed to get the money back from commercials and were happy with that. NBC is evil and trying to make as much money from it as they can and get more in addition to commercials. NBC doesn't care about the U.S. Figure Skating fans. That's truly evil and pathetic.

We've been taping the U.S. Nationals and Worlds and Olympics for over 20 years. It ended last year because they never showed it on tv. That's truly sad. We want to continue taping it, but NBC won't show it on tv. Why did they buy the rights and not show it? That's why they fail as a network because they don't make the audience happy.

Thanks for your responses and assistance. Online is not the same as on tv and we can't tape it too. Unfortunately, in the south, we are unable to get the Canadian network tv reception. Sometimes, I wish I lived in Canada because they are so supportive of their athletes and the sport of figure skating. Oh, here is another link that you can give feedback to NBC in their NBC Olympics Feedback. You don't have to say much and give a fictitious email, but even saying please show us the figure skating on tv might be enough. Thanks again.

Here is the link to NBC Olympics Feedback: http://www.nbcolympics.com/contactus.html .

We're praying that we get to watch figure skating on the big network tv again.

[mskater93]

ABC/ESPN refused to bid on it when the contract came up for renegotiation. US Figure Skating had no choice but to sell those rights to whoever would bid at that point. The problem is that ratings have dropped significantly in the last several years (since it's peak at the 94 Olympics) and ABC/ESPN could not sell enough commercial time to cover the cost of the contract. NBC has a similar issue - they cannot get enough interested sponsors (commercials) to make it worth their while to show it on NBC and so it gets relegated to Universal Sports. FWIW, if you have an old fashioned antenna (free air wave TV, not cable or satelite), you can get Universal in any city. It's typically your NBC.3 feed.

[ChelleC]

FWIW, if you have an old fashioned antenna (free air wave TV, not cable or satelite), you can get Universal in any city. It's typically your NBC.3 feed.

You cannot get Universal in any city with an atenna. Universal does list the cities they are available in, over the air, on their webpage.

http://www.universalsports.com/tv-li...rts_on_TV.html

[colleen o'neill]

I feel really bad for our US members. ( there but for the grace..etc.) But , I can't fully remember..perhaps I'm clutching at straws...Usually cbcsports.ca streams online simultaneously with the Bold coverage..is there a chance that might not be geoblocked ?

[lawseedoy]

Thanks for all of your assistance with this. You are all so kind for responding. It's truly sad to see how our world has changed. To be honest with all of you, I think this might be the straw that broke the camel's back. I've been dealing with an illness for the past 2 years and honestly can't take it anymore mentally, physically, and financially. After taping Nationals, Worlds, and the Olympics for the past 20+ years, it was really hard to miss out on taping the Worlds last year to add to my collection. I don't even know who won all of the medals last year because it wasn't on tv. Not being able to see and tape the Worlds this year just adds to my frustration. I don't think I can go on anymore with the illness and all of these frustrations. I live and breathe figure skating. I even make a predictions for my relatives on both sides and send to their emails every year and Olympics for the past 20+ years. I even wrote a book on understanding the complicated scoring of figure skating for them and distributed to them. I love this sport and it's saddens me when I don't get to see it. I really dislike NBC and Universal Sports for doing this to me and the rest of the figure skating fans all over the country. I think this is it for me as I can't go on anymore. I'm just tired of this and fighting my illness and bills. It's not because of just watching figure skating, but everything else and this is just part of it, one of my or my biggest true love in the world that I used to look forward to every year. I wish everyone luck with watching figure skating in the future.

[SkateFiguring]

I understand and feel for lawseedoy. S/he wants to be able to view more skating or at least the biggest skating event of the year on TV, like in the good old days. Sure the involved, eager, and computer savvy fans can find live stream feeds most of the time, or shell out some dough for some specialty channel/website which then may broadcast the event on a delayed date!

The popularity of the sport is another chicken and egg question. In Canada, despite lack of depth at times, there is usually a Man representing at the top level to excite the fans and such Man is usaully nationally known and popular. In the US, it's been a star Lady to keep the public interested and such star has been missing, even though there is an impressive field of impressive Ladies who unfortunately are often inconsistent and not competitive enough to dominate even the national field, let alone on the World stage.

