Paying for live streams

[viennaskater]

I don't mind paying a bit for live streams but these always used to be free! The only one which charged was Finlandia, and even that was only around EUR 9 for the whole thing.

Is the ISU feeling the financial pinch THAT much?? The huge amount I paid for the Worlds in Montpellier for not always very good seats, I always get the impression they are raking it in.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[TallyT]

I don't mind paying a bit for live streams but these always used to be free! The only one which charged was Finlandia, and even that was only around EUR 9 for the whole thing.

Is the ISU feeling the financial pinch THAT much?? The huge amount I paid for the Worlds in Montpellier for not always very good seats, I always get the impression they are raking it in.

Any thoughts on this?

I assume each fed decides for themselves for the Challengers, anyone know for sure? It's looking to be an expensive year for fans, that's for sure.

In any case, the ISU financial report for 2022 did show a loss, but they have reserves.

 

[icewhite]

I don't mind paying a bit for live streams but these always used to be free! The only one which charged was Finlandia, and even that was only around EUR 9 for the whole thing.

Is the ISU feeling the financial pinch THAT much?? The huge amount I paid for the Worlds in Montpellier for not always very good seats, I always get the impression they are raking it in.

Any thoughts on this?

I'm not sure who the money goes to and who decided this.
I have already expressed my opinion on this in several threads...

I'm willing to pay a bit for a livestream, but these prices are totally over the top and simply not adequate if I compare them to other streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, Eurosport, for which I pay roughly about 10 Euro per month each. DAZN which shows many of the major football (soccer) leagues and also Champions league games, charges 20 Euro now (I don't have them anymore, but used to have them when they were 10 per month). Anyway, that's by far the most popular sport here - and then there comes a niche sport and wants 20 Euro for each Challenger??? (Paying only for a day will only be an option for very few people. Let's say you are a big fan of one specific skater and only want to watch them, you will still need the whole event pass to see SP and FS.) Where the skaters get basically no money from, where they have to pay a starting fee themselves. While the sporting associations and feds at least in most European countries are getting supported by the state.
This is not my small local book shop that's fighting against Amazon and which I'm ready to support a bit for "idealistic" reasons. This is people milking fans who are so passionate about their hobby that you can charge basically anything and get some return - but in the longer run this totally prevents the gain of new fans, the growth of the sport, and the current skaters, who are actually doing the job and putting their bones on the ice are not seen by as many casual fans as possible.

If I got the feeling that everyone was doing their best already to grow the sport, gain attraction and new fans and be financially as sensible as possible at the same time, my stance would very likely differ. I would conclude that this sport simply has a hard time finding money and if I want to watch it I should contribute in the best way. But I don't get the feeling, not at all. I have talked already, in another thread, about some marketing failures. There is a lot more, but in this context I want to at least mention how hidden the events, streams and ticket information for almost all events are. Instead of organizers and ISU together getting this information out there as "aggressively" as possible, fans have to search for all these information on all sites themselves, ask around, not knowing whether a certain site selling tickets is even legit, etc. My favourite: "you have to write them an email for a ticket". For a Challenger, while Challengers are apparently worth 20 Euro for a stream... Seriously?

Messing it up and then demanding prices that are way above similar products? Nope. Personally I am not going to pay that.

The least they could do is put up the info before the season, make one package for all Challengers, and then make it about 20 Euro for all, or include all big nationals or whatever and take 25 or something. But instead you have each one doing their own thing with insane (compared to what you get) prices.

If the organizers are really unable to hold the event without this (I don't know if that is so), then the ISU and the national feds need to work together and come up with a good strategy and vision for the future. This is not it.

 

[hop456]

I would very much like to know whether Skate America will be shown on any live streams. Last year it was on Peacock (discovery plus here in the UK) but I don’t see it listed on there for this year. Discovery plus was £6.99 a month last year which I think is reasonable, the €20 for each challenger was not reasonable.

Does anyone have an information about live streams for Skate America?

 

[Ivana]

I don't mind paying a bit for live streams but these always used to be free! The only one which charged was Finlandia, and even that was only around EUR 9 for the whole thing.

Is the ISU feeling the financial pinch THAT much?? The huge amount I paid for the Worlds in Montpellier for not always very good seats, I always get the impression they are raking it in.

Any thoughts on this?

I don't think ISU is seeing any money from the Challenger streams, it's the local federation that closes the deal with the provider. The ticket prices are another story, but again are in hands of local organizers, I remember when EC was held in Bratislava they decided to go low on the prices to have full arena every day, some organizers just have differnt goals and take different approach.

