- Joined
- Oct 27, 2006
I am going to miss seeing the GP on television!!!
NBC Proposal To Split U.S. Nationals Coverage Over Two Weekends
- Thread starter Joesitz (RIP)
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
You have no problem with youtube. you wont see the competition but you will get favorite skaters.
Joe
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
2010 Nationals to be split over two weekends...
2010 U.S. figure skating nationals to be spread across two weekends - reported today by Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune
2010 U.S. figure skating nationals to be spread across two weekends - reported today by Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
I wouldn't be surprised if he does check out GS and FSU.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
From Hersch:
Recent U.S. Championships have included two weekends only because novice and junior level events began on the initial weekend.
Attendance for the first weekend to watch Novice was never high because Arena Fans could save money by skipping them. One could see the winners in the Exhibitions.
What happens to Mens and Pairs in the new format is just a wait and see. The second part of this question is, is it worth skipping Mens and Pairs to see Ladies and Skate Dance only? or maybe skip those and see Mens and Pairs only?
I do not see any problem for the TV only fans of figure skating. They do not seem particularly interested in the whole competition and are satisfied with just seeing 6 or so contestants live in the last groups. Imo, Pairs and Dance will be limited to fit in with other NBC sports scheduled so it will be a sprinkling of those fs divsions. However, this could work for the majority of TV fans.
If NBC can bring in more fans then it just might be worth it, but the divisions will always be limited as it will be now.
Arena Fans, however, take a big hit. How many will attend is a wait and see. I am sure it will not look like the Spokane arena 2007.
I wonder if Mr. Hersch knows more? No response from USFS and no response from NBC.
Joe
Recent U.S. Championships have included two weekends only because novice and junior level events began on the initial weekend.
Attendance for the first weekend to watch Novice was never high because Arena Fans could save money by skipping them. One could see the winners in the Exhibitions.
What happens to Mens and Pairs in the new format is just a wait and see. The second part of this question is, is it worth skipping Mens and Pairs to see Ladies and Skate Dance only? or maybe skip those and see Mens and Pairs only?
I do not see any problem for the TV only fans of figure skating. They do not seem particularly interested in the whole competition and are satisfied with just seeing 6 or so contestants live in the last groups. Imo, Pairs and Dance will be limited to fit in with other NBC sports scheduled so it will be a sprinkling of those fs divsions. However, this could work for the majority of TV fans.
If NBC can bring in more fans then it just might be worth it, but the divisions will always be limited as it will be now.
Arena Fans, however, take a big hit. How many will attend is a wait and see. I am sure it will not look like the Spokane arena 2007.
I wonder if Mr. Hersch knows more? No response from USFS and no response from NBC.
Joe
From the proposed schedule, it looks like NBC is shooting for three nights of primetime FS programming: Pairs on Sat, Jan 16, Men on Sun, Jan 17 and Ladies/Dance Sat, Jan 23.
They could have accomplished this in one weekend by including Friday night coverage (say, Jan 22 for Pairs, Jan 23 for Dance/Ladies and Jan 24th for Men). Not sure why two weekends are required to get the outcome they want, unless Friday night is so important that they cannot pre-empt regularly-scheduled shows
Also, this would mean that skating will air against Football on at least one of those proposed nights (unless there are changes to the NFL schedule we don't know about yet?), and I thought the NBC/USFS contract specifically said no skating events air against the NFL.
To keep 7 hours of coverage I'm guessing they will do 2 hours LIVE for Men and Pairs each and 3 hours LIVE for Dance/Ladies. Hopefully they can expand beyond that in favor of more comprehensive coverage. Remember short programs have to fit in as well, so likely we will see just the last group of Dance and Pairs. Unless they also plan on afternoon coverage of the short programs. We'll see...hopefully since this is the Olympic network they can go all out and show us more coverage than ever before on Network TV.
Unless...one positive about the split-weekend coverage is that maybe NBC wants a whole week after half the event has concluded to hype the Ladies, and thus, increase Ratings for that part of the event.
