NBC Coverage of Skate America and Ice Network

Joesitz (RIP) · May 11, 2007

There doesn't seem to be any connection between the two. If you've been reading some posts that the lesser portionfof SA or Nats on LIVE TV on NBC is not shown, you can just plug into IceNetwork. - NOT TRUE

IceNetwork is an individually owned organization that replays much of the Sports World under it's official name. (I forgot the name). There is a connection with USFS but not with NBC.

I believe it will be for SA that the Ladies and Dance that are not shown LIVE on NBC will be available on IceNetwork - not right away, but eventually. The Men and Pairs will not be shown on NBC ever. So you'll have to pay for this. Keep tuned.

Check out USFS latest e-mail which talks about IceNetwork. (I don't know how
to post a link.)

Be happy that NBC will bring you some ladies and dance live.

US Nationals? Lets wait and see.

Joe

Sylvia · May 11, 2007

Joesitz said:
Check out USFS latest e-mail which talks about IceNetwork. (I don't know how to post a link.)

Do you mean this article titled "Icenetwork.com Showcases the Future at Governing Council" that was published last week?
http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=38538

chuckm · May 11, 2007

I have a feeling that Ice Network is going to be much, much more expensive this coming year. Last year was relatively cheap because it was a teaser.

Zuranthium · May 11, 2007

Joesitz said:
The Men and Pairs will not be shown on NBC ever.

WTF, WTF, WTF, WTF.

Please don't be true.

~Z

Sylvia · May 11, 2007

From this 4/23/07 USFS article titled "More Details on NBC/U.S. Figure Skating Partnership":
"Parts of the ladies and ice dancing finals at 2007 Skate America will be shown live during a two-hour broadcast on Sunday, Oct. 28, on NBC. The two-hour show may also include taped coverage of the pairs and men's finals taking place Oct. 27. Icenetwork.com and NBCSports.com will also provide a combination of live and on-demand domestic coverage of the remainder of the entire competition."

R.D. · May 11, 2007

Let's just wait until the TV schedule comes out before we start complaining about what's not covered...shall we? For all we know they may put more coverage on TV (or less!).

I'm curious to see how NBC will handle the Nats coverage. I'm just glad the ladies' freeskate is back in primetime...that was a tradition and I was disappointed to see ESPN gut it and push it back to the afternoon. As for Skate America, this is just a "showcase" I feel. I wonder if it will get HD coverage. Did we get men's and pair's coverage of SA on ABC?

But it really shouldn't matter who televises the event...as long as we get to see it, right?

Zuranthium · May 11, 2007

Makes no sense that Ice Dancing, the lowest draw of all the skating disciplines, would be shown over the other two. I don't think it will end up turning out like that.

~Z

chuckm · May 11, 2007

It's because the FD will be on Sunday right before the Ladies FS. They'll probably show the last 3 Dance teams live (the leaders after the OD will be the last 3 to skate), then show taped coverage of the Men and Pairs FSs until the top group of ladies is ready to skate live. That's how I see it playing out.

Mathman · May 11, 2007

Zuranthium said:
Makes no sense that Ice Dancing, the lowest draw of all the skating disciplines, would be shown over the other two. I don't think it will end up turning out like that.

I don't think that ice dancing is the least popular discipline any more.

In recent seasons on ABC/ESPN, ice dance was grouped with ladies and men's with pairs in the TV coverage. It did seem at first that this was a 1&4 versus 2&3 arrangement, so that maybe people would tune in to see the ladies and we could slip a little dance in on the QT.

But now I wouldn't be surprised if ice dance were number two in terms of audience appeal. For one thing, the U.S. has several really good dance teams now, and for the first time ever are in the running for international medals.

Second, as singles skating becomes "more like a sport" (as the infamous phrase goes), maybe dancing ("more like entertainment") will seem fresher. Look how popular Dancing with the Stars is.

R.D. · May 11, 2007

Deleted - misunderstanding

Joesitz (RIP) · May 11, 2007

Sylvia said:
Do you mean this article titled "Icenetwork.com Showcases the Future at Governing Council" that was published last week?
http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=38538

No. Try

[email protected].

Joesitz (RIP) · May 11, 2007

Red Dog said:
But there's already live coverage of Mens and Pairs FS scheduled (so far). However, they could slip in some SPs in there.

Is there LIVE coverage for Mens and Pairs on Saturday on NBC? I would hope so but I am under the impression that NBC allotted 2 hours for Skate America and just for Sunday. Is that correct?

And there doesn't seem to be any coverage of any skating on an affiliate.

We still don't know the plans of IceNet except they will show some competitions, but what and when? It won't be LIVE., and it will have to be subscribed to.

So much BS being posted on how great NBC is and how bad ESPN was.duh.

Joe

R.D. · May 11, 2007

(first part deleted)

You're right about the SA schedule though- 2 hrs on Sunday, Ladies and Ice Dance. (some articles give the possibility of some taped coverage of the mens and pairs, though I question how they'd fit that in a 2-hr broadcast unless they cut the commercials, lol)

No one can praise or criticize NBC yet for their coverage because they have yet to air any skating. Same with Ice Network.

