NBC To Take over US Skating Coverage through Next Olympics

[chuckm]

I don't believe Caroline Zhang will be skating in the GP this season; I think she will do the JGP until she is age-eligible to skate at Senior Worlds.

I think we will see at SA: Kimmie, Emily, Evan, Tanith and Ben, Charlie and Meryl, Brooke and Ben, John and Rena, and NNN and Themi.

I'd like to see Wester/Barantsev as the third dance team, Jeremy Abbott and Ryan Bradley as the other two men, and Ashley Wagner as the 3rd lady.

 

[iloveaxel]

I think we will see at SA: Kimmie, Emily, Evan, Tanith and Ben, Charlie and Meryl, Brooke and Ben, John and Rena, and NNN and Themi.

Are John and Rena still competing? I thought they decided to retire after 2007 worlds?

 

[Tonichelle]

I'm with Joe with teh worrying over who we'll get... I don't want Button Hamilton and Bezic like we had for the olympics... and I will really miss Terry...

not overly excited about the move... guess Kurt's out of a job,

 

[SeaniBu]

and I will really miss Terry...

The thought on my mind as I read:agree: I really like Terry. I hope for something to work out and we continue to hear him.

I THINK Kurt could make the move *fingers crossed* Not the best commentator so far but I have become optimistic in his abilities to be a great commentator - great fluff / info "skrcaials." But think it would require less "side jobs" so to speak. Terry really brings that perspective that connects the average fan to the die hards. If Kurt can get that, much the way Dick did for a generation..... :agree: Joy

I like Dick but retirement and guest appearances come to mind. *shrugs*

 

[Tonichelle]

Kurt screwed up on NBC with his first commentary job... apparently calling MK sexy when she was a young teen didn't fly too well with the network. I doubt he'd make a new contract with them lol

still think Scott and Verene would be a whole lot better than the NBC team... why CBS doesn't want skating anymore is beyond me! they couldn't get enough of it in the 90s...

I'm just seeing visions of way too many commentators in the booth again... and stupid color commentators who obviously don't care about anyone that isn't American...

and if NBC rehashes the pairs scandel one more time I will quit watching lol

 

[SeaniBu]

Kurt screwed up on NBC with his first commentary job... apparently calling MK sexy when she was a young teen didn't fly too well with the network. I doubt he'd make a new contract with them lol

OH! ??? Was that in regards to her "California Girls" #? ANd how is a 15 year old sexy???? I don't think I ever saw that as possible even when I was 15??? But I do think improvement has been made and the society today he would be a little better judge of what words and how appropriate choices, etc...IOW I hope they give him a chance.

and if NBC rehashes the pairs scandel one more time I will quit watching lol

:agree: :agree: :scowl: :agree: :thumbsup: :yes: :agree:

 

[Tonichelle]

I can see why they took offense, and I have no idea what program he made the comment on, I just remember hearing the story (during MK's first few years I was not watching skating - my great aunt had died and I just didn't want to watch without her, if Scott wasn't skating I wasn't going to watch)

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The tangents that this Forum takes us too.:scratch:

The topic is about NBC taking over the skating events in the future and no one can comment on whether 5 of the GPs are included.

Instead we get a discourse on who will skate in Skate America. Is this NBC connected? Not that I didn't have a thread about how skaters were chosen for the various events not too long ago, and which no one could describe definitively.

Who do you think will be assigned to Cup of China? and will NBC be there and on what affiliate will it be aired? I really don't care who is assigned to CoC but I would like to know if NBC or its affiliate will cover it.

My best suggestion at this point is to wait for the official news on Monday.
Then let's take up on another thread whether Cohen will be included at SA, and face Mao.

Joe

 

[nymkfan51]

I would think that NBC would probably pick up that coverage after 2008 ... certainly with 2009 Worlds being in the US.

And as far as NBC using other networks to broadcast parts of the events ... wouldn't they more likely use their own cable networks like MSNBC and CNBC?

And don't be so sure Michelle is done!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I would think that NBC would probably pick up that coverage after 2008 ... certainly with 2009 Worlds being in the US.

And as far as NBC using other networks to broadcast parts of the events ... wouldn't they more likely use their own cable networks like MSNBC and CNBC?

And don't be so sure Michelle is done!

At least you have a feeling that there will be coverage of the entire GPs. I do too, but no one dared to mention it.

I'm not sure what affiliates NBC has, but whatever, the GPs are not prime time events unless the population of skating lovers increases. Let's hope NBC covers the Worlds on prime time. It will be in Hollywood in 2009.

As for Michelle, well, I don't see that 3A against Mao's 3A.:sheesh: While I would imagine she would be very successful in a skating show, I doubt she will want to do that. Skaters do move on.

Joe

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think a better question would be, will any of those events get moved to ABC (like last year) to complement network SA coverage?

This is the same question I asked but has now been rephrased. "Will we get the other 5 GPs on TV?" It's not really complementing anything. It's part of the ISU's GP standards.

 

[nymkfan51]

As I understand it, ESPN gets Worlds and the other GP's for the upcoming season ... so I see absolutely no change in the type of broadcasts we get.
After that, I completely believe 2009 Worlds will be covered thoroughly ... probably by NBC ... that would be a big event leading into 2010. And as Joe said ... it's Hollywood!!!!