They could have accomplished this in one weekend by including Friday night coverage (say, Jan 22 for Pairs, Jan 23 for Dance/Ladies and Jan 24th for Men). Not sure why two weekends are required to get the outcome they want, unless Friday night is so important that they cannot pre-empt regularly-scheduled shows
Also, this would mean that skating will air against Football on at least one of those proposed nights (unless there are changes to the NFL schedule we don't know about yet?), and I thought the NBC/USFS contract specifically said no skating events air against the NFL.
To keep 7 hours of coverage I'm guessing they will do 2 hours LIVE for Men and Pairs each and 3 hours LIVE for Dance/Ladies. Hopefully they can expand beyond that in favor of more comprehensive coverage. Remember short programs have to fit in as well, so likely we will see just the last group of Dance and Pairs. Unless they also plan on afternoon coverage of the short programs. We'll see...hopefully since this is the Olympic network they can go all out and show us more coverage than ever before on Network TV.
Unless...one positive about the split-weekend coverage is that maybe NBC wants a whole week after half the event has concluded to hype the Ladies, and thus, increase Ratings for that part of the event.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Aaaaah Yah! You hit the nail on the head here. But first and foremost they want to show each discipline's finals LIVE and in prime time! Thus two weekends! The bonus is that by splitting it between two weekends they get to have additional promotion of the Dance and Ladies finals the 2nd weekend.
If Spokane is awarded the 2010 Nationals I seriously doubt that arena attendance will be affected by this new format. This city will promote the hell out of the competition and local fans will flock to see it all over both weekends. At any of the other three bidding locations, then USFS will be taking a big chance with local attendance. If USFS is smart they will select Spokane next week at the annual Governing Council.
You sure know how to put a positive spin on things 
The selection of the city is next weekend?
Spokane did well with 2007 Nats, but I'm not convinced high attendance for an event returning just three years later is a done deal. Actually, IMO choosing Spokane is a risk in itself- it's counting on the locals to get hyped up all over again for an event that was there just three years ago. Did they ever have US Nats before '07?
Still, probably better than all the other choices except for maybe Providence. The latter would be my pick. But this is not an easy decision at all imho.
The selection of the city is next weekend?
Spokane did well with 2007 Nats, but I'm not convinced high attendance for an event returning just three years later is a done deal. Actually, IMO choosing Spokane is a risk in itself- it's counting on the locals to get hyped up all over again for an event that was there just three years ago. Did they ever have US Nats before '07?
Still, probably better than all the other choices except for maybe Providence. The latter would be my pick. But this is not an easy decision at all imho.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
And who's posts got him to think that way?I wonder if Mr. Hersh checks in with Golden Skate from time to time?
Oh, how times have changed. How many of you were jumping for joy to get rid of ABC/ESPN when the news that NBC was going to do the TV of figure skating.
What do we know now? 2010 Nats will have split weekends regardless of what other Sports NBC had intended for those Weekend Primetime slots. NBC will cover the Olys in the style it has used in previous telecasts
BIG QUESTIONS:
1. How will they broadcast the 2009 Cleveland Nats ? No speculation, please. Some of us want to make a decision or not to attend by official word.
2. 2010 Nats (Wherever) schedules are pending?
3. Will Skate America in 2008 Everett be televised the same as was the SA 2007(Reading)? and NBC will cover the SAs in 2008 (Everett) and 2009(Wherever) similarly?
4. No problem with 2010 Olys, NBC will cover as it has in the past.
5. After 2010 Olys, no word about 2010 Worlds or what's next officially?
We have had enough speculation to fill the above blanks. Can Hersch or anyone else give us an official statement?
Joe
Last edited:
I'm thinking you're right here.
Also, I agree that it's the arena fans that take the biggest hit. Also wondering why, in view of the fact that for the last little while it's the men's competition that has become the headliner, they feel the ladies are still a bigger draw! I suspect the men will be the bigger draw through the Olympics as it's the deepest field internationally as well.
The US ladies are in a re-build situation, IMO, right now. Will hyping them make it any different. I don't think so. I think it will take the skating to do that and the up and comers are not necessarily guaranteed to continue on as they have started. Lots of physical and emotional changes in the offing for them. Remains to be seen how they handle that if they will be the force of the future many seem to expect.
Lots can happen in two years.
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2006
To have figure skating up against football is death really! I love football and figure skating (figure skating more of course)..but if I had to choose I would tape the skating and watch football live. I mean watching a football game on tape kind of stinks!!
