Ladskater said:
I was just looking at the schedule for CTV /TSN - it looks pretty pitiful.
http://www.tsn.ca/figure_skating/feature.asp?fid=2865
I hope there is more to it than this!
Well, there is a
little more: CTV/TSN is still broadcasting the Canadian Synchro Championships this year, but other than that, yes, I'm afraid that's basically it.
BTW, according to Debbi Wilkes and a few other people "in the know," the main reason why CTV/TSN (or any other Canadian network) doesn't have any ISU-sponsored events on their schedule (the three events they
are still broadcasting are sponsored by Skate Canada, not the ISU) is because the ISU's asking price for broadcast rights is so high. CBC put in a bid for Canadian broadcast rights for Worlds, but were turned down because the amount of money they offered was too low.
In fact, it sounds like the
only network able to negociate a broadcast deal with the ISU is ABC (and that's probably because ABC has more $$$ to pay than most of the other networks put together!) Figure skating fans across Europe, Japan and perhaps many other countries are in basically the same boat as Canadians right now in terms of 2004 Worlds coverage (or lack thereof). If worse comes to worse, at least most Canadians should be able to watch at least part of Worlds on ABC, but skating fans in a lot of other countries may be left out in the cold altogether.
I'm crossing my fingers the ISU will be able to hammer out a deal with these networks before next March, but it's hard to be optimistic considering their recent track record.
I certainly hope we'll at least be able to see 2004 Worlds and Four Continents (which is taking place
in Canada next January) on a Canadian station, if nothing else!