The GP's for 2009 are another thing. I would imagine we will get some coverage, but maybe not as much as we would like. You never know though ... if the NBC broadcasts go over well, they just might push as much skating coverage as they can through Vancouver.
It's what happens after 2010 that is the big question.

 

[Mathman]

At least you have a feeling that there will be coverage of the entire GPs. I do too, but no one dared to mention it.

See my post #15 above. The article makes it clear that the ABC/ESPN contract with the ISU for the rights to televise the other five Grand Prix events and Worlds is still in force. Exaclty what the coverage will consist of has not been announced by ABC yet.

The topic is about NBC taking over the skating events in the future and no one can comment on whether 5 of the GPs are included.

Instead we get a discourse on who will skate in Skate America. Is this NBC connected?

Of course it is NBC connected. That's what this whole thread is about. NBC has taken over television coverage of Skate America. How will this affect the event? Will NBC decide that since they are footing the bill they want some input with USFS about which skaters will be invited in order to maximize the appeal of the show? This is absolutely on topic in this thread.

Not that I didn't have a thread about how skaters were chosen for the various events not too long ago, and which no one could describe definitively.

What are you so angry about? This is absolutely untrue. Posters such as Hockeyfan, debdelilah, gkelly and chuckm gave very complete and authoritative descriptions of the selection process. I gave a link to the appropriate ISU rules which lays out the procedure in perfect detail to anyone who is sufficiently interested to read it. There is no mystery whatever about the procedure.

 

[Jhar55]

NBC could always buy out the other networks contracts, so if the change is made I'll still watch just hope we don't get Scott and Sandra, love Scotts skating but that's it. As for Kurt he could make the move I just didn't think that Dick would want to but than also forgot about him doing the olympics. Also forgot that NBC had USA but NO Bravo (don't get that channel) could be the best excuess to finally upgrade my cable
Who know we could all be getting are dandruf up for no reason and that everything will stay ABC, which ever is fine with me and we'd all get use to it.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

OK. Sorry I sounded so off the wall. I did not want to join the Chicago Trib for the full info and relied on what was said in the first post. Thanks, too, for the information that NBC will be covering Skate America but ESPN will be covering the 5 GPs.

One further question: Is there a firm date-of-year that NBC will be covering SA since that takes place in the year prior to the 2009 Nats and Worlds?

Joe

 

[attyfan]

If NBC is taking over the USFS events now, then maybe when the ESPN/ISU contract runs out, it will take over that contract (the other 5 GP events, Euros, 4CCs and Worlds) also. After all, it seems that the ESPN/ISU contract expires after the 2008 Worlds (i.e., next season) and if NBC is using USFS to pump up interest in the 2010 Olys, it would want the 2009 Worlds for that same purpose (and the 2009 Worlds are in the US -- which is always good for US TV ratings)

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Who know we could all be getting are dandruf up for no reason and that everything will stay ABC, which ever is fine with me and we'd all get use to it.

I'm with you on this. Hopefully, the USFS article will be clearer. I would also like to read something from NBC Sports as to what they plan to cover. Maybe we will see more of the skating than just the abridged versions of ESPN.

Joe

 

[visaliakid]

If NBC is taking over the USFS events now, then maybe when the ESPN/ISU contract runs out, it will take over that contract (the other 5 GP events, Euros, 4CCs and Worlds) also. After all, it seems that the ESPN/ISU contract expires after the 2008 Worlds (i.e., next season) and if NBC is using USFS to pump up interest in the 2010 Olys, it would want the 2009 Worlds for that same purpose (and the 2009 Worlds are in the US -- which is always good for US TV ratings)

The USFS - NBC deal certainly appears to be part of an NBC plan to put it's promotional brand on U.S. skating leading up to and including the 2010 winter games. It makes perfect sense, and this being the case, look for them to pick up the ISU contract when the current ESPN contract concludes with the 2008 World Championships. (IMO ABC/ESPN are done with figure skating!)

I for one do not really give a rusty hoot about the commentators - just extremely happy that figure skating continues to be covered on U.S. TV. Understanding how poorly figure skating has done in ratings ( I believe mostly due to how the sport has been presented since 2000) it is a major coup for the new leadership of U.S. Figure Skating to have concluded any deal (whether they get any revenue from the deal or had to pay NBC) to get skating on the air!

Major kudos to President Hershberger and Executive Director Raith for the steps they have taken to expand coverage of U.S. skating both on the web (Ice Network) and now successfully concluding this deal with NBC. Anxiously awaiting for details coming Monday.

 

[purplecat]

Though I'm already dreading the worst for their broadcasts, I sent an email to NBC Sports thanking them for picking up skating to air. I also gently said I hope they'll minimize the "fluff"(...I called it "human interest stories") and show more skating. But mostly I thanked them for airing skating, hoping that they'll at least know there are skating fans out there who still watch.

 

[chuckm]

I am dreading the thought of Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Tom Hammond commentating on the NBC events. They would ruin the broadcasts for me. I am hoping they will bring in Dick Button and Mary Carillo to keep things sane, but I don't hold out much hope of that.