It seems Uliana wants that spot too! she has just done well in the SP at BC/YK.
2025 Skate Ontario Sectional Series | Aug 15-17
- Thread starter 4everchan
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- Nov 29, 2020
Yes, Uliana look strong this season, she surely want a spot at the GP of Skate Canada and the Denis Ten event !
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2006
That is just plain extortionate. They want everyone to buy the 40 dollarsI did go to buy the event today but if you buy individually, you have to pay for each rink so its really 20 dollars in all for a one time viewing. So I passed. But I'm sad on missing Kaiya, Gabby, and all the other skaters I wanted to see.
full season pass. I think they assume it's only parents of the skaters who are interested. Nothing for fans who simply cannot afford to fork out that much to watch skating abroad in one go in different timezones so need to have access to the archives to catch up. Very sad. Yet again not welcoming to international fans or new fans to grow the sport. 
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2012
FYI - I did pay the $40 (although I am from Ontario so a bit different for me) and was able to log on today very easily. I am surprised it is $20 per rink as the streaming site has both rinks available at the same time. That doesn't seem fair at all. Will let you know if the site continues to work well.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
I boycotted because i can watch the other event in BC... but i hope this is not a trend... Imagine if we had to buy a season's pass for every province holding events ? BC, Alberta, Ontario QC : that would be close to 200 dollars. For summer events, when skaters often W/D or are just trying out their new programs and often not quite ready with them.
I am happy to support the skaters, but also, it's fair to expect that fans deserve some respect. When things have been free for so long, for me, that's not a good move to start charging money for them. Just my opinion of course.
I am happy to support the skaters, but also, it's fair to expect that fans deserve some respect. When things have been free for so long, for me, that's not a good move to start charging money for them. Just my opinion of course.
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- Mar 7, 2015
Based on this post, I think Skate Ontario is getting quite a bit of feedback on the stream.
I am going to miss Pairs and Senior Women today, hopefully there are gauntlets thrown during women
typical PR response to say that they are getting a lot of negative feedback... whether it is about having to pay or because of the quality of what you get for what you pay for etc..
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- Aug 6, 2025
Yeah the site seemed pretty easy to navigate. Just to clarify it would have been with tax 10.11 per rink for me so 20 in total if i wanted to watch both rinks with no replays. So definitely makes more sense to buy the 40 season pass for 99% of people who are going to watch more than just this!
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2006
Based on this post, I think Skate Ontario is getting quite a bit of feedback on the stream.
I am going to miss Pairs and Senior Women today, hopefully there are gauntlets thrown during women
Still assuming it's only folk in the Ontario "community" who want to watch. No acknowledgement that fans overseas may be interested. These are the people in charge of running the sport.
Wishing Lucy & Aiden good luck in the Senior Rhythm Dance tonight, UK time.
Will check results in the morning.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2012
There are no banners announcing skaters or results , no playback, no TES ticker box - very very basic. You need to listen to the announcer for any information so not good if you want to double-task. Just watched the pre-novice / novice dance and there is some promising talent there
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- Mar 7, 2015
W.O.W.
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- Oct 23, 2005
The sport in general seems to be trending in this direction. Most Senior Bs and Challengers were free 3-4 years ago but have almost all switched over the paid. And what they want is highway robbery. The recent Asian Open was streamed for free on YouTube just two years ago. This year it was paid and they wanted $40 for the full access pass. For ONE competition.
I read somewhere that Ted and Mark were floating the idea of a paid stream for JGP last year during their commentary for one of the events. JGP has ALWAYS been free and the entire POINT was access to the sport. I didn’t hear it first hand so I don’t know the context or exactly what was said but it’s disappointing to hear it could be a possibility.
NONE of this is fan friendly. It’s all geared toward the families of skaters who may have $40 a weekend or $15 a day to pay once to see their family member skate, but for fans it adds up. It’s like TBTB has forgotten that they need fans in order to grow the sport and sell out those arenas. I just spent $3K on a trip to Boston to see the Worlds back in March. Why did I do that? Because I KNOW these skaters from being able to watch them ONLINE. I’m not spending that much money to attend something I know nothing about and can’t even watch. And I’m not spending $40 every weekend to watch a Senior B or some summer event with only a few interesting skaters that probably won’t be at their best. So now I’m having to jump through hoops and beg people for videos of the few skaters I want to see. It’s getting so frustrating that more than once in the last year have considered just not watching anymore. Then the ISU can forget about getting my money.
I’ve been saying for a very long time that if they need to do the paid thing for fans it needs to be some sort of subscription service along the lines of Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ where you pay a reasonable monthly fee and get access to everything live and on demand. I would gladly sign up for a monthly subscription to have everything on one platform to be watched at my convenience rather than how it is now where we never know what is streaming, how much it is, where to find it, what the quality will be etc. The current trend just isn’t sustainable and they’re going to lose a lot of fans as the sport becomes more unaffordable and complicated to watch.
I read somewhere that Ted and Mark were floating the idea of a paid stream for JGP last year during their commentary for one of the events. JGP has ALWAYS been free and the entire POINT was access to the sport. I didn’t hear it first hand so I don’t know the context or exactly what was said but it’s disappointing to hear it could be a possibility.
