How much skating do you watch?
- Thread starter moonvine
- Start date
does the commentary for Peacock! 
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2012
I think Mark Hanratty is one of the very, very best. He doesn't make mean remarks, always tries to find something positive to say about the skater no matter how poor the skate was, and certainly knows what he's talking about. I also love how he pronounces "salchow!" I used to really like Johnny Weir's commentary and I do think he's the most knowledgeable, but he and Tara together are just downright negative.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2018
I tend to watch mostly what ISU has available--GPs + GP Final, 4CCs, Europeans, and Worlds, all through my paid Nord VPN. Also JR GP Final (because I find the regular JR GPs much too tedious and long/boring). If I can find a 'free' stream for a Challenger I'll see some of that. So far, I've been able to 'go to Canada' via my VPN to watch my US Nationals and sometimes Olympics (or can find another country to 'visit' via VPN to watch). I don't have Peacock because I don't have (or want) TV any longer.
At times I will skip SPs and only look at later 'rewatches' to see the best of the entries, then watch the LPs--usually all of them. Frequently I can find YouTube videos put up through random 'fan' streams which have many entries from various events posted--often for only a few days. It truly pays to look around for those channels.
Usually I will watch Russian Nationals freeskate, GP and Nationals via the 1TV stream--especially Pairs and Women, and in particular the LPs. Of course I am more than appreciative of Russia making this asset available worldwide without even the need of a VPN. I wish other countries would follow suit, but I do not believe they ever will, especially not my country (US).
One of my favorite events is the FD, while my least favorite is the RD, outside of the very top dancers. A close second is the Pairs FS--more so when the Russians were involved, though.
I tend to concentrate on the LPs of Pairs, Men's and Women's, in no particular order--I simply appreciate fine skating and am less enamoured of quads than of wonderful footwork, beautiful edgework, choreo sequences, spins, non-revolutionary 'tricks' and beautiful moves into and out of jumps. I don't play favorites among countries; my hope is that all skaters get judged fairly on what they deliver that day, and am disheartened when I see certain 'bonus factors' awarded to skaters from some feds, while skaters from others (particularly Russians who now skate for other countries) greatly downgraded on GOEs and PCs. So I try not to let it bother me, and just enjoy what I like most--fine skating, regardless of who delivers it, who does the choreography, who the country being represented is, and who the coach is for any individual skater. For me, those things matter little.
At times I will skip SPs and only look at later 'rewatches' to see the best of the entries, then watch the LPs--usually all of them. Frequently I can find YouTube videos put up through random 'fan' streams which have many entries from various events posted--often for only a few days. It truly pays to look around for those channels.
Usually I will watch Russian Nationals freeskate, GP and Nationals via the 1TV stream--especially Pairs and Women, and in particular the LPs. Of course I am more than appreciative of Russia making this asset available worldwide without even the need of a VPN. I wish other countries would follow suit, but I do not believe they ever will, especially not my country (US).
One of my favorite events is the FD, while my least favorite is the RD, outside of the very top dancers. A close second is the Pairs FS--more so when the Russians were involved, though.
I tend to concentrate on the LPs of Pairs, Men's and Women's, in no particular order--I simply appreciate fine skating and am less enamoured of quads than of wonderful footwork, beautiful edgework, choreo sequences, spins, non-revolutionary 'tricks' and beautiful moves into and out of jumps. I don't play favorites among countries; my hope is that all skaters get judged fairly on what they deliver that day, and am disheartened when I see certain 'bonus factors' awarded to skaters from some feds, while skaters from others (particularly Russians who now skate for other countries) greatly downgraded on GOEs and PCs. So I try not to let it bother me, and just enjoy what I like most--fine skating, regardless of who delivers it, who does the choreography, who the country being represented is, and who the coach is for any individual skater. For me, those things matter little.
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- Joined
- Feb 13, 2018
Forgot to add--Mark Hanretty is my favorite commentator, as well.
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- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
This would be my answer too.
Back in the day, I would only watch what Eurosport showed on the TV, i.e. the Senior GP Series, and the Majors. But since I joined this forum, I have started watching Junior GP's; the regular Senior B's; Challenger events; some domestic events.
However, I am not getting to watch all the events I would want to any more, for two reasons:
- Firstly, because motorsports are my first love, and the calendars have been expanded so much in recent years that the motorsports season and the wintersports season no longer dove-tail as well as they used to. And the fact that all the motorsports championships I follow have introduced Saturday racing in addition to the Sunday racing to try to get more spectators through the gates on the Saturday doesn't help either.
