IceNetwork Ending/NBC Sports Gold update

U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports Group Launch “Figure Skating Pass” and “Speed Skating Pass” on NBC Sports Gold

Hello,

Here is an email that I got from USFSA since I am an IceNetwork Subscriber about IceNetwork ending.

Dear Icenetwork Season Pass Subscriber:

Thank you for your subscription to an icenetwork Season Pass.

Icenetwork.com launched more than a decade ago and with its launch, the first digital streaming service dedicated to the sport of figure skating was born. Over the years, the subscription service added domestic and international events, including the option to enjoy streaming speed skating events. We learned a lot along the way, streaming more than 4 million hours of content, and we are extremely appreciative of the support as one of our loyal subscribers.

Later today, U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports Group will announce the launch of a “Figure Skating Pass” on NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product, giving fans access to live and on-demand domestic and international figure skating competition beginning with the 2018-19 season. “Figure Skating Pass” is part of U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports Group’s recently announced media rights agreement that extends through the end of the 2026 season.

In addition to offering “Figure Skating Pass,” as part of the eight-year partnership, NBC Sports Gold will also offer “Speed Skating Pass” featuring short track and speed skating events, including the ISU World Cup and World Championships, beginning with the 2018-19 season.

NBC Sports Gold, including the “Figure Skating Pass” and “Speed 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.

“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.

“Figure Skating Pass” coverage on NBC Sports Gold is in addition to the more than 80 hours of programming per season that will be on NBC and NBCSN through the 2025-26 season. The full schedule of events, pricing and when both the “Figure Skating Pass” and “Speed Skating Pass” subscription services will be available for purchase, will be announced soon. There will not be a Premium Pass offering and each sport subscription service will be sold separately.

The current icenetwork season pass subscription service will be available through June 30, 2018. Icenetwork subscribers will be contacted in the coming weeks with details regarding NBC Sports Gold.

All non-subscription based content that you once found on icenetwork, including news coverage, podcasts, ice desk, press conferences and more will be dispersed across NBCSports.com and U.S. Figure Skating’s Fan Zone website moving forward.

We are excited to be sharing this news with you and we look forward to bringing you the unprecedented viewing convenience that the “Figure Skating Pass” and “Speed Skating Pass” on NBC Sports Gold will provide.

Thank you,

U.S. Figure Skating/Icenetwork, LLC


Looking on the NBC website, the new skating pass will be at least a 100% increase from IN prices, for less stuff I currently pay $25 since I am a USFSA member.

I just saw the email in my mail box, can't say that I like it. I'm pretty sure it will be expensive and if that's the case I prefer to use the Russian streaming websites and bear the non-stop talking commentators.

I assume that this can't possibly be worse than IN was.

alyssamarie said:

Looking on the NBC website, the new skating pass will be at least a 100% increase from IN prices, for less stuff I currently pay $25 since I am a USFSA member.

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I kept saying I would be willing to pay more for a reliable streaming service, but I don't like the sound of less content... Do you know what's getting cut?

I'll reserve judgement and try to stay cautiously optimistic.

Edit: just got my email...I don't see them mention the Challenger series, but the other content looked covered (if reorganized). I like that it will be on roku/chromecast/etc. Idk...

Here are what they charging for passes for other sports : https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/nbc-sports-gold-packages-prices

What It sounds like they are doing is making some of it, like the lower level of nationals free through usfs fan zone site. But the major stuff looks to still be there.

The technological improvements sound like a good thing.

ruffledgrouse said:

I kept saying I would be willing to pay more for a reliable streaming service, but I don't like the sound of less content... Do you know what's getting cut?

I'll reserve judgement and try to stay cautiously optimistic.

Edit: just got my email...I don't see them mention the Challenger series, but the other content looked covered (if reorganized). I like that it will be on roku/chromecast/etc. Idk...

Click to expand...

it looks like they're getting rid of synchro, adult, toi, lower level regionals - nats, and probably others. But this stuff will be on USFSA's web site for free. I love that there's a roku app so I can finally watch skating on my tv. Also will be able to stream on multiple devices at once (tv, laptop, phone, etc)

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Farnaz said:

I just saw the email in my mail box, can't say that I like it. I'm pretty sure it will be expensive and if that's the case I prefer to use the Russian streaming websites and bear the non-stop talking commentators.

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in is not the most reliable so I used the russian and british streams a lot. but it seemed that when in and nbc was on at the same time nbc was delayed.

Mrs. P said:

Here are what they charging for passes for other sports : https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/nbc-sports-gold-packages-prices

What It sounds like they are doing is making some of it, like the lower level of nationals free through usfs fan zone site. But the major stuff looks to still be there.

The technological improvements sound like a good thing.

Click to expand...

Judging by the other sports it will only be available in the US.

Well, I use the Chinese stream anyway, but R.I.P IceNetwork

... the NBC stream seems to cover mobile, which is cool.

Challenger events are available on you.tube via the ISU.

Come to Canada. All are welcome.

andromache said:

I assume that this can't possibly be worse than IN was.

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Same. I would assume NBC's streams would be much better quality; the ones for Olympics were great. As to cost... I'm already paying $50 for IN. How much more can it be? At least they've made all the lower level stuff free.