But coming back to the orginal question, I don't have issue to pay for a live stream to watch figure skating, I have already subscription to Eurosport to watch GP, EC, 4CC and WC without commentary and at my own pace, well worth the money 6 Eur monthly. Why I chose not to pay for the Challengers is simply because I think the prices are ridiculous, 20 Eur per one 2-3 day event is way too overpriced. I'd be more inclined to pay if there was some sort of subscription for Challengers as well, with reasonably set pricing.

 

[el henry]

I would very much like to know whether Skate America will be shown on any live streams. Last year it was on Peacock (discovery plus here in the UK) but I don’t see it listed on there for this year. Discovery plus was £6.99 a month last year which I think is reasonable, the €20 for each challenger was not reasonable.

Does anyone have an information about live streams for Skate America?

Peacock Premium in the US is streaming Skate America. I do not know if it is being streamed outside the US. Here, the "tiles" are showing up under a banner that says "Figure Skating". That banner is below "College Hockey" and "NASCAR" and a whole bunch of what I assume is soccer (they show the names of the teams, and I don't know them, but the icons look like soccer players. )

If your tiles aren't up, they may not be showing it.

 

[4everchan]

There are other models. The Canadian model. All domestic events have free livestreams. ACI will probably remain one of the only Challengers with a free livestream now...

Regarding GP and ISU championships, all of it is available on the CBC streaming platform. It is not really "free" as CBC does get government funding, and well, guess where those funds are coming from?

But with domestic events, JGP, and all the CBC goodies, there is really no need for me to spend money on choppy streams from European Challengers in time zones not really conducive for watching.

 

[TT_Fin]

I also could pay, but do not want to. I pay 12,99€ per month for a local channel, which showed also Finlandia Trophy all live. It shows also local events, for example qualification for nats tomorrow and Sunday. And lot of other local sport. I pay 2€ extra to avoid ads, and I can watch many that channel's TV programs without ads too, when I want to. So it is cheaper than it would be to buy Finlandia Trophy by solid sports.

It is quite clear that in Finland the fed gets the money. They have skatingfinland.fi channel, which is owned by local fed, but of course they need somebody else to broadcast the event. I have no idea how much the fed may pay and to whom. Even nationalss are not free here; only highlights the final are shown on national TV but not qualification compeititons.

I paid for Lombardia Trophy, but won't pay more challengers. I can afford, but I am little bit stingy. I can spent money to go to watch competitions live, but it is a different thing and totally different experience - and when I have been there I have not missed a single skater or pair. One main thing is as I am full-time-office-worker and have another side job, I don't have time to watch everything. It is not worth of that money to see only a few disciplines or skaters. Even if the streams are archived, there are no enough hours to watch all.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I don't mind paying a bit for live streams but these always used to be free! The only one which charged was Finlandia, and even that was only around EUR 9 for the whole thing.

Is the ISU feeling the financial pinch THAT much?? The huge amount I paid for the Worlds in Montpellier for not always very good seats, I always get the impression they are raking it in.

Any thoughts on this?

It's to my understanding that the individual skating federations responsible for organising these smaller events are in charge of the the streams.

The ISU organsise the streams for championships and grand prix, etc. But the Challenger Series events and lower have never been on any official ISU thing, have they?


I find the expectation that everything should be free as pretty bonkers anyway. Why should they be? I wouldn't expect the premier league to be free, for instance.
These things cost money and budgets likely aren't going as far as they used to. Plus it comes across that a live stream is a faff to organise, understanble they get in a company to do it for them.

 

[4everchan]

I also could pay, but do not want to. I pay 12,99€ per month for a local channel, which showed also Finlandia Trophy all live. It shows also local events, for example qualification for nats tomorrow and Sunday. And lot of other local sport. I pay 2€ extra to avoid ads, and I can watch many that channel's TV programs without ads too, when I want to. So it is cheaper than it would be to buy Finlandia Trophy by solid sports.

It is quite clear that in Finland the fed gets the money. They have skatingfinland.fi channel, which is owned by local fed, but of course they need somebody else to broadcast the event. I have no idea how much the fed may pay and to whom. Even nationalss are not free here; only highlights the final are shown on national TV but not qualification compeititons.

I paid for Lombardia Trophy, but won't pay more challengers. I can afford, but I am little bit stingy. I can spent money to go to watch competitions live, but it is a different thing and totally different experience - and when I have been there I have not missed a single skater or pair. One main thing is as I am full-time-office-worker and have another side job, I don't have time to watch everything. It is not worth of that money to see only a few disciplines or skaters. Even if the streams are archived, there are no enough hours to watch all.

