CTV/TSN will only show Canadian events next season

[Tigger]

It's not a joke I'm sorry to say. The article is at The Toronto Star and it's one of those horrid long links. Rogers Sportsnet is a possiblity, but they are saying they have no plans to pick up skating. As for the CBC....Well...They've got Saturdays locked up due to Hockey Night In Canada, but they've done Worlds in the past.

I knew CTV/TSN had a reason for ping ponging the events around this year. Now they have an excuse for not picking up skating next year. So called lack of interst. Shame on them!!! I can't believe this. I mean....This is *Canada* where skating lives....I simply don't believe this....

[Artemis]

Time for a protest campaign?

I'm serious. There are enough of us, we should be able to make some noise. Start writing your letters now!

[jcspkbfan]

Here's the link to the article (yes, the URL is obcenely long, but hopefully this will work anyway!):

http://waymoresports.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=waymoresports/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1035780017928&call_page=WM_Home&call_pageid=979619472127&call_pagepath=Home/Home

My first thought when I read this topic heading was, "Gee, I wonder if this means CBC got back the broadcast rights for Worlds?" Too bad my first thought was wrong!

Although I can get TSN, I understand the frustration from those of you who don't have it since there's literally no way I can get most of the digital stations like WTSN (my cable company does have a digital option, but it only includes two or three extra stations, none of which I foresee broadcasting skating anytime in the future!)

I'm also disappointed to read about the low ratings for the men's SP, since I remember too well when Worlds and Canadians broadcasts regularily made the "top 10 most-watched programs in Canada" list right alongside hockey playoff games. :(

BTW, when does CTV/TSN's Worlds contract expire? CTV originally won back the Worlds broadcast rights in 1996, so that day probably isn't too far behind. If CBC gets the Worlds broadcast rights back, this could actually be a blessing in disguise (since it's less likely CBC would shove most of its skating coverage onto specialty cable channels). I remember CBC usually did a great job broadcasting Worlds (and most other international skating events they showed) without interfering with Hockey Night In Canada. I think most of their Saturday skating coverage took place earlier in the evening, before hockey began, but I can't remember for sure.

OTOH, I never thought I'd see the day when skating fans would actually get a better deal than baseball fans...

[Bailey]

What we have is a negative cycle, spiralling further and further down, destroying the sport. Ottavio Cinquanta refuses to acknowledge the problem because that would mean he would loose the power he has worked so hard to acheive within the ISU. Very sad that the media coverage of corruption within the ISU and the compete and unbelievable unwillingness of the ISU to acknowledge or make any genuine attempt to resolving these problems are turning away viewers. Now, with the announcement that CTV has only renewed it's broadcast rights to national competition due to decreaseing ratings, the sport is loosing it's exposure and fans who would be interested in supporting the sport are loosing the opportunity.

[Tigger]

Well said Bailey and ITA w/all you said!!

[shopper]

this is a very very sad day for canadian figure skating fans.

[schnood]

Does anyone have a e-mail or snail-mail address where we could write & voice our displeasure with this?

Maybe the ratings would be better if the telecast was on a channel everyone gets and not on in the middle of the night?!?!?!

[Bailey]

Just go to tsn.ca or ctv.ca and send your comments with the contact us link. That's the best I can do, unless anyone else has any other connections... Neither site gives direct email addresses to anyone of any importance.

[leap of faith]

The problem between this year and previous ones is the ISU has upped the price for coverage. CTV/TSN does not want to pay even more when ratings are down. Back in the 1990s CBC's worlds would outdraw and NHL game but NHL viewers have gone up.

I hope something is done. It would be a shame to have no coverage of worlds next year.

[jp1andOnly]

i remember when sportnet used to be part of CTV..and then it wasn't and all hopes of getting good coverage of skating almost vanished. It wasn't until the last min when we got the coverage back. I also remember when CBC gave up worlds and no one knew what was going to happen.

I'm still optimistic that it will be picked up but people should voice their concern. That way, they will know there are viewers willing to watch. But I don't think there should be a panic..just yet. (hoping i'm right)

[Bailey]

I think we will definately see worlds, but I don't have much hope for any of the other grand prix events...

[jcspkbfan]

Aaah, anyone else remember (and miss!) the "good old days" (four years ago) when CTV Sportsnet broadcasted three or four hours of skating every Saturday night? :lol: I wouldn't mind Sportsnet regaining figure skating rights if we could get that kind of coverage again, but ever since their ownership changed hands, figure skating has literally ceased to exist on that channel. :cry:

I agree (or at least hope!) some sort of Canadian Worlds broadcast deal will eventually be hammered out (if countries like Australia and Israel can see the World Championships, why wouldn't Canada??), but as for everything else, who knows? If TSN no longer wants to supply their own GP coverage, I wonder why they can't just rebroadcast ESPN's coverage from south of the border? ESPN owns at least part of (if not all of) TSN, and TSN rebroadcasts lots of other sports from ESPN all the time (like, for instance, such ratings-grabbers as the World Cheerleading Championships?) I know it won't be the same as having our own coverage (and I'm not sure how easy it would be for TSN to acquire rights for the ABC/Lifetime coverage), but it would definitely be better than nothing at all!

[SkaterBrett]

maybe the ice channel will bring the events live....

[RizzleRed]

But what are the odds that we'll even get the ice channel in Canada???? You know, there's those Canadian Content laws & such. . . One of the reasons we can't get ESPN/ESPN2/LIFETIME out of the US

[KittyKins]

The fact that CTV will cover the Canadian championships is better than nothing, but not great. :(

This upsets me as I think CTV/TSN has by far the best coverage. I would also like to see it back on the CTV main network.

