Where are you watching Skate America 2023?

[dorispulaski]

Here are the tiles for the ISU Livestreams, for those lucky enough to be able to use them.​

​

Another thing you can do with these tiles is to get a notification sent to your cellphone.​

Friday, 20 October

Pairs SP​

7:30 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Pairs Short Program | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Men's SP​

8:53 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Men Short Program | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Saturday, 21 October

Rhythm Dance​

3:03 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Ice Dance Rhythm Dance | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Pairs FS​

4:39 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Pairs Free Skating | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Women's SP​

7:16 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Women Short Program | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Men's FS​

9:04 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Men Free Skating | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Sunday, 22 October

Free Dance​

2:15 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Ice Dance Free Dance | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Women's FS​

4:03 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Women Free Skating | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

Exhibition​

8:30 PM Eastern time​

LIVE | Exhibition Gala | Skate America 2023 | #GPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFSUBSCRIBE to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/SkatingISU?sub_confirmation=1LIKE us on Facebook:https://www.f...

www.youtube.com

 

[labgoat]

I am looking at these tiles right now on my pc with my vpn set to United States and can see them complete with countdown. I thought this wasn't going to be possible? I am delighted if this continues to be true.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

It actually looks like Viaplay isn´t broadcasting GP this year in Scandinavia. I´m not sure if anyone does. Did not find anything on Eurosport either. No search on Google did help me. I hope this means the stream on YT will actually not be geoblocked for Scandinavians. How do I know for sure if it´s geoblocked? If I click on the upcoming livestreams I have access now, but does the geoblock only apply when it starts?

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

It actually looks like Viaplay isn´t broadcasting GP this year in Scandinavia. I´m not sure if anyone does. Did not find anything on Eurosport either. No search on Google did help me. I hope this means the stream on YT will actually not be geoblocked for Scandinavians. How do I know for sure if it´s geoblocked? If I click on the upcoming livestreams I have access now, but does the geoblock only apply when it starts?

If you can see it now with the Live in x days at the bottom, you shouldn't be geoblocked from the live stream.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

If you can see it now with the Live in x days at the bottom, you shouldn't be geoblocked from the live stream.

Yay, I can

Well after purchasing every Challenger so far i´m happy I don´t have to purchase another stream

 

[Pink Peril]

In New Zealand, it still shows all the live streams available for me and the Countdown. But that’s exactly what happened last year and then as soon as I clicked on them to watch, it was Geo blocked. Even the replays were Geo blocked. The only difference this year is that on the media coverage list, they no longer show Sky sport NZ which wasn’t the case last year. So maybe they have released our Geo block. Time will tell.
Although I did find another skating website that had some replay coverage later, i’ll try and remember what it is, in case people want to try.
I have a friend in Australia who has watched on YouTube for quite a few years and she tells me they have just been Geo blocked today. Although not sure about that as you can’t know until an actual live stream begins.
The whole situation is utterly crazy, especially when if you contact ISU customer service or even write snail mail letters to them. It just gets ignored and they will turn off completely the chat or comments on any streams like they did last year due to the complaints.

 

[Sai Bon]

I am in New Zealand and also desperately hoping that this year they will have unblocked us and that I will also be able to watch the ISU YouTube live broadcast. Here we previously had it on sky NZ, but they then dropped it two years ago but despite them requesting ISU numerous times to release the Geo block, they didn’t so we’ve been unable to watch.
I made multiple complaints to the ISU customer service and never had a single response to any of them. I typed a letter and sent it snail mail, but again heard nothing. Just disgraceful the way they operate. They seem to want to stop almost anyone on earth watching skating anymore.
Last year we also had all the live streams listed, but when you clicked on them to watch, it was Geo blocked. So I’m expecting the same this year.

I’ve just installed the proton app recommended here, although I have no idea how to use it yet and the last thing I want is to be locked out of all my other things like email and social media.
I have friends in Australia that watch so I just checked with them and they all watch on the ISU YouTube channel. So don’t know if there will be a Proton VPN available that I can set to Australia. Fingers crossed

Hello Pink Peril, I'm in Aotearoa NZ too! I use Proton VPN, which I only use it to watch figure skating and Japanese TV. Never had any issues switching back and forth, but if you close all other windows when watching with the VPN you should be fine. Try setting the country to the Netherlands or Singapore. And you're right, just remembered that the ISU Channel geoblock suddenly disappeared this year.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Well, at least it means we will be able to watch the skating for free. Just a pity that it is online only, and not on linear TV as well.