I see the US is right now missing a great opportunity to revive the sport's public profile, if not popularity. It has a current World and Olympic Champion who can present to the public the athletic "masculine" aspect of Figure Skating. And then there is the other current "Olympic Champion", who is recognized as such by much of the general public clueless about skating but very clued into the celebrity culture. They are the Yin and Yang of American Man skating. Together they can appeal to a wide spectra of prospective and previous fans. Concurrently, in the year after the Winter Olympic when Figure Skating just had a raised awareness in the public's consciousness, they both choose high personal public profile outside figure skating. They have their reasons and rights for their choices but Figure Skating in the U.S. certainly misses out one of the best opportunities in years to attract attention and interest with two stars they have. As good as Davis and White, as well as some Ladies, are, they are not stars, not without a World or Olympic Gold Medal, real or perceived.

Not enough interst, no TV coverage. No TV coverage, no interest.

eta. I wrote this up before lawseedoy's last post. Though I sensed his/her frustration and grievence, this post saddens me. Lawseedoy, I hope you keep up your passion and a way to continue doing what you have loved will come to you. The worse life seems, the more you need to keep faith and passion going. If you do, a door will open for you, I'm sure.

[SkateFiguring]

Lawseedoy, if it's any comfort, technology may make up for your lack of opportunity to tape a net work forecast. There is a proper cable that you can purchase (or hint as a gift from all those relatives you have helped to enjoy figure skating for such a long time) so that you can watch online skating on your big screen TV.

It seems you have at least two sources of online skating videos. 1. Universal Sport Channel which costs $9. Or, 2. one of greatest enablers and enhancers of enjoyment of figure skating - Youtube. All the great skating, from twenty years back to mere minutes after the performance at a major event, are available free on line for endless viewings and your pleasure. Hook your computer up to you television and you can indulge in your passion of this beautiful sport to your heart's content.

Canada's online straming on cbc.ca or Skate Buzz as listed by trains, post #3, may be available to you. If not, stay with Golden Skate and live feeds will be found and posted. If you can hook online streaming on to your TV, you will be getting more than a normal network broadcast which usually airs only the last flight and American skaters. Your problem, like most of ours, is to find time for the entire event, and enough energy to stay up at night or get up at early hours because this World Championship will be held in Japan. You can also have repeated viewings without your own taping.

[Mrs. P]

You cannot get Universal in any city with an atenna. Universal does list the cities they are available in, over the air, on their webpage.

http://www.universalsports.com/tv-li...rts_on_TV.html

I used to have it as my NBC No. 2 channel over the year then it was yanked out earlier this year. It might be beneficial to call your local affiliate in this case...

[crzesk8dad]

The USFSA will ruin the sport of figure skating. We like both figure skating and gymnastics. We lost touch with the sport of gymnastics because the U.S. never showed it on tv. This will happen with the sport of figure skating too if the USFSA doesn't give the rights back to ABC/ESPN. NBC bought the rights to figure skating, but they don't show it on tv unless you get Universal Sports and they don't offer that in our city. NBC is also trying to make a buck off the deal. ABC/ESPN seemed to get the money back from commercials and were happy with that. NBC is evil and trying to make as much money from it as they can and get more in addition to commercials. NBC doesn't care about the U.S. Figure Skating fans. That's truly evil and pathetic.

We've been taping the U.S. Nationals and Worlds and Olympics for over 20 years. It ended last year because they never showed it on tv. That's truly sad. We want to continue taping it, but NBC won't show it on tv. Why did they buy the rights and not show it? That's why they fail as a network because they don't make the audience happy.

Thanks for your responses and assistance. Online is not the same as on tv and we can't tape it too. Unfortunately, in the south, we are unable to get the Canadian network tv reception. Sometimes, I wish I lived in Canada because they are so supportive of their athletes and the sport of figure skating. Oh, here is another link that you can give feedback to NBC in their NBC Olympics Feedback. You don't have to say much and give a fictitious email, but even saying please show us the figure skating on tv might be enough. Thanks again.

Here is the link to NBC Olympics Feedback: http://www.nbcolympics.com/contactus.html .

We're praying that we get to watch figure skating on the big network tv again.

You are barking up the wrong tree. US Figure Skating doesn't make this decision it is the ISU...they want $$$ and they aren't going to get it from IceNetwork...NBC/Universal is their only US option, should they agree on the $$$

[Joesitz]

Although I would be satisfied to pay the $9 to UniSport, I am not sure what I would get. There are 3rd tier skaters that show promise and I want to see that. Will it be an abridged showing of Worlds, like the last 2 groups only? Will it show SPs?

IN has in the past shown all the competitions, but the music is tinny (maybe it's my wonky computer) so I would look to UniSport to get a better look at the skater to music.

9 bucks is about a movie fare anyway. It wont break me.