I've sent my feedback to TSN under programming and so are a lot of other people. I'll put the link at the bottom of this. What will figure skating be like without Rod Black, Tracy Wilson, Debbi Wilkes, and Dave Randorph?!! Some people are also writing to CBC to ask them to pick it up if CTV pulls the plug. What will happen to skating in Canada if we don't have decent coverage?

I remember when CBC had the rights to the Worlds and I didn't like their coverage at all. They have a way of finding the most critical announcers. Also, isn't Martini a black sheep among the fans right now, because some people lost money in that iskater.com scam? So, who would they get to do the commentating? Him I suppose and I shutter to think about it. :x

Anyway, here's the link for feedback:

http://www.tsn.ca/broadcast/contact_us.asp

[jcspkbfan]

If CBC regains the Worlds broadcast rights and Paul becomes the commentator, he most likely won't be alone--he and Barb commentated together the last time CBC had the Worlds broadcast rights in the early '90s. Paul and Barb reunited last season to commentate the 2002 Olympics for CBC. I've always found Paul a little too harsh and negative commentating on his own and Barb a little too "perky" (for lack of a better word) when she was on her own at CTV, but together, I think they balance each other out pretty nicely. :)

Paul and Sandra Bezic, OTOH...I thought they did a pretty good job commentating the 1998 Olympics together, every other event where they shared the broadcast booth--shudder!

[sk8ing is lyfe]

do you know what this means????

24 hours skating channel!!!!!! i think there should b one... especially if there is a golf channel!!!!

we should start one!

[Lise]

who knows...SC may decide to do other options...

Lise

[Gaela]

That sucks big time. It pretty ruined an already lousy day. This means no Worlds on TSN/CTV next year. Is the contract up next year? Will complaining make any difference? I will send a complaint, anyhow.

So, this means I have to get digital TV even though I never watch TV, just so I can see figure skating? We will be getting in on some channel, won't we? Is Rogers Sportsnet a digital channel?

[jcspkbfan]

Rogers Sportsnet isn't a digital channel, but if they don't show more skating (or any skating!), most skating fans can still definitely live without it!

[evereg]

That is bad news about CTV. However, it might serve as a wake call for the ISU. North American Television rights are their bread & butter. If both Canadain or American networks declined signing contracts because of declining rating - it might force the ISU to make real reforms. As they say "money talks".

[Sydney]

Do reforms really matter in relation to ratings though? The average viewer does not know what is going on behind the scenes. They just know that the Worlds are on and think, "Oh, Elvis might win gold tonight", or something like that and then tune in and discuss it at work around the water cooler the next day. They're not like the rest of us on this board :)

It's true that Martini's a little critical, but honestly, I like it when the commentator doesn't gush about a skater just because he or she is Canadian, and I find that happens on CTV a lot (helllooo Rod Black!) I found that Barb did that a lot when she was on CTV too, but with Paul there, it might even out.

Anybody know what's happening with RDS? It's part of the CTV/TSN family, right? But do they obtain the rights separately from them, for the French rights in Canada? Or is there a chance skating will be back on TVA?

[irene2020]

Oh no :(

[singerskates]

Originally posted by sk8ing is lyfe
do you know what this means????

24 hours skating channel!!!!!! i think there should b one... especially if there is a golf channel!!!!

we should start one!

There is one starting this fall called, The Ice Channel

I've already wrote TSN and CTV about their decision not to air figure skating next year. I told them about their advertising dollars going to be dwindling. Hit them in the pocket book and they will respond.

[sk8ing is lyfe]

they wonder why the ratings dropped... mayb its b/c they didnt advertise it well enough this year.. the only reason i knew about comps on tv is because of skating forums!!!! also, skating, overall, was covered very poorly by CTV and TSN! it was on either really late or during the day when skaters and people are at work... this is unfair!!!!!!!Im mad!

[dawnk]

CBC may pick up Worlds, but I doubt that they will spring for the whole GP Series,and if all ISU events come in the same package, we may be without any international coverage next season. This is bad news for Canadian skating, because if we are forced to watch American coverage, we won't see any Canadian skaters at all. In our popular culture,media coverage influences young people.So this goes deeper than lack of viewing,in the long run it can effect whether or not young people choose to participate in the sport. The long legacy of Women's Skating in the US has been partly created by the attention the media has given to Peggy, Dorothy, Kristi, Tara, Michelle & now Sarah & Sasha. We would not have seen Bourne & Kraatz on US TV when they placed 10th in the world. Ask Tanith Belbin if they were a factor in her choosing ice dance as her sport. OTOH, there's also good news. Those of us who watch TSN/CTV won't have to see the tooth fairy anymore.

[GoldenLady]

Originally posted by dawnk
OTOH, there's also good news. Those of us who watch TSN/CTV won't have to see the tooth fairy anymore.

Good point! As far as I'm concerned, that in itself makes it almost seem worth not having CTV/TSN cover the Worlds. That commercial is SOOOO annoying....

[KittyKins]

They said at the end of the Gala coverage on Saturday that they would be covering Skate Canada on TSN and I've heard Canadians will be covered as well. Who knows, they may have changed their minds already about the rest of the season. I can't see CBC not picking up Worlds if CTV bails out. I really hope CTV continues to do it though. They are letting us all down if they don't.

[figuristka]

I can't believe they would cut out anymore skating. Already they showed far fewer events than least season, as i did not get WTSN so i never saw the GP event until months after they happened so by then its hardly worth showing. Also americans with espn got many short programs i had not seen all season. I would be mad if we get less skating coverage. I think we should complain.

[sk8ing is lyfe]

still mad... what will i do without skating on tv????

[KittyKins]

I don't think it's a matter of not getting any skating, but just how much skating. Some of us have written to TSN and left a message under programming. I hope CTV/TSN has changed its mind about Worlds after all the negative response.

http://www.tsn.ca/broadcast/contact_us.asp