2024 Europeans Where Are You Watching? | Page 4 | Golden Skate

2024 Europeans Where Are You Watching?

jorge2912

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Country
Chile
And as for them not caring about JGP medals.. it's junior sport. There isn't that much interest.
With such logic didn't give importance neither incentives for the future generations of sportsperson.

Here is the same ,national TV just broadcast football , even there was figure skating national championships but they didn't broadcast it. Well maybe looks for what gives more audience but sports isn't just football or soccer .
 

Winnie_20

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
I stand corrected, I cannot actually find any streams or figure skating on TV @ Eurosport. The link on the ISU page led me to the eurosport page with the dates and times, but I guess that’s all. Pity, because I don’t know how to get rid of the audio commentary with the other streaming options.

Interestingly, the ISU streams are geoblocked for the Netherlands. We’ve been able to watch those without VPN for years, so I guess the NOS really has bought the rights this time.
(Nord)VPN set to Sweden works fine, though.
 

hop456

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 18, 2022
I stand corrected, I cannot actually find any streams or figure skating on TV @ Eurosport. The link on the ISU page led me to the eurosport page with the dates and times, but I guess that’s all. Pity, because I don’t know how to get rid of the audio commentary with the other streaming options.

Interestingly, the ISU streams are geoblocked for the Netherlands. We’ve been able to watch those without VPN for years, so I guess the NOS really has bought the rights this time.
(Nord)VPN set to Sweden works fine, though.
I tried all these different countries last night on my VPN. I tried Netherlands (on proton and express VPN), Austria, Germany, US, France and then gave up. This morning I tried Sweden thanks to your post and it is now working. Thank you very much!

It looks like Belgium might work too.

I'm not sure why they have to make it so difficult. Easier last year because it was all on Discovery+.
 

islandpaddler

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 15, 2006
Country
US-Virgin-Islands
I tried all these different countries last night on my VPN. I tried Netherlands (on proton and express VPN), Austria, Germany, US, France and then gave up. This morning I tried Sweden thanks to your post and it is now working. Thank you very much!

It looks like Belgium might work too.

I'm not sure why they have to make it so difficult. Easier last year because it was all on Discovery+.
I'm able to turn up Europeans on the Opera VPN too. Maybe the Chinese stream will have it too.

 

islandpaddler

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 15, 2006
Country
US-Virgin-Islands
I'm able to turn up Europeans on the Opera VPN too. Maybe the Chinese stream will have it too.

yes, to the Chinese guy

 

emilinkaa

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2023
Country
Germany
Geoblocked from the ISU stream in Germany (and not wanting German commentary). A VPN set to Canada would solve that issue, if you're thinking about watching it on Youtube in English. ;)
 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!
Medalist
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Country
United-Kingdom
It's just not popular enough. Sad, but that's the reality. To be fair, the BBC did have articles about Fear and Gibson when they won European silver and placed fifth at worlds. But they have a limited budget (subject to increased scrutiny these days) and have to cover the sports which the British public are most interested in.

And as for them not caring about JGP medals.. it's junior sport. There isn't that much interest. The public barely cared when the the England U21 football team won Euros. And that's football! Our most popular sport!

As for the Broadsheets having a dedicated 'skating correspondent'.. when?! Sure, there may have been more media coverage in the past. But we got results- multiple World, European, Olympic champions . That's not been the case for a very long time now.

It's also not an accessible sport for many people. It's expensive, not many facilities around outside the big towns, requires speciallist equipment that's not very widely available. Not easy for kids to even try it (schools are often the gateway to sports for many kids- can't do that with figure skating like you can with say, rugby, swimming, athletics or gymnastics. Many people also become spectators because they played/took part as kids.).

It's not correct to blame the media entirely for the sport's unpopularity when there's a miriad of reasons.
I couldn't disagree more with all your points.

BBC is a national broadcaster run on a License Fee we pay for, it shouldn't just be interested in chasing ratings. Why does it provide programming in Welsh or Gaelic if that's the case?
Right up to the 2000s the Broadsheets covered Skating. The late Sandra Stevenson was Correspondent for the Telegraph and the Guardian at various times (read her obituary on the BIS website). Angela (can't remember last name) was Correspondent for the Times.
They covered International Skating too. When I posted a comment in the Telegraph about LilahandLewis winning Silver at Europeans and it's a pity there was no coverage, I got lots of replies from people saying how they love Skating and miss seeing it on TV, where and when is it on? Not everyone is on social media or forums or knows about the IsU channel and VPN. They want to switch on their TV and watch. Yes, IJS is confusing to those viewers, I grant you. But speaking only of Britain, we have many talented Juniors and Novices, and it's a struggle financially for their parents. When ITV had the contract they broadcast the Junior Championships every year. I think as fans we should encourage more not just accept the lack of support as inevitable.
 

Pink Peril

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 19, 2023
UK viewers: It seems to be geoblocked for us. :( I can only see the Euros as upcoming streams if I log in with a VPN (set to Sweden).

