GP on US TV!!!

[zephyrskates]

Found this on a blog called Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand. I love the blogger. Bookmark her page, she updates frequently on gymnastics and figure skating.


"Universal Sports will be airing the Grand Prix from Trophee Lalique, Cup of Russia and NHK Trophy (I'm over the new names.) They will tape delay them but air them in much better quality than icenetwork. Scott Hamilton and Andrea Joyce will do the commentary. They will likely have them do it from a studio rather than fly them to the event. View the schedule. Universal Sports would've aired it live but Icenetwork still has the rights. Without the rights to these events, Icenetwork really has no way to generate revenue."

http://auntjoyceicecreamstand.blogspot.com/


http://www.nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/sports-20090929000000-sportseventsonnbc.html

 

[merrybari]

Good news indeed! Wonder why not Cup of China if they're doing tape delays anyway the marathon shouldn't interfere.

Now just have to see if I can get Universal.

 

[tilak]

I'm sort of confused. Do they mean NBC TV or NBC Universal Sports??? On another Board they interpreted it as being aired on NBC HD TV....:scratch:

 

[yelyoh]

Universal Sports is on a separate channel. Anyway, yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

 

[tilak]

I checked out my local NBC listings (up to Octiber 15th) & it appears most of the sports events listed are on NBC.

 

[jcoates]

I'm sort of confused. Do they mean NBC TV or NBC Universal Sports??? On another Board they interpreted it as being aired on NBC HD TV....:scratch:

ETA: I think this is much like their coverage of Worlds and Nationals last season. If you look at the Universal Sports website, they still listed as showing all days of competition. The Sunday coverage may be a summary or one discipline only broadcast, like the late 80's and early 90's.

Universal Sports is not NBC HD TV. I agree that it's confusing however. Depending on where you live and what cable/satellite/over-the-air provider you have Universal Sports is listed differently. For example, it's listed as WRCD by Comcast in the DC market. Essentially most NBC local affiliates list it as a digital sub-channel for people using converter boxes and as far as I can tell, cable providers follow suit. Most here is DC list it as part of their basic packages and group it with the HD tier for local channels (even though any TV can view it). Check your cable company website to see if they offer it or a digital channel for you local NBC affiliate.

Satellite providers list it with their sports packages and charge extra. DISHNetwork and DirecTV both carry it.

I only discovered I had it by mistake last winter just before Worlds. It's a shame companies and affiliates make finding the channel hard to find. But the picture quality is GORGEOUS and many of the early groups at major events are commentary-free.

P.S., for all-around Olympic junkies like me, they show wall to wall coverage of the major championships for other marquee sports like swimming and diving, gymnastics, and track and field. Great resource if you can find it.

 

[Wicked]

Zephyrskates and Jcoates, thank you so much! Just looked it up on my DirecTV and I get it. For me, it's channel 604 Universal Sports Channel.

 

[moby23c]

there is a god. well, i guess i'll reserve that judgment until i see who's commentating.

 

[R.D.]

Can't get Universal Sports here but looks like there will be some coverage on the NBC network as well.

 

[waxel]

DISH doesn't carry US everywhere. Sadly, not in Dallas.

 

[A.H.Black]

All Universal Sports lists is TBA at this point. http://www.universalsports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23000&KEY=&SPID=13046&SPSID=105656 That usually means that Universal is not broadcasting the event but will just have stories and videos about the event. Usually if Universal is broadcasting or streaming the event, they will have an actual date and time listed in the schedule. For example, they have a definite schedule listed for the gymnastics world championships - http://www.universalsports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23000&KEY=&SPID=11666&SPSID=95636

On the other hand, the NBC site does list some Grand Prix skating on Oct. 25 and other dates. Here's hoping the schedule on the website just hasn't been updated yet.

NOTE - For those of you who don't get Universal on your cable or satellite. When the TV system switched from analog to digital many local channels added some other specialized channels - 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, etc. Locally, I can get Universal sports on my regular TV at 5.2. If you have a NEW digital television and can get the new channels, you might want to check with your local stations to see if your local NBC affiliate broadcasts Universal Sports.

 

[jcoates]

If I recall, Universal Sports did say over the summer when the first announced and intention to carry the GP, that they would be making coverage available on their website also. Now that was when they were planning to show events live. So I don't know if that will still be the case if Ice Network decides to assert themselves as the rights holder. But it could still be an option.

At the very least, for championships that IN does not cover, like worlds or the Olympics, Universal Sports may be an alternative to see skaters who don't make network coverage because they are in earlier groups. That's what happened last season.

 

[merrybari]

AS I can't get Universal - digitally or on cable - all I can do is wait and see how this shakes out. It's shameful that skating is taking such a huge back seat to so many really "low profile" events.

 

[jcoates]

Here is a listing of where and how Universal Sports if available in markets across the country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Sports#List_of_affiliates

 

[visaliakid]

NBC TV to provide some coverage of ISU Grand Prix figure skating events

NBC Sports latest updated TV sports schedule lists three ISU Grand Prix events for limited (taped) coverage; Trophee Eric Bompard (FRA), Rostelecom Cup (RUS), and NHK Trophy (JPN). All telecasts will be two hours in length.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
1 p.m.- 3 p.m.
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Trophee Eric Bompard, France (tape)

Commentators: Andrea Joyce, Scott Hamilton
Site: France
*Available in High Definition


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
12 p.m.- 2 p.m.
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Rostelecom Cup, Russia (tape)

Commentators: Andrea Joyce, Scott Hamilton
Site: Russia
*Available in High Definition

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
2 p.m.-4 p.m.
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - NHK Trophy, Japan (tape)

Commentators: Andrea Joyce, Scott Hamilton
Site: Japan
*Available in High Definition

The above coverage is added coverage to the already planned two hours of live coverage of the Ladies Free Skate at Skate America:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm - 2009 Skate America - Ladies Free Skate (Live)

Commentators: Tom Hammond, Sandra Bezic, Scott Hamilton Site: Lake Placid, NY *Available in High Definition

Source, NBC Universal Media Village

Universal Sports Cable TV Channel will air an additional four to six hours of each of the Trophee Eric Bompard (FRA), Rostelecom Cup (RUS), and NHK Trophy )JPN) competitions.

Only IceNetwork has U.S. rights to webcast any of Grand Prix Events, and will cover them in their entirety.

FYI: The owner/webmaster of Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand blog is a guy. The site is named for his Aunt Joyce.

 

[jovani2293]

I wonder why them are not doing Skate Canada or Cup of China??

 

[R.D.]

I wonder why them are not doing Skate Canada or Cup of China??

they may do SC but the schedule doesn't go that far. Quite frankly, if they are bothering to do France, Russia and Japan I don't see why not Canada (it's much closer )

 

[merrybari]

I wonder why them are not doing Skate Canada or Cup of China??

I'm wondering the same thing. CoC comes before NHK th schedule does go THAT far. Tiz a puzzlement.

 

[Pikachuusb]

Yea!! I was hoping there would be some coverage on tv. WooHoo!! I'll take whatever I can get, although I did resubscribe to icenetwork just incase.

 

[jovani2293]

I know right? where it the scheldule post online.