Totally agree... Figure skating is difficult to combine with professional life.

 

[hop456]

Peacock Premium in the US is streaming Skate America. I do not know if it is being streamed outside the US. Here, the "tiles" are showing up under a banner that says "Figure Skating". That banner is below "College Hockey" and "NASCAR" and a whole bunch of what I assume is soccer (they show the names of the teams, and I don't know them, but the icons look like soccer players. )

If your tiles aren't up, they may not be showing it.

Thank you. Doesn’t sound to promising for me then I might have to do a little research on how to watch.

 

[hop456]

I don't think ISU is seeing any money from the Challenger streams, it's the local federation that closes the deal with the provider. The ticket prices are another story, but again are in hands of local organizers, I remember when EC was held in Bratislava they decided to go low on the prices to have full arena every day, some organizers just have differnt goals and take different approach.

But coming back to the orginal question, I don't have issue to pay for a live stream to watch figure skating, I have already subscription to Eurosport to watch GP, EC, 4CC and WC without commentary and at my own pace, well worth the money 6 Eur monthly. Why I chose not to pay for the Challengers is simply because I think the prices are ridiculous, 20 Eur per one 2-3 day event is way too overpriced. I'd be more inclined to pay if there was some sort of subscription for Challengers as well, with reasonably set pricing.

Hi do you know if Eurosport will definitely be showing the GPs, in which case I will get a subscription on there?

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Thank you. Doesn’t sound to promising for me then I might have to do a little research on how to watch.

You can usually watch the GPs on the official ISU youtube channel. A (free) vpn might be needed in certain countries.

 

[Ivana]

Hi do you know if Eurosport will definitely be showing the GPs, in which case I will get a subscription on there?

Skate America is already showing in their upcoming streams for figure skating, so I'm positive they will be showing GP.

 

[icewhite]

Hi do you know if Eurosport will definitely be showing the GPs, in which case I will get a subscription on there?

I just looked and at first it didn't show them, but then I found all GPs including final, EC and WC, so just like before, for this season, at least on the schedule. I use Eurosport for other sports as well, but if you are only looking for these events you might indeed be able to watch them via other ways and for free. I didn't even know the GPs were on youtube as well.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

In the past seasons the senior GPs were streamed here:

https://youtube.com/@SkatingISU?si=QpEQ9fkdrb5WppgL

You can still find them all in Live.
Vpn to Netherlands or Austria should work.

Hopefully the ISU will stream them this year as well.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Hi do you know if Eurosport will definitely be showing the GPs, in which case I will get a subscription on there?

Skate America is already showing in their upcoming streams for figure skating, so I'm positive they will be showing GP.

Whether Eurosport shows the Senior GP's depends on whereabouts in Europe you are.

In the British Isles, there is nothing in the upcoming streams section of the Figure Skating page on Discovery+. It just has the archived livestreams from last season (which will probably start expiring soon).

Viaplay were supposed to be taking over the UK rights for 5 seasons starting with this season, but since they announced they were pulling out of all markets except for the Nordics and the Netherlands, we haven't known what is happening. All I know is that there is no sign of any skating for next weekend either on their website or in the listings for their linear channels.

At this rate of going, the ISU YouTube channel may be the only option for people in the British Isles to watch the ISU competitions.

But, with a week to go, it would be nice to know what is happening.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[FlossieH]

I just looked and at first it didn't show them, but then I found all GPs including final, EC and WC, so just like before, for this season, at least on the schedule. I use Eurosport for other sports as well, but if you are only looking for these events you might indeed be able to watch them via other ways and for free. I didn't even know the GPs were on youtube as well.

Where have you found the Eurosport schedule? I cannot find anything for figure skating. It is not on the main schedule on the Eurosport site and there are no upcoming events in the figure skating section.

 

[mrrice]

I have absolutely no problem paying for a live-stream. My problem has always been, and remains, the reliability. At this point, I'll just wait for a pirated copy to show up on Youtube as I've been disappointed too many times.

 

[icewhite]

Where have you found the Eurosport schedule? I cannot find anything for figure skating. It is not on the main schedule on the Eurosport site and there are no upcoming events in the figure skating section.

It also took me a bit. I went - "Alle Sportarten" (~all sports) in the upper header -> "Eiskunstlauf" (figure skating) -> "Kalender" (~schedule). Then it lists Kalender/Ergebnisse (schedule/results) 23/24. But I also didn't find these events through the media center. Or does this mean they are only saying the events will come up without saying whether they will broadcast them?