American TV Alert: Next 3 GP events to be shown on ABC instead of ESPN

[R.D.]

yes, I think they must have "chacked" poker to show figure skating this weekend.

But also I think in Europe (unless you're in France or Russia) I don't think you get ANY coverage of GP events. But it's a tradeoff...they get full coverage of the entire European championships and world championships (and Olympics).

 

[Mathman]

Getting back to the original question of speculating about why ABC changed it's mind about showing these events...

The optimistic guess is that the network bigwigs think figure skating can capture a respectable share of the viewership if handled right.

The pessimistic guess is that all the other TV networks show football all day Sunday, so no-one is watching ABC anyway. Therefore they might as well put skating on instead of wasting their good programming against football.

Maybe there is a realistic happy medium. ABC made the decission to put all their sports offerings on ESPN, then to cherry pick a few select events for the full network. Perhaps this time slot can pick up the niche viewers who are looking for nice family entertainment and who are not into pro football.

 

[R.D.]

Hasn't skating always had to compete against football...even when the US Nats were broadcast on ABC primetime either CBS or Fox would have an NFL playoff game going at the same time.

Now that the US nats have been shoved to the NFL off-week, lets see what happens. I think both mediums attract different audiences, anyway. The football crowd is heavily male and the skating crowd is heavily female.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

True. Skating has always competed with other sports on TV but skating was more popular in those days.

 

[mkdream]

I like her a lot. I see a Mao Asada/Yu-Na Kim in her if she would just get her jumps consistant. She reminds me a lot of both of those ladies and I think she has great potential. If she would have just skated a clean performance I feel that she would have been able to challenge for a medal, quite possibly gold because no one was really clean in China.

If everyone that was shown in the coverage had been clean I think it would have been 1.) Emily Hughes 2.) Julia Sebestyen 3.) Binshu Xu 4.) Yukari Nakano

Sorry but I can't stand Yukari's leg wrap and there is no way she should make the podium when everyone else is clean with that poor technique. I don't understand....how long has this girl been on the skating scene? Does she not have anyone involved with her career that wants to work with her to change this defect? I just don't see how Yukari and her coaches can know about the leg wrap and still let it continue competition after competition well into her senior debut. Peggy was right when she said that this would eventually be Yukari's downfall especially when everyone else is putting out clean programs. If she would just fix this issue I'm sure she would be a lovely competitor.

Midori Ito had a wrapped free leg and that doesn't stop people from calling her the greatest lady jumper is skating history. She may have a wrapped free leg but she is still a beautiful skater and a joy to watch.

 

[Dibs]

My ABC affiliate simply decided not to show figure skating at all, not even in the wee hours of the morning. And from the looks of it, according to TV Guide, they have decided not to show it next Saturday either. Lucky me.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

My ABC affiliate simply decided not to show figure skating at all, not even in the wee hours of the morning. And from the looks of it, according to TV Guide, they have decided not to show it next Saturday either. Lucky me.

That's despicable. Would writing to the Disney organization help? especially if the local affiliate gave no reason.

Joe

 

[Tonichelle]

I am so bummed that I missed the comp!

 

[treeskater]

Dibs - skating is on Sunday. You posted 'Saturday.' Just don't want you to be confused?

 

[Penny]

For viewers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, ISU Nov 26 will start 30 minutes late, to accommodate FCC-required children's programing (even though they have all week to run the required hours of children's programing, but instead prefer to run revenue-generation infomercials).

Anyway, if you want to complain (and if enough of us do, maybe the situation will change), email David Walther at [email protected]. I just want to know I'm not alone. If they hear from more of us, they won't think I'm just a crackpot.

Again, the EMAIL ADDRESS TO COMPLAIN in the Ft. Worth/Dallas area is:

[email protected]

 

[Mathman]

If the TV stations were smart they would call figure skating "children's programming" and kill two birds with one stone.

 

[SeaniBu]

If the TV stations were smart they would call figure skating "children's programming" and kill two birds with one stone.

:thumbsup: :agree:

It absolutely is, but just not classified as such. Sporting events are uplifting for children - "aspirations and the like." And here is a non violent sporting event that has athletics, performance, etc... for the whole family to enjoy. So they may even classify it as a "Family / Children's Sporting Event" and then they will have to air it.

I wonder what the statistics are on crime going up as FS viewing is going down? People watch all these violent sports and look at the crime rate.
:scratch:

 

[Dibs]

Dibs - skating is on Sunday. You posted 'Saturday.' Just don't want you to be confused?

I meant Sunday. Geez, where has my brain gone?

 

[boomer]

Channel 7 in San Francisco is supposed to show Cup of China at 3:30 AM next Sunday morning, Nov 26, if we can believe their listing.

 

[waxel]

Penny, I noticed WFAA in Dallas had cut off 30 minutes of the planned GP Paris telecast. I am so sick of their crap. I will fire off another blistering email... for all the good it will do.

With the ABC affiliates screwing things up all over the country, it would seem we were indeed all better off when it was on ESPN.

 

[Penny]

Thanks, Waxel. When I have time (haha), I am going to try to get this message out to the figure skating clubs in the area and the rinks. Let's let them know what we think. Of course, sadly, even I am a little bored with the skating this year, apart from Mao's short program--Penny.

 

[Johar]

Our ABC showed football! I am so sick of this happening.

 

[waxel]

Okay, so in Dallas we had the first 30 mins. pre-empted. I'm not sure what we missed but I grew curious about Sergei Dobrin's performance so I found it on youtube. Not sure this link will work, but it is from Japanese TV ... and they talk through the performances more than our commentators ever thought about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXRHOQU1EI&NR

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Loved the quad sal. Dobrin has come a long way since I first saw him in Moscow Worlds. I think he is a most promising skater.

Joe