NONE of this is fan friendly. It’s all geared toward the families of skaters who may have $40 a weekend or $15 a day to pay once to see their family member skate, but for fans it adds up. It’s like TBTB has forgotten that they need fans in order to grow the sport and sell out those arenas. I just spent $3K on a trip to Boston to see the Worlds back in March. Why did I do that? Because I KNOW these skaters from being able to watch them ONLINE. I’m not spending that much money to attend something I know nothing about and can’t even watch. And I’m not spending $40 every weekend to watch a Senior B or some summer event with only a few interesting skaters that probably won’t be at their best. So now I’m having to jump through hoops and beg people for videos of the few skaters I want to see. It’s getting so frustrating that more than once in the last year have considered just not watching anymore. Then the ISU can forget about getting my money.
I’ve been saying for a very long time that if they need to do the paid thing for fans it needs to be some sort of subscription service along the lines of Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ where you pay a reasonable monthly fee and get access to everything live and on demand. I would gladly sign up for a monthly subscription to have everything on one platform to be watched at my convenience rather than how it is now where we never know what is streaming, how much it is, where to find it, what the quality will be etc. The current trend just isn’t sustainable and they’re going to lose a lot of fans as the sport becomes more unaffordable and complicated to watch.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2012
There are now banners with the skater’s name at the beginning and end but not with the results (watching junior women group 1). Let’s hope this is a work in progress and not regress.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2025
That would kill all interest in watching juniors for me and im sure a lot of people. I always have enjoyed following junior skaters journey because of the free streams for them. What an absolutely terrible idea.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
very good points.. perhaps it deserves its own thread ?
I agree that I go to live events because I have been following the skaters, often on live stream, for free... i wouldn't have at all the same interest in the sport if it weren't for that.
As a matter of fact, I joined this forum because I wanted to know where other people were watching their skating and have been active because of live events (for the most part).
Without free streaming, my interest for the sport would go down by a lot just because there are so many other things easily available... I mean i was able to watch a lot of swimming competition on CBC... all for free. So why would I pay to casually watch sports ?
I agree that I go to live events because I have been following the skaters, often on live stream, for free... i wouldn't have at all the same interest in the sport if it weren't for that.
As a matter of fact, I joined this forum because I wanted to know where other people were watching their skating and have been active because of live events (for the most part).
Without free streaming, my interest for the sport would go down by a lot just because there are so many other things easily available... I mean i was able to watch a lot of swimming competition on CBC... all for free. So why would I pay to casually watch sports ?
I’m glad I didn’t pay now…..
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2012
I have been enjoying the skates. The quality is the same as when the stream was free though. Junior women - Victoria B had a good skate. (Underscored?) I am now a big fan too of Quinn Startek -wow. Ksenia didn’t rotate the triple loop unfortunately. Gabby flew! Hope the free goes well. Kaiya is wonderful but she is still not clean on her triple-triple - imo her score was a gift. Elise Dawson was a lovely surprise. Breken was ethereal but sadly missed the lutz again. Minsol looked mostly clean I think. She stumbled a bit at the start of the step sequence. I think she would disappear in the Korean pack of women though.- she should skate for Canada and give Maddie competition. She was awarded 66+ which I think was a bit high.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2024
I agree and support everything you said. I'm boycotting too, and the main reason is that forcing fans to pay up to $40 does NOT financially support the skaters.
So last year, if I recall correctly, skaters paid $10/competition for streaming. Let's say you're a junior or senior level skater. Based on the streaming being provided this year by Skate Ontario, you would in theory pay $10 each for August Series, October Series and Sectionals. That is $30. This year, if you are family of that junior or senior level skater, you would pay either $40 for everything, or $9 times two for August and October Series and $10 for Sectional Championships which amounts to $28. You're at most saving $2 this year compared to last year.
Therefore, as family of a skater or skaters, you only start to break even of last year's streaming cost of $10/competition if one skater participates in more than 4 competitions (has to be pre-novice or novice in sectional series) or if you have more than one skater in the family, then the total number of different competitions they participate in is more than 4. Basically, this year's streaming model only starts saving money for those skating families where the kid(s) are doing sectional and provincial series. And how many families are like that? Probably not enough to justify charging the fans.
I think we're talking at most $30-40 being saved in streaming costs for a family with 7 different competitions. One hour of ice time in Ontario costs upwards of $30 in some clubs. In this economy, those streaming fees are pennies. If I was a skater, I would happily pay the $10/competition streaming fee, if that meant fans could watch for free. Which is why I think the reasoning behind switching to a paid stream doesn't make logical sense.
Also, why are there only a few of the provincial series being streamed? If you want to make money, stream them all. There's like more than 10
This chat is dead…. Nobody responding. I guess most of us are not paying.
I’m not paying cause I work and this coincides with the BC Summer event.
Victoria’s score was higher than at NextGen. She is our best Junior Girl.
Quinn - I told u she is a firecracker
(Wish she could be considered for JGP. She is good enough)
Ksenia - The 3Lo as the single triple has ruined her this season. She will comeback with the free skate.
Minsol
- She is good enough to compete in Korea and would have easily garnered two JGP spots. Don’t underestimate this Queen.
The battle between Gabby and Kaiya is interesting. Kaiya doubled her loop. Kaiya tends to be stronger than Gabby in the free skate. May the best lady win. If they fail to attain 166, Uliana is lurking for this spot with her recent 171.75 win in BC.
- She is good enough to compete in Korea and would have easily garnered two JGP spots. Don’t underestimate this Queen.
The battle between Gabby and Kaiya is interesting. Kaiya doubled her loop. Kaiya tends to be stronger than Gabby in the free skate. May the best lady win. If they fail to attain 166, Uliana is lurking for this spot with her recent 171.75 win in BC.
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