CaroLiza_fan

I'm not complaining. If it was on 'linear tv' we probably wouldn't get it on youtube. It's easily accesible figure skating. That's great.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

In New Zealand, it still shows all the live streams available for me and the Countdown. But that’s exactly what happened last year and then as soon as I clicked on them to watch, it was Geo blocked. Even the replays were Geo blocked. The only difference this year is that on the media coverage list, they no longer show Sky sport NZ which wasn’t the case last year. So maybe they have released our Geo block. Time will tell.
Although I did find another skating website that had some replay coverage later, i’ll try and remember what it is, in case people want to try.
I have a friend in Australia who has watched on YouTube for quite a few years and she tells me they have just been Geo blocked today. Although not sure about that as you can’t know until an actual live stream begins.
The whole situation is utterly crazy, especially when if you contact ISU customer service or even write snail mail letters to them. It just gets ignored and they will turn off completely the chat or comments on any streams like they did last year due to the complaints.

So maybe i won´t be so lucky then Hm.. I just have to wait and see. Anyways, I will know tomorrow morning, I will not stay up all night for the first competitions so i´m just crossing my fingers for rewatch tomorrow morning.

Still no signs for GP on Viaplay, I mean it´s starting around 12 hours if they are going to show it should have been added in the program by now.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

With less than 48 hours to go until the start of Skate America, I think fans in the British Isles finally have an answer.

To recap:

• In March 2022, Viaplay announced that they had bought the British Isles rights for all ISU skating events in the 2023-24 to 2027-28 seasons.
• Viaplay UK launched in November 2022.
• British Eurosport's contract for the figure skating ended at the end of the 2022-23 season.
• In July 2023, Viaplay announced that they were pulling out of all markets except for the Nordic countries and the Netherlands.

For the past 3 months, we in the British Isles haven't known where we will be able to watch the ISU skating events. There have been no announcements or indication from anywhere.

However, all of the livestreams for the World Feed coverage of Skate America are now visible on the "Upcoming Livestreams" page on the ISU YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@SkatingISU/

I would say that is a good sign that the streams will NOT be geo-blocked for us when they come on-air.

So, I take it this means that Viaplay has already handed back the rights in the British Isles, and nobody else has bought them.

Well, at least it means we will be able to watch the skating for free. Just a pity that it is online only, and not on linear TV as well.

CaroLiza_fan

If you have a newer TV you might have apps and access to YouTube, in that way you can watch in from TV, or use Chromecast in some cases or in my case I have Apple TV with YouTube app so I have often been watching the JGP streams from there

I´m not sure it´s that you meant though. I agree it´s a pity if it doesn´t appear on linear TV because it won´t reach out to most people.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

If you have a newer TV you might have apps and access to YouTube, in that way you can watch in from TV, or use Chromecast in some cases or in my case I have Apple TV with YouTube app so I have often been watching the JGP streams from there

I´m not sure it´s that you meant though. I agree it´s a pity if it doesn´t appear on linear TV because it won´t reach out to most people.

Yeah, you've got a point about modern TV's. Our main TV and the kitchen TV are too old to do things like that (and I am dreading if they ever need to be replaced, because newer TV's don't have enough sockets in them to plug in all the devices that we have connected to these two TV's). But the TV in my parent's bedroom is a smart TV (there are not as many devices plugged into it, so we can manage with it having fewer sockets). And I have used the internet (Opera) and YouTube applications on it. But, I didn't find them as good as what I am used to on the computer.

But, that wasn't what I meant. What I meant was what you said at the end of your post.

Let's be blunt. Figure skating is not as popular as it used to be. It needs to get new fans, and at the same time it needs to hold onto the existing fans. And moving coverage to being largely online only is not going to achieve either of those things. Instead, it is going to do the opposite.

I first saw figure skating when I was flicking through the TV channels when I was taking a break from my homework. I just stumbled across it on Eurosport by accident. And I stopped and watched a bit. And that was where my interest started.

With streaming online, you don't just stumble across figure skating like that. You have to actively go looking for it. And we all know how difficult it can be to find, even for people like us who have an idea of where to look.

