Why NBC, why?

[TallyT]

Also the USFS needs to take back some control of skating content from NBC.... They may lose their broadcasting partner but I think that might not be such a bad thing because the USFS could take control and maybe do a better job of puttting out skating content from the ISU though youtube than NBC has been doing for the last few years.

Which begs the question, what's in the contract signed, how much money is USFS getting from NBC (aka what size hole would it blow in the budget without NBC) and would any other media station step up and make an offer?

 

[Kris135]

Which begs the question, what's in the contract signed, how much money is USFS getting from NBC (aka what size hole would it blow in the budget without NBC) and would any other media station step up and make an offer

On how much money they get I have no idea. The biggest issue though is how much of Olympic eligible sports coverage is on NBC. The last I checked basically all of it outside of the NCAA's, which I have a feeling that NBC is planning to try get that as well, is on NBC/Peacock. I mean all of the sports from Track and Field, to Gymnastics, to Figure Skating is all on one network. The concentration should worry any fan of any of the nitch sports. I mean NBC's coverage has been getting worse and worse. From not having replays for events like Grand Prix and World Gymnastics Championships to issues like having a blank screen when a cormerical break on the broadcast coverage on during a skiing event. Maybe it is just me but it seems like the coverage in general was better when more than one network was covering these sports . I mean it used to be like in figure skating, for example ABC would have nationals, CBS/Fox would carry the Fall events or Grand Prix events, and NBC would be covering worlds. It seemed that there was more coverage and at better hours. I mean outside of nationalsit was not live but it was mostly same day and broadcast on the main networks. Now because NBC has total control the coverage stinks. I had to basically stay up all night during the World Championships this yeat just to watch the events live from Japan. Yes there was replays but with only a 72hrs limit meant that along with my job I would not had a chance to check them out before the replays expired. In years past there would have been a chance to record them on broadcast TV or at least a cable network at a decent hour in the day. Now with NBC deciding that getting the music rights is not really important for figure skating we are going into the new figure skating season with no expectations that things will improve for the near future because NBC has no reason to change anything and unless a federation starts taking them to account it won't. I really think that USFS could get a better offer with more money I mean there are at leasr 2 major networks and even steaming options out there. I mean women soccer is on Max so why not see if one of the these companies want the figure skating coverage. I mean almost anything would be better than now and USFS needs to be brave and call out NBC and threaten to sue and leave if need be because NBC needs the ISU/USFS more than the they need NBC and if worse come to worse then start using Youtube Montize it and put in a modest pay wall for live coverage that is up for a week before the pay wall comes down. Because NBC and their lousy coverage is destroying Figure Skating in this country and somrething has change and it has to happen soon.

 

[noskates]

One point to make about the gymnastic popularity - most major colleges and universities have a gymnastics program. They compete nationally and draw crowds from that world. I would also venture a guess that the sport is cheaper - generally speaking - than figure skating. Whereas a competition dress can cost upwards of $2000 or more, I doubt a competition leotard is even half that. There also many more gyms than skating rinks nationwide (again a guess, but probably a pretty good one) but I have no clue what gym fees and coaching costs. Gymnastics isn't cheap or free but.... I was living in Minnesota when Suni Lee competed in the Olys and I know the Hmong community supported her. There aren't as many stereotypes about gymnasts as there are about figure skaters. I think the list goes on. But it always comes down to money and commercial support. The networks don't play to smallish niches.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I'm certain that this season, NBC once again won't be doing any figure skating coverge except on a Sunday afternoon at 2pm with highlights from Skate America (aka ladies and men, no dance or pairs) and a few weekend slots in January for nationals. No uploads to youtube except to show slow-motion replays and the kiss-and-cry reactions. The video will begin during the skater's final pose while the audience applauds.
Is it this difficult to watch cheerleading too?

 

[moonvine]

One point to make about the gymnastic popularity - most major colleges and universities have a gymnastics program. They compete nationally and draw crowds from that world. I would also venture a guess that the sport is cheaper - generally speaking - than figure skating. Whereas a competition dress can cost upwards of $2000 or more, I doubt a competition leotard is even half that. There also many more gyms than skating rinks nationwide (again a guess, but probably a pretty good one) but I have no clue what gym fees and coaching costs. Gymnastics isn't cheap or free but.... I was living in Minnesota when Suni Lee competed in the Olys and I know the Hmong community supported her. There aren't as many stereotypes about gymnasts as there are about figure skaters. I think the list goes on. But it always comes down to money and commercial support. The networks don't play to smallish niches.

When you are on a college team, coaching, leotards, transportation, etc are all provided. But NCAA gymnastics (and the coaches) have done a LOT of work to make the sport more popular. I remember when I started going (as a baby in her mothers arms ) to watch NCAA gymnastics in 1985. There was a curtain over half the arena so people couldn't see how empty it was. But the coaches had posters and calendars made up and had the athletes out signing them and out and about town so people could see them. That made it a little more popular. But it was still so hard to follow, I might get 1 or 2 comps per year on TV, and I was living in an area with no NCAA team.

THEN, SEC network arrived as well as Big 10 Network plus and some programs, such as BYU, stream live on their own app. Now it is extremely popular, there are cheerleaders, mascots, fireworks, sold out crowds....So there are ways...but one needs to find niche networks for niche sports. And I think the paralympic swimming was on Peacock for a week! Is paralympic swimming THAT popular? Also the other streaming services in US are now offering sports streaming...Paramount Plus...Amazon...etc.

