U.S. Figure Skating & NBC Sports Group Partner on Media Rights Agreement through 2026

[Sylvia]

Press release today: http://www.usfsa.org/story?id=91476&type=media
Also posted here: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2...-partner-on-long-term-media-rights-agreement/

Each season during the partnership, NBC Sports Group will present an unprecedented 80+ hours of coverage, including 30+ hours of figure skating coverage on NBC, with an additional 50+ hours airing on NBCSN. In addition, original programming plus encores of NBC and NBCSN figure skating coverage will be presented on the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA. Coverage will showcase the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, including Skate America, ISU World Championships, ISU Four Continents Championships, the European Championships and the World Team Trophy.

Building on U.S. Figure Skating’s current relationship with NBC Sports Group that began with the 2007-08 figure skating season, the U.S. Championships will continue to receive live weekend coverage of all four discipline finals on NBC, including three hours of primetime coverage on the network. In total, NBC will carry 10 hours from the U.S. Championships, including the Skating Spectacular, while NBCSN will provide extensive coverage of the event’s short programs earlier in the week.
With the new agreement between U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports Group, U.S. Figure Skating will sell the national commercial media inventory across NBC and NBCSN for the figure skating competitions covered by the agreement.
...
More announcements related to digital extensions of the partnership are expected soon, and full programming schedules for both figure skating and speed skating will be announced later this summer.

 

[wickedwitch]

More announcements related to digital extensions of the partnership are expected soon, and full programming schedules for both figure skating and speed skating will be announced later this summer.

This is probably naive, but I'm hoping for an improvement with Icenetwork.

 

[Skittl1321]

This is probably naive, but I'm hoping for an improvement with Icenetwork.

Does NBC have any ownership there? I thought MLB owned it.

 

[Sylvia]

Does NBC have any ownership there? I thought MLB owned it.

According to this August 2017 press release, MLB Advanced Media is owned by BAMTech which was acquired by the Walt Disney Company (which owns ABC, ESPN, etc.): https://www.businesswire.com/news/h...ey-Company-Acquire-Majority-Ownership-BAMTech

Disney launched their streaming service with ESPN+ ("overseen by Disney’s BAMTech division") on April 12: https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/12/17226998/espn-plus-preview-hands-on-features-disney-streaming

Still unknown: Icenetwork.com's agreement/terms of their contract with either U.S. Figure Skating or MLB Advanced Media.

 

[semogal]

This is probably naive, but I'm hoping for an improvement with Icenetwork.

I am hoping for improvements but wouldn't be surprised if IN goes the way of the dodo bird

 

[Sylvia]

I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount of $ (eta: I consider IN's $50/year to be reasonable) in order to watch reliable, high quality streams of U.S. Regionals/Sectionals/Nationals (with a live option at least for the latter two and on demand for all three); I don't care to what streaming service entity.

ETA: It would be more convenient for me if I could pay a yearly subscription to just one entity so I could also watch the U.S. Challenger Series event, Skate America and the rest of the Grand Prix, and all ISU Championhships (including Junior Worlds). So, in other words, an Icenetwork with no live streaming issues.

I hope USFS can make it happen, please.

 

[BlueRidge]

I'm just concerned if online streams in the US become attached to having cable tv as with the Olympics.

 

[Skittl1321]

I'm just concerned if online streams in the US become attached to having cable tv as with the Olympics.

If it is through NBC it probably will be.

 

[BlueRidge]

If it is through NBC it probably will be.

yup

 

[Lizziebeth]

I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount of $ (eta: I consider IN's $50/year to be reasonable) in order to watch reliable, high quality streams of U.S. Regionals/Sectionals/Nationals (with a live option at least for the latter two and on demand for all three); I don't care to what streaming service entity.

ETA: It would be more convenient for me if I could pay a yearly subscription to just one entity so I could also watch the U.S. Challenger Series event, Skate America and the rest of the Grand Prix, and all ISU Championhships (including Junior Worlds). So, in other words, an Icenetwork with no live streaming issues.

I hope USFS can make it happen, please.

I personally have little trouble with icenetwork. No commercials, little commentary, just skating. I live in an area where I don't have super high speed internet anyway. If I had to watch NBC "programming" of skating all the time, I would probably stop watching. I need the whole event, live, without people yakking all the time during the skating!

 

[SCeline]

Not sure I see any material improvements. The release actually reads to me like an overly positive renewal of the existing contract. What am I missing?

 

[aftershocks]

IceNetwork streams are so inexcusably awful. I've tired of the MLB reps' petty excuses for the poor video and streaming quality. Their responses and overall approach evince a lack of respect for figure skating fans. But what else is new?

 

[BaileyCatts]

I had forgotten to update my CC info so my Icenetwork expired, but since I got the Olympic Channel and NBCSN I just let it go. But I when I did use Icenetwork, I never had any problems with the streams.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ You're lucky then. The video quality is not sharp and there's lots of breaks and stuttering during live streaming.

 

[Fridge_Break]

Thanks for the IceNetwork chatter, I'm going to go ahead and get the auto-renewal cancelled before I forget again (for the 3rd year in a row)

 

[DreamSkates]

I found most IN videos/streaming were fine. And I would rather pay for one subscription @ $50/year than who knows what for one or 2 different sites? I did get NBCSN for the Olympics, but only for 2 months.

 

[breathesgelatin]

When does IceNetwork auto-renew? It's in August usually right?

 

[BaileyCatts]

When does IceNetwork auto-renew? It's in August usually right?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it was August. If I remember correctly.