But I think that it will hurt arena attendance...particularly for the fans that travel from out of town. Locals will be able to attend for two weekends.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
But I think that it will hurt arena attendance...particularly for the fans that travel from out of town. Locals will be able to attend for two weekends.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
IIRC, analysis of the record attendance at the Spokane nationals showed that the majority of the fans were local. So maybe NBC / USFS is making a good bet that they can continue to atrract a respectable live gate while also increasing the television viewing audience.
About the men and pairs going first, I believe the main reason for this was because the men and pairs skate in the first week of the Olympics shortly after nationals. So by following the Olympic schedule it will give the men and pairs adequate time to prepare between events.
I am pretty sure that the main thrust of the coverage is to attract the once-every-four-years viewer. These casual channel flippers have never heard of Lysacek and Weir. They will be expecting to see the next Michelle Kwan or Kristi Yamaguchi. A coronation, heading into the Olympics to take on the world. I wonder if one lady will be able to separate herself from the pack by then?
About the men and pairs going first, I believe the main reason for this was because the men and pairs skate in the first week of the Olympics shortly after nationals. So by following the Olympic schedule it will give the men and pairs adequate time to prepare between events.
I am pretty sure that the main thrust of the coverage is to attract the once-every-four-years viewer. These casual channel flippers have never heard of Lysacek and Weir. They will be expecting to see the next Michelle Kwan or Kristi Yamaguchi. A coronation, heading into the Olympics to take on the world. I wonder if one lady will be able to separate herself from the pack by then?
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
Watching any sport on tape kind of stinks. But the networks cannot seem to grasp the concept. Let's tape the Superbowl and watch it 4 days later.
hwell:
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2006
Watching any sport on tape kind of stinks. But the networks cannot seem to grasp the concept. Let's tape the Superbowl and watch it 4 days later.
Yes they really do. Although I can watch figure skating on tape since I usually get the results on line anyway and i know who won. But football? Baseball? Basketball? Really no point in watching it afterwards since you can watch ESPN for all the results. Figure skating is never updated on ESPN.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
^ A related point about sports on TV is this. We die-hards complain that they never show the juniors and novices, and mostly concentrate only on the top flight in seniors.
But then again, major television networks don't broadcast minor league baseball or the developmental league of the NBA. It all depends on what they think they can sell to the viewing public.
But then again, major television networks don't broadcast minor league baseball or the developmental league of the NBA. It all depends on what they think they can sell to the viewing public.
Well, MM, nowadays we don't even see most major league playoff games or conference finals on Network TV any more. Considering that, I think the fact that hours of Nationals coverage will be available on a Network should be considered a boon. Let alone being added to a Network Prime-Time Schedule.
The best the fans can do is try to attend; if not, then tune in.
The best the fans can do is try to attend; if not, then tune in.
Last edited:
Despite the increased ratings for Nats coverage, NBC was still pretty much decimated in the 18-49 department. I don't think the coverage managed a 1.0 for even a single hour of the 9 hours they televised. I think that crowd is pretty much the main reason sports are televised, anyway. THAT is why skating is struggling so much to pull in sponsors.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Not really a surprise. American Idol creamed the 2006 Winter Olympics' big show in the ratings.
Figure skating big-wigs are taking the heat for letting the popularity of the sport decline. But I think they are up against market and cultural forces that are far beyond anyone's control. People are just not into ice princesses and prom queens any more.
Even the rough-and-tumble sports are hurting. Boxing has almost disappeared. In its heyday the coolest thing you could be was heaviweight champion of the world. Does such a title even exist any more? Nascar had a brief surge in popularity, but now I think folks are taking a second look at whether they want to spend their time and their hard-earned dollars to watch someone drive a car in a circle really fast. The Super Bowl lives, but Monday night football is dead and done.
Maybe figure skating is going the wrong way in trying to be more sporty and less entertaining. Look at the ratings for Dancing with the Stars. (Kristi Yamaguchi -- she may not be a Wetherman, but she knows which way the wind is blowing!*
)[*A joke for those who remember the 1960s -- or at least for those who lived through the 1960s but don't remember much about it.
]Similar threads