ETA: Here's a reference article for folks: NBC laces up US figure skating

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr...sion/news/e3i0e2267b4c5fe100544956e67b0490177

we know this much:

The network will get 10 hours of programming a year, starting with a live two-hour block on Sunday, Oct. 28, from the Skate America event in Reading, Pa. It will continue with seven hours of live coverage from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on the weekend of Jan. 26-27. That will include men's and women's singles plus pairs and ice dancing. Another hour will be the Exhibition of Champions.

there's also a clause in there that states that both NBC and USFS can move events around, so I have a feeling it will come down to who's popular and who's doing well.

Zuranthium · May 11, 2007

Mathman said:
But now I wouldn't be surprised if ice dance were number two in terms of audience appeal. For one thing, the U.S. has several really good dance teams now, and for the first time ever are in the running for international medals.

Almost no casual fan of skating knows or cares about that. They want the excitement of the big moves the other disciplines put out.

~Z

Zuranthium · May 11, 2007

Also, when JOE was talking about the contract I thought he meant that Men's and Pair's wouldn't be shown on TV at all. I didn't realize he just meant they wouldn't be shown LIVE.

~Z

R.D. · May 12, 2007

chuckm said:
It's because the FD will be on Sunday right before the Ladies FS. They'll probably show the last 3 Dance teams live (the leaders after the OD will be the last 3 to skate), then show taped coverage of the Men and Pairs FSs until the top group of ladies is ready to skate live. That's how I see it playing out.

Sounds like that would work out to me. However, is there time in a 2-hr. broadcast for all that? This is keeping in mind that there would be 3 dance performances, enough time to fill in Mens/Pairs for 6 FS's, and then 6 more FS's from the top group of ladies.

eta: come to think of it- that's 12+24+24 (exactly 60 min. of skating), plus let's say 30 min for marks, etc. That leaves 30 min + breaks between skater for commercial breaks and fluff. That's for 3 Dance teams LIVE, (will they show the medal ceremony?) then the medalists for the Men and Pairs, then the last group (6) of ladies LIVE. May need to extend the broadcast time to 2.5 hours (or 3 hrs) to fit it all in case it goes over.

Joesitz (RIP) · May 12, 2007

Red Dog said:
Let's just wait until the TV schedule comes out before we start complaining about what's not covered...shall we? For all we know they may put more coverage on TV (or less!).

RD - It was you who made such a point that NBC will be much better than ESPN and you were adamant when others disagreed. When posters talked about 'wait and see' you just wrote about the outline you devised from how you understood the announcement as gospel.

I and others reiterate Wait and See, and glad to see you on board and ignoring what you first read.

Joe

Joesitz (RIP) · May 12, 2007

Red Dog said:
Sounds like that would work out to me. However, is there time in a 2-hr. broadcast for all that? This is keeping in mind that there would be 3 dance performances, enough time to fill in Mens/Pairs for 6 FS's, and then 6 more FS's from the top group of ladies.

eta: come to think of it- that's 12+24+24 (exactly 60 min. of skating), plus let's say 30 min for marks, etc. That leaves 30 min + breaks between skater for commercial breaks and fluff. That's for 3 Dance teams LIVE, (will they show the medal ceremony?) then the medalists for the Men and Pairs, then the last group (6) of ladies LIVE. May need to extend the broadcast time to 2.5 hours (or 3 hrs) to fit it all in case it goes over.

Good boy. You are beginning to think and not rushing to praise NBC anymore.

No there is no time for all that in a two hour broadcast and that was a question brought up before. That was the reason one didn't understand why you negated ESPN's 3 hours of coverage over NBC's 2 hours.

Joe

Joesitz (RIP) · May 12, 2007

Zuranthium said:
Also, when JOE was talking about the contract I thought he meant that Men's and Pair's wouldn't be shown on TV at all. I didn't realize he just meant they wouldn't be shown LIVE.

~Z

Z - I believe now it is just Sunday that NBC will cover skating and that it will be LIVE for two hours and include opening commentary; warm-ups, 2 minutes each skater (team) on ice, 4 minutes each skate, on to K&C, and NBC moneymaking commercials interspersed during the competition.

How many Ladies and how many Dance teams only NBC knows. We don't.
As to the Men and Pairs? Your guess is as good as mine. NBC is not using an affiliate and I don't see them bumping one of their sports shows for figure skating. we really have to wait and see this one on how they will squeeze men's and pairs into the scheme of things.

the whole thing has been a wait and see since the announcement but the word LIVE got to a lot of fans and they jumped for joy without realizing the limitations.

Personally, I am hoping that NBC when it gets feedback on Skate America that it will revamp it's outline for US Nats and make it more fan friendly.

Joe

Jhar55 · May 12, 2007

After thinking more about this has everyone forgot that NBC has Nascar in the fall on Sunday's, and you know they are not going to bump them for figure skating. I am not sure if they picked up the Bush races for Saturdays which right now is on ESPN2 because Fox didn't, so there also goes some TV hours that they do sometimes shift over to one of their cable networks.
What at first looked like a good deal for the viewers just might not pan out at all and we get put on the back burnner with no pilot light. :laugh:

NBC Coverage of Skate America and Ice Network

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

chuckm

Zuranthium

Match Penalty

Sylvia

R.D.

Zuranthium

Match Penalty

chuckm

Mathman

R.D.

Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

R.D.

Zuranthium

Match Penalty

Zuranthium

Match Penalty

R.D.

Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

Jhar55

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