CBC Sports Coverage Cuts | Golden Skate

CBC Sports Coverage Cuts

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...reveal-plan-to-balance-books/article17912671/

Skating isn't specifically mentioned, but I don't think any sport will avoid cuts. I hope we don't lose too much coverage here. I think CBC already does it on a shoestring, since they don't even send commentators out to events. Browning and crew usually call them from the CBC's Toronto studio.

Not sure if Battle of the Blades will survive either, since it's already been iced once.
 

davogt

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
My guess is figure skating is toast. The statement from the head of CBC is that they won't compete with private broadcasters and won't broadcast sports that don't recoup production costs.

At the very best that means we're going to lose the multiple hour coverage of international events. At worst it means CBC won't broadcast figure skating at all.

Basically we're going to be in worse shape than the Americans with respect to figure skating coverage is my guess.
 

MeaganSkater

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Well there goes Carol Lanes job...

Can't say I'm surprised.

Wish at least if they can't broadcast the events on the main channel, the full events would be available online.

But somehow I already know I am dreaming.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
We have to wait and see but if the worst comes, we always have the isu free live stream to enjoy is if CBC drops the contract and no other network in Canada takes it up. It will be a bummer if Carol, Kurt and Brenda (she has a better chance as she is not a skating specialist but an allrounder commentator) lose their jobs.
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
Well there goes Carol Lanes job...

Well, commentating was actually only a part-time job for Carol Lane. She still has a regular job as a skating coach and head of the Scarborough skating program and all.

It's the other members of the CBC skating and sports team who are used to doing it as a full-time job.

I hope the CBC cuts refer to professional sports like hockey and those in which athletes are paid a full professional salary. It may not refer to figure skating, per se. PJ Kwong & Scott Russell have tweeted that they haven't heard about figure skating coverage being cut yet (other than the loss of the 'Battle of the Blades' skating show).
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
I mean 130 MILLION DOLLAR shortfall! Thats not a any short margin- its a freaking Blackhole. This is really sad news?
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
I mean 130 MILLION DOLLAR shortfall! Thats not a any short margin- its a freaking Blackhole. This is really sad news?

Well, I don't want to make this too political (although one can't really avoid it with a topic like this), but the Conservative Government in Canada is not really interested in funding the CBC or anything to do with areas of art or performance that they don't view as worthwhile in their ideology.

You'd think they would realize how important a contribution our public broadcaster makes in the lives of Canadians and our culture, but they apparently don't.
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
We have to wait and see but if the worst comes, we always have the isu free live stream to enjoy is if CBC drops the contract and no other network in Canada takes it up. It will be a bummer if Carol, Kurt and Brenda (she has a better chance as she is not a skating specialist but an allrounder commentator) lose their jobs.

I hope TSN doesn't take it up, because I don't get TSN, and they never post the full videos/stream them online, either.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...reveal-plan-to-balance-books/article17912671/

Skating isn't specifically mentioned, but I don't think any sport will avoid cuts. I hope we don't lose too much coverage here. I think CBC already does it on a shoestring, since they don't even send commentators out to events. Browning and crew usually call them from the CBC's Toronto studio.

Not sure if Battle of the Blades will survive either, since it's already been iced once.


I was just going to post something about this. Yes, the future of figure skating looks dim on the CBC. The exception is the Olympics according to the article I read. It looks like there will be no more Battle of the Blades. Ron MacLean (Kurt's co-host of Blades) was offered a job at Rogers (who took over the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada program). We still have CTV who might pick up figure skating again, but I will miss the CBC.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
I was just going to post something about this. Yes, the future of figure skating looks dim on the CBC. The exception is the Olympics according to the article I read. It looks like there will be no more Battle of the Blades. Ron MacLean (Kurt's co-host of Blades) was offered a job at Rogers (who took over the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada program). We still have CTV who might pick up figure skating again, but I will miss the CBC.
I don't want Kurt to lose his job as the commentator. :unsure:
 

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm not sure how long CBC's current deal with the ISU lasts, so we may not notice any cuts right away. I agree I don't want to lose Kurt, but CTV might pick him up if they buy the rights again. Skating commentators have jumped networks before, such as Tracy Wilson.

CBC subleased this year's World's coverage to Sportsnet. They might be interested in bidding and that would be nice. Since they have four channels, they could still show full events on Sportsnet One, like they did this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Online coverage is great, but it can be spotty and I can't DVR it if I'm not around for the live event.
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
I hope TSN doesn't take it up, because I don't get TSN, and they never post the full videos/stream them online, either.

But if CBC isn't going to have the coverage, we should hope it does go to TSN and CTV instead. No point in no channel having it. Better to have it broadcast somewhere.
 

anyanka

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Well, that's true. At least I get CTV.

I think CTV still has a contract with Skate Canada for that event and nationals, but the rest of the GP series may not be picked up if the cuts affect figure skating. Or they'll just fire those with long-term employment agreements and make them all short-term contractors to save some money?
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
I think CTV still has a contract with Skate Canada for that event and nationals, but the rest of the GP series may not be picked up if the cuts affect figure skating. Or they'll just fire those with long-term employment agreements and make them all short-term contractors to save some money?

Oh yeah, CTV still has the SC/Nats contract.
 
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