- Secondly, because so many skating events have gone behind the paywall. There are enough things to pay for without having to pay to watch skating livestreams as well. Especially when I am unlikely to be able to watch the whole event anyway, for reasons explained in the previous point.
Also, in the past few seasons, I have pretty much lost interest in the Senior GP Series. There are not enough participants, and not enough variety amongst them. It's largely the same skaters, from the same countries. I like to see different skaters, from different countries. And especially skaters from smaller Feds. That's why I much prefer watching the Junior GP Series, the regular Senior B's, the Challenger Series, and the Majors.
This morning, I watched about 15 minutes of yesterday's Pairs SP from the French round of the Senior GP Series, to see the partnership that I have adopted. And the quality of the coverage has really deteriorated since last season. I don't want my complaints to take over this post, so if you want to know more, see this post:
https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/posts/3473974
It is well known that strange camerawork and directing is a tradition of the French events. But, the rest of it is in the hands of the ISU. If this is representative of what the coverage of the rest of the Senior GP Series is going to be like, it will be even less of an incentive for me to watch any of it other than just my kids.
I just hope that the ISU make improvements to the coverage of their events before the Majors. Because it would really spoil the enjoyment of watching the most prestigious events in this sport if the coverage remains like this. If they don't, I could see me giving up on them too. And I really don't want to do that, because I love the variety of skaters that get to participate in them.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2016
I watch every gp event.. I’ll pick and choose skaters to watch from challenger series and obv cuz my YouTube (the FreeSkate) channel and blue sky and x.. I try to dive into score sheets and rationalize things others can’t.
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2012
I will often skip the RD, especially since the decade themes started. Also, I never watch any whole segment live, so that I have the option to fast forward through parts I don't care about, skip skaters, rewind to catch details I missed, etc. Whole streams are way too long for me to watch live, and it's better for my nerves that I don't, as well. 
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2015
I'm exactly the opposite! It's not nearly as fun for me if I can't watch live. I like watching it live, not knowing what's going to happen, and participating in the live comment threads. I'm usually watching the event now while watching my baby and preschooler, so don't get to comment as much. It saps a lot of the fun out of it for me, losing that community aspect.I will often skip the RD, especially since the decade themes started. Also, I never watch any whole segment live, so that I have the option to fast forward through parts I don't care about, skip skaters, rewind to catch details I missed, etc. Whole streams are way too long for me to watch live, and it's better for my nerves that I don't, as well.
I used to watch every Grand Prix, every big competition, some Nationals, some Challengers, but this is the first season I missed the start of the Grand Prix series and actually had to force myself to watch some performances in replay. The current generation's programs just don't interest me anymore. Pairs and men are the most disappointing, but also many of the women skating to the most bland music don't entertain me that much anymore.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
Lol. I once titled a thread “Johnny Weir Makes Me Want To Throw A Brick Through My TV.”
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
Me too (well not the kids). I love watching live. And hate being spoiled, which i inevitably am if i don’t Watch live.
But I’ve come to gripa with the fact that i’m not going to get to see Asian comps live. I just can’t get up at 4 am. If i try i will soon fall back to sleep.
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2015
Yeah, I wouldn't mind waking up or staying up every now and then, but not at this stage of life. My second baby isn't a good sleeper at all, so at this point few things are worth more to me than a good night's sleep. I hope someday that'll change. It's exciting to do a 3am watch party every now and then.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2025
I actually find it goes in waves. The approaching Olympics does make me think about watching more frequently. I actually prefer to go into YouTube "rabbit holes" to watch performances over time from a skater as they progressed. That in and of itself tells a story.
I also find that some of the "old school" commentary of the legendary Dick Button - can be pretty incomparable. He injected drama and passion and joy.
I also find that some of the "old school" commentary of the legendary Dick Button - can be pretty incomparable. He injected drama and passion and joy.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
For Peacock, Chris Howorth (spelling?) & Mark Hanretty.
For NBC's coverage @ 2025 Skate America, Gabrielle Papadakis did the ice dance commentary. In the last few years it has been Tanith Belbin White & Ben Agosto, but they are now involved with figure skating in other ways (Tanith - coaching, Ben - choreography as well as co-hosting 2025 Worlds & 2025 Skate America with Ashley Wagner).
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