 

[once_upon]

I rarely have issues with IN, usually it is my end.

But if IN goes the way of dinosaurs, get ready to pay for second/third tier cable or satellite access to NBCSN and Olympic Channels. For me, I can justify that access for the other sports channel. But many cannot where $50 is more affordable.

 

[Jammers]

IceNetwork technology is from the late 1990's it really needs a upgrade but i don't see that happening.

 

[leigh466]

I sure hope Ice Network is not going anywhere. It is usually only bad for the first competitions (US International Skating Classic was unwatchable last year) and then gets better as the season progresses. I realized during the Olympics without it how wonderful it really is: No commercials, no blathering, all groups, no chacks, all warmups, all Kiss-and-Cry. I mean, how could a skating fan ask for more? I just hook up the HDMI cord and Voila! I really do not want to watch commercial television. AT ALL. And really, for all the competitions in a year, it is quite economical.

 

[Debbie S]

Just got an e-mail from USFS. Looks like it was sent to all IN subscribers (or will be). Upshot: IN is no more. All the events that used to be on IN will be on NBC Sports website. It sounds like a fee will be charged, no mention of tying it to cable subscription. The breakthrough is that you'll be able to stream on mobile devices.

The Novice and lower levels of Regionals, Sectionals, and Synchro Nats (and I'm guessing Adult Nats too) will be on the USFS fan zone site, which will also host the press conferences and other interviews and such that were on IN.

I guess it was easier/cheaper to launch on NBC platform than upgrade IN.

 

[SpeedySucks]

Just got an e-mail from USFS. Looks like it was sent to all IN subscribers (or will be). Upshot: IN is no more. All the events that used to be on IN will be on NBC Sports website. It sounds like a fee will be charged, no mention of tying it to cable subscription. The breakthrough is that you'll be able to stream on mobile devices.

The Novice and lower levels of Regionals, Sectionals, and Synchro Nats (and I'm guessing Adult Nats too) will be on the USFS fan zone site, which will also host the press conferences and other interviews and such that were on IN.

I guess it was easier/cheaper to launch on NBC platform than upgrade IN.

This is a huge win - the NBC Sports Gold platform is far better than IceNetwork.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Just got an e-mail from USFS. Looks like it was sent to all IN subscribers (or will be). Upshot: IN is no more. All the events that used to be on IN will be on NBC Sports website. It sounds like a fee will be charged, no mention of tying it to cable subscription. The breakthrough is that you'll be able to stream on mobile devices.

The Novice and lower levels of Regionals, Sectionals, and Synchro Nats (and I'm guessing Adult Nats too) will be on the USFS fan zone site, which will also host the press conferences and other interviews and such that were on IN.

I guess it was easier/cheaper to launch on NBC platform than upgrade IN.

Amazing news! Here is the section about its availability on multiple devices:

NBC Sports Gold, including the “Figure Skating Pass,” is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku and online at NBCSportsGold.com. NBC Sports Gold is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Digital’s technology service which provides end-to-end support for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions.

It will be SO nice to watch on my Roku on my big TV!

 

[clairecloutier]

An excerpt from the press release:

“Figure Skating Pass” programming on NBC Sports Gold will feature content previously offered to icenetwork season pass subscribers, including live coverage of the U.S. Championships (junior and senior), ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, ISU World Championships, ISU Four Continents Championships, ISU European Championships and the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships. Live offerings will also include the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships (senior, junior and collegiate levels) and the U.S. Sectional Championships for both figure skating (senior and junior levels) and synchronized skating (senior, junior and collegiate levels). All live events, as well as the U.S. Regional Championships (junior and senior levels), will be available on-demand.

Other figure skating competition levels (novice, intermediate and juvenile) and events (including multiple levels of Synchronize Skating, the U.S. Adult Sectional and Championships, Theater on Ice and more) which were previously available on icenetwork will now be available via a free streaming service launching for the 2018-19 season as part of a revamped U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone platform.

 

[leigh466]

Not so sure. If this means commentators, not all competitors, , commercials, etc. I am going to be very unhappy.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Not so sure. If this means commentators, not all competitors, , commercials, etc. I am going to be very unhappy.

It sounds like it's basically the content we saw on IN but on a better platform. We're going to be paying for it, so I don't expect commercials.

 

[Skittl1321]

Good news on NBC sports gold for those without cable:

"What's the difference between the NBC Sports Gold and NBC Sports Apps? NBC Sports Gold is a standalone streaming service that is purchased online directly from NBC Sports Group, and does notrequire a cable TV package. NBC Sports App is included as part of your paid cable TV package (a cablepackage with the "

 

[Carolla5501]

Just got an e-mail from USFS. Looks like it was sent to all IN subscribers (or will be). Upshot: IN is no more. All the events that used to be on IN will be on NBC Sports website. It sounds like a fee will be charged, no mention of tying it to cable subscription. The breakthrough is that you'll be able to stream on mobile devices.

The Novice and lower levels of Regionals, Sectionals, and Synchro Nats (and I'm guessing Adult Nats too) will be on the USFS fan zone site, which will also host the press conferences and other interviews and such that were on IN.

I guess it was easier/cheaper to launch on NBC platform than upgrade IN.

The ability to watch on all devices is great. I had already decided that the inability to watch on my iphone/ipad meant I was not renewing IN this year.

 

[honey]

I wonder what this means for viewers outside the USA. I subscribed to icenetwork purely to watch US nationals (everything else was geoblocked). Will nationals still be available to throws outside the US? My guess is no