Somebody who has just a passing interest in the sport, or is just starting to get interested, is not going to be bothered with that. They are going to say "sod this!" and go and watch something that is easier to access. Same with those that are not very computer savvy.

And that is before you get to the issue of people who live in areas that don't have good enough internet access for streaming without buffering.

Although having coverage online is increasing the potential audience, by not having TV coverage as well, the potential audience is being limited at the same time.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Pink Peril]

So maybe i won´t be so lucky then Hm.. I just have to wait and see. Anyways, I will know tomorrow morning, I will not stay up all night for the first competitions so i´m just crossing my fingers for rewatch tomorrow morning.

Still no signs for GP on Viaplay, I mean it´s starting around 12 hours if they are going to show it should have been added in the program by now.

Same here I will have to wait-and-see as it’s not my first priority as I’ll be watching the Formula One but just wanted to watch the top men and all of the ice dance as that was my area of competing.
There is another comment somewhere on this thread that says viaplay are not showing it anymore and nor are Eurosport for you. So it’s very likely YouTube will still be Geo blocked as they won’t have caught up on it, which is what they did in New Zealand when Sky NZ dropped it. So you might need the Proton VPN like others in this thread to watch it. I’ve just signed up with that, the free one, but it now limits you to which countries you can connect to that might mean paying to subscribe to Peacock. I’m certainly not paying to subscribe to anything anywhere. Fingers crossed the New Zealand YouTube is not Geo blocked this year.

 

[Pink Peril]

Hello Pink Peril, I'm in Aotearoa NZ too! I use Proton VPN, which I only use it to watch figure skating and Japanese TV. Never had any issues switching back and forth, but if you close all other windows when watching with the VPN you should be fine. Try setting the country to the Netherlands or Singapore. And you're right, just remembered that the ISU Channel geoblock suddenly disappeared this year.

I’ve just set up an account on the free Proton VPN, but it’s changed from what others are saying on this thread. Firstly I’ve only got an iPad so everything is through apps. Secondly the bad news as soon as I signed up is it now tells you, you can no longer select a country, unless you go for the paid subscription to proton. It says there are only three servers for the free account and you have no choice which one you connect to, it’s done automatically. Mine automatically connected to USA and I’m presuming that means I need to have a paid Peacock subscription to watch it but I don’t see how I can get on Peacock or NBC because I’d have to have an account with them. I can’t watch YouTube with the server from USA because it’s geo-blocked because those broadcasters have the rights.
People here are saying you need the Netherlands for watching on YouTube unblocked. So it means it will be hit and miss, and only if I automatically connect and it decides to put me on the Netherlands, will I be able to watch. That is unless seeing as sky sport NZ hasn’t broadcasted it for two years, that they may have finally removed the Geo block, but we won’t find out until the event starts. I am on pension and I pay enough for sky sports and my normal Wi-Fi. I certainly can’t afford to subscribe to anything else, either a paid VPN or a channel elsewhere in the world. Why oh why does the ISU not seem to want anyone to watch skating anymore. I grew up with it as my parents met on the ice in the 50’s and dad was an ice dance judge until his 80s.

 

[CellarDweller]

We did miss you and we look forward to when you can join us live.

Yes. From the ISU homepage:

Thank you!

I have Peacock which I can watch on my phone, but I have a friend who doesn't and was looking for a way to watch.

However, I may watch on YouTube, as I can get YouTube on my TV, and watch it large screen, while on the forum.

 

[labgoat]

I first saw figure skating when I was flicking through the TV channels when I was taking a break from my homework. I just stumbled across it on Eurosport by accident. And I stopped and watched a bit. And that was where my interest started.

With streaming online, you don't just stumble across figure skating like that. You have to actively go looking for it. And we all know how difficult it can be to find, even for people like us who have an idea of where to look.

Somebody who has just a passing interest in the sport, or is just starting to get interested, is not going to be bothered with that. They are going to say "sod this!" and go and watch something that is easier to access. Same with those that are not very computer savvy.

And that is before you get to the issue of people who live in areas that don't have good enough internet access for streaming without buffering.

Although having coverage online is increasing the potential audience, by not having TV coverage as well, the potential audience is being limited at the same time.

Exactly, this is what the powers that be need to hear.

 

[labgoat]

USA fans are now geoblocked from the ISU page, however our friends from Canada are not.
So use your Canadian connections.

 

[Princessroja]

Happy to help!