Edit: I wish the ISU would update the info they use so that they knew we no longer have Eurosport fir figure skating.
We lost a whole season in New Zealand, despite our previous TV broadcaster, sky sport, repeatedly asking ISU to lift the Geo block. All I was able to see last year was the worlds. Finally, they lifted the Geo block for the Grand Prix series. Many here Used to watch on VPN set to the Netherlands. But now our Geo block for YouTube has been lifted, try NZ as well.
 

Pink Peril

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 19, 2023
I tried all these different countries last night on my VPN. I tried Netherlands (on proton and express VPN), Austria, Germany, US, France and then gave up. This morning I tried Sweden thanks to your post and it is now working. Thank you very much!

It looks like Belgium might work too.

I'm not sure why they have to make it so difficult. Easier last year because it was all on Discovery+.
Finally lifted our geoblock in NZ for the Grand Prix series (after a year) so we can watch the YouTube stream now. So try VPN in NZ as well.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I can't watch. Thanks so much ISU for blocking me. No Eurosport, no NOS (only live when I'm working, and only the top few because marathon skating is so much more important - sarcasm) and advertisers who try to get me onto a channel which doesn't need payment but my providor won't let me on there. Great.
 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!
Medalist
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Country
United-Kingdom
We lost a whole season in New Zealand, despite our previous TV broadcaster, sky sport, repeatedly asking ISU to lift the Geo block. All I was able to see last year was the worlds. Finally, they lifted the Geo block for the Grand Prix series. Many here Used to watch on VPN set to the Netherlands. But now our Geo block for YouTube has been lifted, try NZ as well.
UK out of jail from the ISU geo block just in time for Men's Short. Though I had to watch Pairs Short via VPN Opera browser. I feel so sad for fans who missed watching the 2 GBR Pair teams who both qualified in a super competition. I tried uploading their performances for those who missed (often relatives of the skaters) but not only music copyright but Infront Sports blocked the entire videos globally. :( :(
Ever since Infront Sports started working with ISU they patrol youtube strictly, it's so sad. But as a high level Junior icedancer said to me over Christmas, when he wants to watch his performances it's easier to go to my channel than search ISU. Please go away InfrontSports! A previous commenter was exactly right, you can email ISU Media (on the advice of Ted B) but they don't even reply. So looks like Worlds and Junior Worlds will be instantly blocked from uploading too. Apparently even the skaters themselves can't upload their own performances. That policy really attracts new fans to the sport or brings back older fans doesn’t it? :shrug: Let's hope the Youth Olympics is different. Ofcourse if you can't watch live and try to catch up later, you're liable to get an advert playing in the middle of a skater's program. The ISU Channel which is monetized must make a good deal of cash from viewer numbers / subscribers.

BTW very much enjoying Chris Howarth's solo commentary. Excellent interview with Benoit Richaud during Pairs warm up for 2nd group.
 
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Winnie_20

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
I can't watch. Thanks so much ISU for blocking me. No Eurosport, no NOS (only live when I'm working, and only the top few because marathon skating is so much more important -
I had no chance to watch earlier today, either. I just used the VPN to check out the ISU channel on youtube, and noticed the Men’s SP has already been going on for a while. So I guess the NOS only livestream the last one or two groups or something?
What a waste, and really not a nice thing to do to your FS audience. They should’ve just not bought the rights at all.
 

Coivië

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Trying to watch from the US, and my normal "set the vpn to Netherlands" to watch the ISU stream is not working :( Has anyone found any solutions?
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
I think you should be able to watch the ISU YouTube stream without a geoblock. From my understanding there was no provider in Sweden with GP and I don´t think they have come up with a solution for Euros. I suggest you check the links just posted in this thread, if they are blocked in Sweden it will say it´s not available in the region, if it´s not blocked now, you are free to watch.

I just checked the links and it´s blocked already for me in Norway. Norway had a last minute provider called VGTV buying all skating rights this fall after the two first GP events, including speed skating etc. Well, it´s the same commentator as the YouTube stream so I guess they bought the stream, so there will be no local commentators. There was a campaign running now so I was able to buy a month subscription for less then 10 Euros (79 NOK). Today I also learned there is actually an app where you can watch it as well so I was able to install it on my television so I will be able to watch it on the TV screen.

It´s a shame Sweden doesn´t have an own provider considering there is a full team both at Euros and Worlds this year.

Indeed, the ISU Youtube channel links do work for me.

I've got Viasat - and I got it so as to be able to watch figure skating. Obviously there has ben nnothing this season, and I haven't known who did have the rights. As per @snowflake's information above, it doesn't seem that anybody knew - or much cared.

I did think it rather ironic that Sweden having a full complement of skaters - one entry in each discipline, and two men, no less - that no one in Sweden was showing it.

I'm not sure what to expect going forward either. I suppose we'll just have to take it at an event by event basis? (shrugs) Ah, well...
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I think I've complained everywhere about the non watchability for working Dutch people, by the ISU, by our own federation, even by the broadcaster who did a bit of live streaming but not everything and nothing could be rewatched. I am hoping either the ISU stops the blockage, the broadcaster lets me rewatch (even if it's only the last warming up group like they did today, they didn't start showing the men until very late and while I was skating myself)) and that the broadcaster never, ever will do something as stupid like this again! Leave it to others to stream Figure skating. Dutch broadcasters don't like figure skating, that's just the point.
 
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