No Canadian TV Deal For Worlds? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

No Canadian TV Deal For Worlds?

In the latest Spotlight on Skating magazine there is an interview with Dick Ebersol of NBC sports. He "does not rule out" bidding for the 2009 Worlds coverage and says:

"Whether we would be interested in the ISU rights would totally depend on how innovative a deal it could be. I have a great long-term relationship with Ottavio [evidently they are on a first name basis, LOL] and I will listen if they have something to say."

From the rest of the article I got the impression that "innovative" refers not so much to the money, but rather to how much Cinquanta is willing to switch the schedule around to meet the needs of the broadcast. Ebersol says that this was a huge consideration in the deal between NBC and USFS for U.S. Nationals.
 
Mathman said:
In the latest Spotlight on Skating magazine there is an interview with Dick Ebersol of NBC sports. He "does not rule out" bidding for the 2009 Worlds coverage and says:

"Whether we would be interested in the ISU rights would totally depend on how innovative a deal it could be. I have a great long-term relationship with Ottavio [evidently they are on a first name basis, LOL] and I will listen if they have something to say."

From the rest of the article I got the impression that "innovative" refers not so much to the money, but rather to how much Cinquanta is willing to switch the schedule around to meet the needs of the broadcast. Ebersol says that this was a huge consideration in the deal between NBC and USFS for U.S. Nationals.
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Let's hope that NBC in the future gets the FS Coverage for the GP, Four Continents, Europeans, and Worlds. That or WCSN
 
Mathman said:
In the latest Spotlight on Skating magazine there is an interview with Dick Ebersol of NBC sports. He "does not rule out" bidding for the 2009 Worlds coverage and says:

"Whether we would be interested in the ISU rights would totally depend on how innovative a deal it could be. I have a great long-term relationship with Ottavio [evidently they are on a first name basis, LOL] and I will listen if they have something to say."

From the rest of the article I got the impression that "innovative" refers not so much to the money, but rather to how much Cinquanta is willing to switch the schedule around to meet the needs of the broadcast. Ebersol says that this was a huge consideration in the deal between NBC and USFS for U.S. Nationals.
Click to expand...

That's somewhat reassuring, but I still wouldn't hold my breath on it. I had no idea the two of them kept in touch.

I also get the impression from what you posted that the ISU has not approached NBC in any form for TV coverage. Yet articles state that NO network in the US or Canada is willing to air Worlds (assuming that the ISU has made an offer to ALL the TV networks and got turned down by all of them).
 
I *think* it's some insurance company. I think Homesense replaces Mastercard as the sponsor of Skate Canada.

I don't live near the Canadian border so I don't get any form of CBC except what Comcast Sportsnet chooses to show (they had some CFL coverage on today).
 
BMO is Bank of Montreal. It's one of "the big six" banks here in Canada. It's been the nationals sponsor for a while. HomeSense took over Skate Canada year or two ago.
 
Mathman's post is most reassuring but it is not a done deal. NBC will demand that the Ladies competition will be LIVE and in EST. The ISU has to worry about the Ladies Competition being shown LIVE in Japan as well not to mention the Europeans. Japan has become an even stronger element in figure skating now than Russia.

However, as host country (the Worlds 2009 will be in LA) the time for the Ladies competition will be set according to the Host's wishes, I believe.

Personally, I don't mind if it is LIVE or on TAPE. My interests are mostly about skaters I enjoy watching for the sake of improvement. In fact it's kind of fun to know the results, then check out the protocols and see if the Tech Asst is doing his job properly. :frown:

Joe
 
Joesitz said:
Mathman's post is most reassuring but it is not a done deal. NBC will demand that the Ladies competition will be LIVE and in EST. The ISU has to worry about the Ladies Competition being shown LIVE in Japan as well not to mention the Europeans. Japan has become an even stronger element in figure skating now than Russia.
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Not only live but I bet in primetime, too. ABC had live primetime coverage of the Ladies' FS at Worlds when it was in DC in 2003.

Good for us. Bad for Europeans as they would have to get up in the middle of the night. China and Japan shouldn't be an issue since it should be late morning there. I mean, if the IOC is willing to hold Olympic swimming finals in the morning so us Americans can see it live in primetime, something can be worked out. ;)

If it's not LIVE, or at least shown within a day of occurrence, there's no sport element to it any more. Live coverage just has that anticipation feel to it. It makes one appreciate the "sport" element of it more (if it's served up a week afterward, it becomes entertainment IMHO).
 
I understand what you are saying. LIVE carries excitement and anticipation. But there wont be any LIVE of the whole event, and some of us want it ALL. If not LIVE then some tape of it somewhere. That's what NBC is not mentioning about any event they feel will not push the American ratings up for the Olys. Your speculations about they will be shown on a webcast is noted but not yet a fact.

You don't seem to understand that Golden Skate has grown over the years and Tara/Kwan/Slutskaya/Cohen are no longer important. It's Mao/Ando/Kim now. Many posters are also interested Pairs, Dance and Mens. Any suggestion that one should be happy with the Ladies only, does not do it for the others.

Joe
 
Mathman said:
In the latest Spotlight on Skating magazine there is an interview with Dick Ebersol of NBC sports. He "does not rule out" bidding for the 2009 Worlds coverage and says:

"Whether we would be interested in the ISU rights would totally depend on how innovative a deal it could be. I have a great long-term relationship with Ottavio [evidently they are on a first name basis, LOL] and I will listen if they have something to say."
This doesn't make me feel much better! This seems to rely on Speedy having a lick of common sense and the good sense to pull his head out of his arrogant and clueless *ss. So far his record doesn't hold out much promise!

From what I have read the Canadians are trying to get him to realize that his product isn't worth as much as it once was but they will still deal with the reality of the situation. He seems to think it is circa mid 90's and he will take his toys and go home if everyone doesn't agree with him!
I really think that if he doesn't catch on to what the Canadians are saying to him about the value of his product that the US networks won't bother to explain it to him again. ESPN passed on US figure skating in favor of spelling bees!!!
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Judging from the first article in this thread, it sounds to me like CBC is still interested in broadcasting figure skating; they just don't want to (or can't afford to) pay the price the ISU is asking.

Ladskater said:
Frankly speaking, I don't believe that Canada would not show the Worlds figure skating championships - especially since Vancouver/Whistler BC will be hosting the Olympics in 2010 which is fast approaching. Besides there are too many figure skating fans and figure skaters period in Canada to let this happen. I am sure one of our networks will come through. I will email Debbie Wilkes to see if there is any truth to this rumour.
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I agree with you, Ladskater, especially since Cinquanta/the ISU tried to pull this same stunt the last time Canadian Worlds broadcast rights expired in 2003. CBC was interested in the contract, but wouldn't pay the price the ISU originally wanted. They were eventually able to hammer out a deal with the ISU, so hopefully the same will be true this time around.

Also, the deal the ISU is offering includes both figure and speed skating events. But since speed skating isn't nearly as popular among Canadian TV viewers as figure skating (except during the Olympics), that's probably another reason why neither of the major Canadian networks is currently interested.

I'm glad CBC will at least broadcast Skate Canada and Canadians next season, but it'll be very strange not to see those two events on CTV since they've broadcast them forever.
 
I am so sick of the ISU pushing Speed Skating more than Figure Skating... or using Figure Skating to help Speed Skating gain more...

it's time the two sports seperate.
 
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