Perhaps try using a different browser for the skating only?

Good idea! I will try that next time!

How odd! I am using a Windows 11 laptop and all I have to do is go to the tray, bring up Proton, and switch the VPN to disconnect (not USA) and I am home free for using the laptop . Then, I turn it on to the Neatherlands when I want to watch skating. Minz is much younger and smarter than I am so maybe she has an idea. I am using Win 11 and Chrome on the laptop. Have not tried Firefox. Other people are using other VPNs and may have some input.

Right, that's how I thought it should be! It was like it totally confused my computer. Even when I signed out and switched back to my normal self, I'd get websites in Dutch, and on the VPN, it still thought I was in the US. And I have an up-to-date macbook, so it's not like I'm an ancient computer that might understandably struggle.

 

[snowflake]

So maybe i won´t be so lucky then Hm.. I just have to wait and see. Anyways, I will know tomorrow morning, I will not stay up all night for the first competitions so i´m just crossing my fingers for rewatch tomorrow morning.

Still no signs for GP on Viaplay, I mean it´s starting around 12 hours if they are going to show it should have been added in the program by now.

I'll also wait until tomorrow morning. You cross your fingers and I'll be holding my thumb. Haha, I wonder when I'll wake up. I'm curious so maybe before seven. You?

I've read that Nent group paid for the nordic rights until this season(4 seasons). Suppose figure skating didn't give them customers they thought. At least not Grand Prix with few Nordic participants. Now my hope is that Swedish TV can buy back the rights for the championships. Which they couldn't afford against Nent group's high bidding.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Yeah, you've got a point about modern TV's. Our main TV and the kitchen TV are too old to do things like that (and I am dreading if they ever need to be replaced, because newer TV's don't have enough sockets in them to plug in all the devices that we have connected to these two TV's). But the TV in my parent's bedroom is a smart TV (there are not as many devices plugged into it, so we can manage with it having fewer sockets). And I have used the internet (Opera) and YouTube applications on it. But, I didn't find them as good as what I am used to on the computer.

But, that wasn't what I meant. What I meant was what you said at the end of your post.

Let's be blunt. Figure skating is not as popular as it used to be. It needs to get new fans, and at the same time it needs to hold onto the existing fans. And moving coverage to being largely online only is not going to achieve either of those things. Instead, it is going to do the opposite.

I first saw figure skating when I was flicking through the TV channels when I was taking a break from my homework. I just stumbled across it on Eurosport by accident. And I stopped and watched a bit. And that was where my interest started.

With streaming online, you don't just stumble across figure skating like that. You have to actively go looking for it. And we all know how difficult it can be to find, even for people like us who have an idea of where to look.

Somebody who has just a passing interest in the sport, or is just starting to get interested, is not going to be bothered with that. They are going to say "sod this!" and go and watch something that is easier to access. Same with those that are not very computer savvy.

And that is before you get to the issue of people who live in areas that don't have good enough internet access for streaming without buffering.

Although having coverage online is increasing the potential audience, by not having TV coverage as well, the potential audience is being limited at the same time.

CaroLiza_fan

For a lot of people, sports channels that you have to pay for, like Eurosport, put certain sports out of view. I had no idea I could watch sports like that as a kid. My family couldn't afford satellite tv like Sky.

My first glimpse of figure skating (outside of some mention of Torvill and Dean) was on terrestrial tv, the Olympics- and I wasn't really all that interested. I didn't really watch any competitions until they became more widely available on youtube. The only thing that would have been really accessible to me on actual tv was the free skates at the World championships (because that was all the BBC showed). But I only knew to look for that because I'd started watching youtube videos of certain skaters like Mao Asada.

Youngsters nowadays are far more likely to get into it via Youtube or stumbling across it on social media. They don't tend to watch all that much conventional tv.

 

[skylark]

Youngsters nowadays are far more likely to get into it via Youtube or stumbling across it on social media. They don't tend to watch all that much conventional tv.

that's true! I liken the situation to how I am in libraries. I love requesting or hunting up a book I've read/heard about, am interested in. But I also love wandering through the stacks to see what's new or what jumps out at me. That can't happen with streaming,, you have to hunt; but it can happen with youtube.

To answer the question of the thread with no complications, I'm watching via Peacock and am very very pleased. The camerawork on the practices is excellent. Also, they're showing replays, but for a limited time. Someone said 2 days.