The ISU's latest plans for skating on US TV (and other things)

[jcspkbfan]

A Chicago Tribune article about the ISU's latest plans for the sport:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/cs-0401300309jan30,1,7528562.story?coll=cs-international-print

You have to register to read the whole thing, but here's a few relevant quotes:

"The International Skating Union is close to signing a TV contract that will take international figure skating off over-the-air TV in the U.S. and force the ISU to make significant cuts in prize money for speed and figure skating events and funding to national skating federations."

"The Tribune has learned the multiyear contract would be with cable
network ESPN for approximately $5 million annually. That is less
than 25 percent of the $22 million the ISU currently receives from
ABC for U.S. rights to all international figure and speedskating
events.

"The ABC contract with the ISU expires after this season. ABC has a
separate $10 million-per-year contract with the U.S. Figure Skating
Association through 2007."

That's terrible news for US skating fans who don't get ESPN, but at least it's better than not broadcasing the events at all (as the situation looked in Canada a few months ago!) I still feel badly for those of you without ESPN, though. :(

"Also in the works: Giving ABC a long program final [at US
Championships] with the last six skaters competing in reverse order
of their short program finish. The current random draw means the two
best skaters can perform first, likely rendering the rest of the
telecast meaningless."

Yeesh, didn't the ISU learn anything from when they tried this at the GP Final a few years ago? At least they aren't planning elimination rounds or head-to-head competition at US Nationals...yet. :roll:

"Slick maneuver: Cinquanta has a plan to help him get approval of figure skating's new Code of Points scoring system in championships and the Olympics. Although judging issues normally are considered by only figure skating delegates, Cinquanta will argue that so much of the ISU's revenue comes from figure skating the entire organization should have a say in a reform designed to restore confidence in figure skating results."

Although I would like to see COP used at Worlds and all the other competitions this year (it would definitely be an improvement over the "interim secret judging" system used at last year's Worlds and this year's 4CCs, IMO!), I think Cinquanta is definitely going about this the wrong way. As usual. :roll:

Sigh, just when I'm finally starting to get really excited about eligible skating for the first time in ages after watching Canadians and 4CCs, the ISU decides to go and make more stupid decisions like this. Again. :evil:

[HSF]

Doesn't sound like the ISU had a choice in this decision. Apparently ABC and the other major networks weren't interested in carrying all the ISU competitions.

The ABC contract with the USFSA has nothing to do with the ISU.

[MissJ]

While I know we are speculating on the exact nature of the contract. Here is my gut feeling (I may be complety wrong.) If ESPN & ESPN2 are the main ISU contract stations, they will probably carry all the GPF, 4CC's & European skating coverage. We may actually get better coverage as they don't have the contraints of an ABC format. I would also bet, with ABC & ESPN being owned by the same parent company that Worlds will still be on ABC. This is how it was for years. ABC would show Skate America, US Championships, USFSA Events & Worlds. Here is my estimate of the skating year:

Skate America - ABC
USFSA Cheesefest - ABC
Skate Canada - ESPN & ESPN2
Lalique - ESPN & ESPN2
China - ESPN & ESPN2
Russia - ESPN & ESPN2
Japan - ESPN & ESPN2
USFSA Cheesefest -ABC
GPF Final - ESPN
US Chamionships - ESPN & ABC
4CC's - ESPN & ESPN 2
Europeans - ESPN & ESPN 2
Worlds - ESPN & ABC
USFSA Cheesfest - ABC

I do want to say that this is the "logical" TV Season structure, but more than likely the ISU and the TV contract will be completely "illogical" in structure. It can't be anything else.

No matter what, it looks like I will now be getting Cable after all these years. I get all the networks so I have been able to live without. I don't think I can go without all the GP event and Worlds if they do end up only on Cable. Cheesefests and Nationals just isn't enough for this fan.

[skatepixie]

Who will the comentators be? As long as its Dick and Peggy, Im happy. if it isnt....well...Ill be an angry Pixie.

[the old gurl]

Just a note on the voting: only 16 of the close-to-60 ISU member countries have separate figure and speed skating federations. It is quite conceivable that the person(s) voting on figure skating rules for those 40-some countries are speedskaters anyways.

Until there are separate federations for figure and speedskating (and hockey, in the case of France), expect these kinds of things to happen. Figure skaters also likely vote on speedskating rules too. Those are the by-products of having everything under one 'roof.' As for separating FS and SS, I think the apparent failure of the WSF to become the governing body for international figure skating events has shown there is not the collective will in the international skating community to depart from the status quo. Perhaps that will change someday in the future, but for now, we'll have to accept that all members of the ISU have the right to vote on rules that apply to the ISU, Speedy's decision or not.

[iceskaterdawn]

Originally posted by skatepixie
Who will the comentators be? As long as its Dick and Peggy, Im happy. if it isnt....well...Ill be an angry Pixie.

They don't do much commentating for the GP Events anyways, aside from Skate America, so the GP Events going to ESPN shouldn't really effect them.

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by the old gurl
Just a note on the voting: only 16 of the close-to-60 ISU member countries have separate figure and speed skating federations. It is quite conceivable that the person(s) voting on figure skating rules for those 40-some countries are speedskaters anyways.

Until there are separate federations for figure and speedskating (and hockey, in the case of France), expect these kinds of things to happen. Figure skaters also likely vote on speedskating rules too. Those are the by-products of having everything under one 'roof.' As for separating FS and SS, I think the apparent failure of the WSF to become the governing body for international figure skating events has shown there is not the collective will in the international skating community to depart from the status quo. Perhaps that will change someday in the future, but for now, we'll have to accept that all members of the ISU have the right to vote on rules that apply to the ISU, Speedy's decision or not.

I haven't wrote off the WSF yet. It will take time. Now, as I understand it, if anyone from the ISU supports the WSF, they will be banned from ISU events.

The IOC only recognizes the ISU and until that monoply ends, the WSF has a long uphill battle. The lawsuit filed on the WSFs behalf will be interesting.

Also, since speed skating monies come from figure skating, Hersch's article pointed out that the full body will vote. I don't agree. I still thing that there should be two organizations. Let speed skating fend for itself instead of riding of the coattails of figure skating.