NBC Sports set to broadcast Grand Prix Series - USFS, NBC announce broadcast partners

[visaliakid]

NBC Sports set to broadcast Grand Prix Series - USFS, NBC announce broadcast partners

U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports announced today a partnership that will allow NBC Sports and Universal Sports to broadcast the 2009 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

The deal, which was made possible after U.S. Figure Skating acquired the rights to the Grand Prix Series from the ISU this summer, marks the first time since 2003 that coverage of nearly all the Grand Prix Series events will appear on network television.

NBC's broadcast will feature coverage of the ladies and men's free skates, while Universal Sports will focus its coverage on pairs, ice dancing and the men's and ladies short programs.

"It was extremely important to U.S. Figure Skating that we pursue every opportunity possible to bring television coverage of the Grand Prix Series back to the loyal fans of figure skating," said David Raith, U.S. Figure Skating executive director.

NBC's broadcast team for the Grand Prix Series will include Andrea Joyce and 2002 Olympic pairs champion (with partner Jamie Salé), David Pelletier.

Source - IceNetwork News

 

[Tonichelle]

interesting... just david and andrea? this could be the best team NBC's ever had.

 

[fairly4]

Really--maybe talk wise, but what do they and tara know about the COP system--last i looked--they skated under 6.0s . they don't know what counts/doesn't. They might be able to spot ur's and technque glitches, but i doubt if they would have the guts to state that about the skaters they like or pitch like in Tara's case (ashley wagner) jaime and david in pars, andrea was a pair, so that is the problem. people who don't know much about new system .
hyping themselves in and promoting themselves in a sport that they are no longer interested in-just them getting money .
all sports people don't know enough to stay out of sight. (like some fans wouldn't watch just because of the wrong sportscasters).

i know it is bad, but i was going to watch and renew my icenetwork subscription until Tara is as a sportscaster, jamie and david is in as sportscaster on nbc.
sorry--can't stand them . thankfully i can mute the sound button, unfortunately i cant blind them out.

 

[Tonichelle]

um... ok...

David is still very much a part of the sport, and when did Andrea Joyce figure skate??? Isn't she a color commentator???

And where does Tara come into this? It says that on NBC it'll be Dave and Andrea...

whatev, I'll take what I can get.

 

[visaliakid]

Confirmed IceNetwork Webcast Team for Skate America and U.S. Nationals:

Host: Mike Mancuso
Commentator: Tonia Kwaitkowski
Color: Tara Lipinski

NBC TV Telecast Team for all ISU Events

Andrea Joyce and David Pellitier

(except Skate America, which will feature the regular NBC Crew of Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic)

First there was total dismay that there would be no Grand Prix on TV and now the agnst over who and who should not be commentating. Some folks are never happy!

 

[fairly4]

tonimichelle

thank you for your answer --i love it--i was a bit over the top.
tara on icenetwork.
i do like andrea as a commentator--i didn't like jamie and david at the olympics in the commenting role. yes they was funny--and did a great job in levity--but otherwise i didn't care for them.

 

[Mathman]

I look forward to seeing Tara after all this time away from the sport. I might still throw a few grapes at the TV for her beating Michelle in 1998, but -- letting bygones be bygones -- I plan to settle in and enjoy her perspective on things.

 

[lcd]

Unclear if they have sufficient expertise to provide commentary on ice dance :disapp:

 

[Tonichelle]

lcd - that's always been the problem with these two networks... not that NBC really gives a rip... we won't get to see ice dance till at the very least Nationals.

 

[merrybari]

Has anyone heard why NBC isn't covering Cup of China in this deal?

 

[dorispulaski]

Do the Chinese have to release the rights? That might be it. The Chinese network always covers CoC very completely.

 

[merrybari]

Do the Chinese have to release the rights? That might be it. The Chinese network always covers CoC very completely.

I wondered about that but didn't ABC/ESPN cover it when they were doing the broadcasting?

USFS announcement: The deal, which was made possible after U.S. Figure Skating acquired the rights to the Grand Prix Series from the ISU this summer. . . ,

Seems they acquired the rights from ISU - did ISU not have access to the rights in China. Seems odd they wouldn't release this one when they did all the others. Chinese TV doesn't have worldwide coverage - but then, neither does US TV.

Does USFS have the rights to Skate America - to release it to others or not? Very interesting how this works. Is it political as well as economical? Curious minds want to know, not to mention disappointed, and greedy skating fans.

I did express my disappoinment in the comment section of an article I read - not something I usually do, but this omission baffles me. If I get an answer, I'll come back with the scoop.

 

[dewey]

Am I reading this right? Tonia and Tara are only commentating for Skate America and Nationals, and only on IceNetwork (not NBC)? And Andrea and David are only on NBC broadcasts? So the rest of the GP on IceNetwork will be commentary-free (please, please)?

 

[Dee4707]

i didn't like jamie and david at the olympics in the commenting role. .

I didn't either. Oh well, I'm like Toni, I'll take what I can get. Why not Paul???? Why not????

 

[mycelticblessing]

I don't care much for Jamie's commentating, but I do enjoy David's.

I wish Paul would commentate more too! He's one of my favourite commentators, right up there with the British Eurosport guys! He's not in the commentator's stand enough.

 

[Tonichelle]

in the case of Jamie and David in 2006 - I didn't either because they weren't needed. NBC went overboard on the "experts" and there were too many voices in teh booth which led to a lot of needless talk. With just David and Andrea I think it'll be a whole lot better.

I think where Paul is concerned he's considered "too dry" and is rather "unknown" to the average viewer... he's good for explaning the judging in the networks' eyes but little more.

 

[museksk8r]

interesting... just david and andrea? this could be the best team NBC's ever had.

Eh, I dunno. I don't particularly care for Andrea Joyce. Many of the posters on the internet forums know a lot more about figure skating than she does. I too wish Paul Wylie could commentate more. I find him very knowledgeable and unbiased, and pleasant to listen to.

As long as I have skating to watch on big screen tv, I'll take Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo as commentators.

 

[Tonichelle]

most color commentators know diddly about the sport until they work for years on the events (Verne Lundquist and Terry Gannon are prime examples in the US)...

I wouldn't mind having the muppets, it'd be entertaining to say the least!

 

[merrybari]

I too would like to see/hear Paul in the booth. Knowledgeable, positive and concise.

 

[PolymerBob]

I guess the only bad thing is that we will watch our favorites lose in high definition.