What I will miss is all the back archives of competitions. It's the only way to watch some things, like Yuzu's Seimei, which keeps getting taken off youtube.

Is the whole Ice Network website closing down?

The e-mail quoted above only talks about coverage. But, what about the other stuff that the Ice Network website provides?

Will IN skater Bio pages and past Entries / Results pages for competitions (eg. American Nationals) still be available?

Dreading the thought of having to update lots of links in Fan Fests.

It would be a real travesty if Entries / Results Pages disappeared. We get enough of that happening in other countries!

CaroLiza_fan

ancientpeas said:

Come to Canada. All are welcome.

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Please sponsor me. I'll make you creme brulee [emoji28]

Concerned to see that U.S. Classic is not listed among NBC offerings.

In the past, U.S. Classic streaming/videos were available with a paid subscription to IN.

We do not know yet whether 2018 U.S. Classic will be a Challenger comp, but the dates (Sep 14 to 16) are on the USFS website.

(Does not seem realistic to hope that USFS will start providing free U.S. Classic streaming via a platform other than NBC?? But never say never. )

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chuckm said:

Challenger events are available on you.tube via the ISU.

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Not true as a blanket statement.

Examples:


(BTW, dailymotion has been the platform for Skate Canada's free streaming of Autumn Classic and Nebelhorn's free streaming [and I don't know what else?])

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It is what it is, but I am scratching my head b/c the ISU President's Manifesto (published on Apr 25) referred to "recently signed contracts" with Icenetwork, among others.

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CaroLiza_fan said:

Is the whole Ice Network website closing down?

The e-mail quoted above only talks about coverage. But, what about the other stuff that the Ice Network website provides?

Will IN skater Bio pages and past Entries / Results pages for competitions (eg. American Nationals) still be available? ...

Click to expand...

I have been wondering the same thing.

Hope that IN will continue to have news articles, feature articles, IceTalk interviews -- as well as bios and results.

CaroLiza_fan said:

Dreading the thought of having to update lots of links in Fan Fests.

CaroLiza_fan

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Oh dear...that’s not an easy fix :shocked:

ancientpeas said:

Come to Canada. All are welcome.

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Right now we have a giants of Computational Chemistry, Dr Alan Aspuru Guzik, who said goodby to his full professor position in Harvard and moved to the University of Toronto. He keeps doing interviews and repeating how he fled from the new administration and political system. Now, I imagine myself saying how I fled from NBC to take refugee in CBC

P.S. But, seriously, I can not forget how sweet it was that on the first day of Sochi I found sixteen new channels all labeled CBC on my cable and each covering one of the sports in Sochi. I didn't ask for it, didn't pay for it, such a sweet surprise and feast for two weeks. Oh, Canada...

CaroLiza_fan said:

Is the whole Ice Network website closing down?

The e-mail quoted above only talks about coverage. But, what about the other stuff that the Ice Network website provides?

Will IN skater Bio pages and past Entries / Results pages for competitions (eg. American Nationals) still be available?

Dreading the thought of having to update lots of links in Fan Fests.

It would be a real travesty if Entries / Results Pages disappeared. We get enough of that happening in other countries!

CaroLiza_fan

Click to expand...

All non-subscription based content that you once found on icenetwork, including news coverage, podcasts, ice desk, press conferences and more will be dispersed across NBCSports.com and U.S. Figure Skating’s Fan Zone website moving forward.

Click to expand...

I assume that by saying all non-subscription based content it means everything will be distributed to other sites, including the info you mention (possibly transferred to the new Fan Zone?). The way I'm reading this, the site itself is closing with the end of the Icenetwork brand.

Well, R.I.P. IceNetwork. My subscription went from 2008-2018.

I wonder if Mancuso and Kwiakowski will continue to commentate or if they'll give all of that to Tara and Johnny? I liked watching IN feed b/c a lot of times there is no commentary at all which is a blessed relief from the catty tittering of T&J.

I truly hope it isn't more than $50 though. I don't think it'd be a good look for NBC to charge more than what IN is currently charging. I ain't paying $74.99 for figure skating. Not happening. :angry2:

For the most part I haven't had too many problems with IN so hopefully that will continue with NBC. I do love the fact that I'll be able to stream competitions from my phone instead of hiding a tiny window in the corner of my computer screen at work. I also love that I can use my Fire & Roku instead of having to hook my computer up to the TV to watch competitions on the big screen.

It seems like the majority of the competitions I follow will be available in one way or another so I'm happy...for now anyway.

I’m on the fence about the chance. Like that juvenile through novice competitions will finally be public. That could improve popularity of the sport of parents didn’t have to pay for a good video and could share if immediately. Also being able to watch on mobile devices is a major boon. However, unless it comes with a non-Tara commentary option, I seriously doubt I’ll pay for it.

I wonder how this will affect NBC's partnerships with live TV streaming services, like Playstation Vue. That's how I've been watching skating on the Olympic Channel all season and it's been a godsend - with no Tara or Johnny that I can remember (though often Ryan Bradley, and that can be a mixed bag too).