Thanks for all the updates and information about this topic. So typical of an upstart commercial company buying up rights, disrupting a sport's viewers, and then backs out of a deal, selling it on to another supplier involving different subscriptions!
I'd hardly call Infront an upstart. The company in it's current form has been around since 2003, but was formed from companies that were over 30 years old.
Infront is not a broadcaster; it is a marketing and promotions company. They have had a lot of success promoting ski sports and acting as the broker for the FIS in selling the broadcasting rights. And no doubt the ISU saw this and thought "we'll have a bit of that!" Unfortunately, the ISU failed to take into consideration that ice skating is no-where near as popular as ski sports, and were left up the creek without a paddle when most of the existing broadcasters were not willing to pay the price that the rights were being sold for.
But, the fact that the deals are now being done is probably an indication that the ISU have lowered their prices.
I successfully watched and enjoyed ALL of Rostelecom Cup live (as it's the only GP in the European timezone this season) on my Opera VPN installed on my tablet. Then lo and behold I tried to watch today's Gala and I am geo-blocked????? I tried watching Russian Channel 1 coverage on Youtube, again I am Geo-blocked. So either Opera VPN isn't working anymore, or they've cottoned on to this and made extra security restrictions?
Erm, I think the problem might be at your end. Because it is still working for me on my desktop PC.
So, before you take out another subscription for the Eurosport Player, it would be worth experimenting.
My goodness - the broadcast is 3h 43m long!!!
They do, but only for Admin purposes. British commentators go to France to provide commentary in studios there. Simon Reed has been quite senior in Management for Eurosport for many years, his 2 main sports are Tennis and Skating, and I really enjoyed his commentary for Rostelecom, he was technically astute and overall thoughtful and interesting. Personally I think he's much better minus Chris Howarth.
I know that for many many years it was the case that they went over to Paris to do the commentary. But, I think that for the past few years the commentary has been done from the UK. They have a studio in London, and there are definitely commentary booths there too because there have been programmes I have watched where somebody has gone straight from doing commentary to doing analysis in the studio. So, it would be a lot more cost effective for the British Eurosport commentators to commentate from there than for them to travel back and forth to Paris.
Plus, I remember a few years ago Chemmy Alcott putting up this picture of her commentating on the Alpine Skiing with Matt Chilton for Eurosport:
Somehow, I don't think she would have been travelling to Paris!
I really liked the banter between two commentators. I like Chris but I hope from next season if he is not back they at least bring another skater on just so the commentary is more lively.
I know I’m in the minority but I find solo commentators a bit dry. Though I am very glad Simon is back!
I didn’t know that they all had to travel to France. I know that for the Olympics it seemed like they were in Korea though since they spoke about viewing the practices that weren’t broadcast. Perhaps Eurosport do get that footage beamed to France?
I'm with you, DSQ. I always think that 2 commentators is the optimum. 1 is too few because you only get one opinion, and they might have their own biases. 3 is too many because they are fighting to get their speak in. But, 2 is perfect, because you get different opinions and viewpoints. And they can bounce off each other.
For me, the best commentary teams are where one of them is a journalist (e.g. Simon), and the other is a former participant (e.g. Chris or Nicky). Because you get to hear views from both sides - from somebody who watches it, and somebody who does it.
Personally, I was never a fan of Chris or Nicky commentating solo. If we had to have a solo commentator, I always preferred it to be Simon. So, I am glad that the ISU went with Simon this season. But, I do miss the chemistry and banter we get when Simon and Chris are working together. I would love it if the ISU re-united them for whatever competitions they have in 2021. But, given how vocal those fans were who disapproved of some of the things Chris came out with last season, I don't think it will happen.
It will be interesting to see what Eurosport does about commentary when the skating returns to the linear channels. I suspect they will do the same with the figure skating as they do with the biathlon. For their livestream, the IBU superimposes the British Eurosport commentary (from Mike Dixon and Patrick Winterton) onto the World Feed pictures. It does get a bit confusing at times because Mike and Patrick are commentating on what Eurosport are showing. So, if Eurosport are showing recorded pictures, what the commentators are saying doesn't actually relate to what you are seeing on the World Feed.
A complication is that Eurosport inserts adverts during the biathlon races. So what Mike and Patrick do is to stop speaking when the break comes on. Sometimes the silence is just a momentary pause for a few seconds, and they start talking again for the duration of the adverts, and then pause again when the break is ending, and resume commentary when Eurosport starts showing the race again. Other times, they stay silent for the duration of the break.
I hope the ISU take a similar approach. Because it would be so surreal to have part of our beloved British Eurosport team commentating on the ISU World Feed, but not hearing them on Eurosport.
CaroLiza_fan