 

[Kris135]

When you are on a college team, coaching, leotards, transportation, etc are all provided. But NCAA gymnastics (and the coaches) have done a LOT of work to make the sport more popular. I remember when I started going (as a baby in her mothers arms ) to watch NCAA gymnastics in 1985. There was a curtain over half the arena so people couldn't see how empty it was. But the coaches had posters and calendars made up and had the athletes out signing them and out and about town so people could see them. That made it a little more popular. But it was still so hard to follow, I might get 1 or 2 comps per year on TV, and I was living in an area with no NCAA team.

THEN, SEC network arrived as well as Big 10 Network plus and some programs, such as BYU, stream live on their own app. Now it is extremely popular, there are cheerleaders, mascots, fireworks, sold out crowds....So there are ways...but one needs to find niche networks for niche sports. And I think the paralympic swimming was on Peacock for a week! Is paralympic swimming THAT popular? Also the other streaming services in US are now offering sports streaming...Paramount Plus...Amazon...etc.

What has also changed is that now Elite level gymnasts can now complete in NCAA competitions and not have to worry about losing their eligibility anymore if they earn some money though their gymnastics. Also as the average age of elite gymnasts has gone up the NCAA and senior elite ages are now over lapping each other so it allows girls who want to do both the chance tp do so. Almost all of the women who were on the American Olympic team in 2021 went on to compete collegiately so having that level of talent helps bring the crowds.

Well peacock also had paralympic Track and field about month ago for a week and replays that lasted 30 days. It seems like every sport but figure skating, has a longer replay time. I mean when I have the time to take a Sunday and watch what I missed if I chose to and I may look at look at a couple events in Track and Field Champonships and the first night of the men's gymnastics championships and guess what I have 28-30 days to do so. I wonder why Peacock can not do the same for the Grand Prix Events and National Figure Skating Championships because at best we get 72hrs and that means that if I have a busy week then I miss it altogether. This is crazy I should not have to rearrange my life just watch Figure skating. I mean Figure Skating does get more viewers that the Paralympic events so why can we get the same treatment, some say music rights but synchronize swimming and rhythmic gymnastics, which is also having their World Champoionship this week on Peacock of amyone is interested, also has music so whay so different about Figure Skating here. If NBC needs to get music rights just take the amount out of check that they give USFS for the broadcasting rights and move on and stop putting the Figure Skating fans though this.

One final note. NBC usually has fairly good coverage of Skate America. It was the one Grand Prix event where they actully put most of the event on TV stations that you could tape from. They had a small amount on NBC but most rest was on USA network live and the rest was on E. So they usually make a effort for that one. It the rest of them where the problems start where they act like fans of Figure Skating do not have lives. So we suffer. I am just waiting for this year's schedule to see how much I am going to sufffer this year.

 

[NaVi]

Gymnastics popularity over figure skating is best seen in actual attendance... but outside the pre-Olympics US championships, there really isn't much difference between the two tv ratings wise. Figure skating is low energy but people still stumble in to watch.

NBC sucks, but the ISU sucks more for not organizing their events better. Figure skating should look more towards tennis than gymnastics.

• The top skaters as a collective group need to be going directly against one another more than twice a year.
• There needs to be new competitive contexts that make it interesting for them to go against each other more often. (Tennis has different surface types)
• There should be at least one big event(on the level of the GPF/Worlds) in each of the major time zone areas every year so that the best can be presented live on prime time TV in those time zone areas. (Tennis has Aus Open/Roland Garros/Wimbledon/US Open + mandatory tournaments + ATP/WTA Finals... )

 

[skatesofgold]

What has also changed is that now Elite level gymnasts can now complete in NCAA competitions and not have to worry about losing their eligibility anymore if they earn some money though their gymnastics. Also as the average age of elite gymnasts has gone up the NCAA and senior elite ages are now over lapping each other so it allows girls who want to do both the chance tp do so. Almost all of the women who were on the American Olympic team in 2021 went on to compete collegiately so having that level of talent helps bring the crowds.

Well peacock also had paralympic Track and field about month ago for a week and replays that lasted 30 days. It seems like every sport but figure skating, has a longer replay time. I mean when I have the time to take a Sunday and watch what I missed if I chose to and I may look at look at a couple events in Track and Field Champonships and the first night of the men's gymnastics championships and guess what I have 28-30 days to do so. I wonder why Peacock can not do the same for the Grand Prix Events and National Figure Skating Championships because at best we get 72hrs and that means that if I have a busy week then I miss it altogether. This is crazy I should not have to rearrange my life just watch Figure skating. I mean Figure Skating does get more viewers that the Paralympic events so why can we get the same treatment, some say music rights but synchronize swimming and rhythmic gymnastics, which is also having their World Champoionship this week on Peacock of amyone is interested, also has music so whay so different about Figure Skating here. If NBC needs to get music rights just take the amount out of check that they give USFS for the broadcasting rights and move on and stop putting the Figure Skating fans though this.

One final note. NBC usually has fairly good coverage of Skate America. It was the one Grand Prix event where they actully put most of the event on TV stations that you could tape from. They had a small amount on NBC but most rest was on USA network live and the rest was on E. So they usually make a effort for that one. It the rest of them where the problems start where they act like fans of Figure Skating do not have lives. So we suffer. I am just waiting for this year's schedule to see how much I am going to sufffer this year.

College gymnasts still can't technically earn money for doing gymnastics (although they can earn money from leotard companies by modeling or having their own line). They can earn money through their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Like if there was a pro circuit, no gymnast could take money from that and retain their college eligibility. I also know the gymnasts couldn't take money from the post-Olympics tour.