Help bring ISU events back to ABC!

[ditzysk8r]

As you all know, this year all ISU events were shown on ESPN rather than ABC. This kind of sucks for skating fans who don't have cable TV such as myself, and we won't get to see Worlds this year! So if you want to bring ISU events back to network TV, please sign my petition; who knows, maybe we will be able to make a difference! Thank you!

http://www.petitiononline.com/skateabc/petition.html

[fadedstardust]

It's a good thought, but I'm pretty sure the contracts the ISU signed with ESPN don't expire next year, which means ABC couldn't buy back the rights even if they tried. And I think they got the message by having Nationals' LOWEST viewer rating it has ever had in the history of airing on ABC (and yet it being the most watched out of all the skating events they used to air), that there's not enough people watching to earn them enough $$$ to warrant another enormous contract with the ISU. I think this is just the way it is going to be.

[SkateFan123]

It's a good thought, but I'm pretty sure the contracts the ISU signed with ESPN don't expire next year, which means ABC couldn't buy back the rights even if they tried. And I think they got the message by having Nationals' LOWEST viewer rating it has ever had in the history of airing on ABC (and yet it being the most watched out of all the skating events they used to air), that there's not enough people watching to earn them enough $$$ to warrant another enormous contract with the ISU. I think this is just the way it is going to be.

The old contract with the ISU was worth $22 million, the current one is $5 million. ABC didn't want to air all the GP events, just Worlds due to low ratings. The ISU said it was all or nothing. ABC took nothing. It's unfortunate for those not having cable but it won't change until two things occur: the current contract with the ISU expires and ratings rise.

The ISU is not looking at why ratings have decreased. Until they do and resolve that problem, the only way ratings will increase is another "incident" occurs.

I look for the ABC contract with the USFS to be as bleak as the one with the ISU when it goes through negotiations.

Petitions won't work. Improved ratings will be the only reason that the contracts will be renegotiated.

[SkateGuard]

Petitions won't work. Improved ratings will be the only reason that the contracts will be renegotiated.

Yes. Follow the green, follow the green.....

The other thing you can do is focus on the advertisers. If they want to be seen on ABC (and are willing to pay), you have a chance. The advertisers can make up the $$ difference between the contracts.

This year for the Rose Parade, they used Terry Gannon and Peggy. Peggy tried to push that they'd be back on ABC for Nationals, but Terry missed the bait entirely. Um, doh!

What ABC/ESPN doesn't seem to understand is that they give tons of free publicity to NHL/NASCAR/NBA/golf/NFL by putting reporters at events, SportsCenter time, interviews on ESPN Radio, coverage in ESPN the magazine, etc. Even when the World Cup is going on, there's a special segment. However, when it's Nationals or Worlds, there's just a little blurb at the end of SportsCenter. If they would use their dominance in sports coverage to their advantage, they would get the ratings--and the money. For example, they should have been doing a segment with Dick, Peggy, and Terry _every night_ on SportsCenter during the 2002 Nationals. Yes, the bulk of the audience of SportsCenter is men, but considering the Olympics were a month away, figure skating is the most popular sport, AND ABC/ESPN had the exclusive rights to the Olympic trials.....um, doh! All the cameras were set up, the trio is there anyway, etc....it probably is real cheap to put a plug in on the coverage, and thus, increase ratings with very little effort. They do it for the Masters, and skating gets higher ratings.....

Off the soapbox...Erin

[SkateFan123]

Yes. Follow the green, follow the green.....

Yes, the bulk of the audience of SportsCenter is men, but considering the Olympics were a month away, figure skating is the most popular sport, AND ABC/ESPN had the exclusive rights to the Olympic trials.....um, doh! All =..Erin

I'm female, over 40, and watch SportsCenter all the time!

[SkateGuard]

I should have said "assumed audience"......I don't think ESPN realizes how many women watch SportsCenter and care about figure skating...now _there's_ a useful place for a petition....

[ditzysk8r]

OK, the first petition got messed up :frus: so here is the new one; it should work, hopefully! 8-)

http://thiscause.org/p/menu.php?p=A45994DB