Paying for live streams

[Winnie_20]

So Skate America is definitely on the Eurosport streams for me (Germany) now.

Okay, still not seeing anything in the Dutch version.
To heck with Dutch Eurosport then. *fires up NordVPN* Hello eurosport.de !

 

[ladyjane]

i don't need to mess around at all.. everything is available for me. Repeating this because if it is possible for Canadians, it is for others. BTW, CBC does the same with pretty much all sports

Jealous. I wish all challengers and GP's were for free like the Autumn Classic! For the record: I don't mind paying a bit, but 20 Euro per Challenger really is going too far!

 

[ladyjane]

Okay, still not seeing anything in the Dutch version.
To heck with Dutch Eurosport then. *fires up NordVPN* Hello eurosport.de !

Me neither. I'm going to quit the subscription which will have to be renewed soon!

 

[viennaskater]

Jealous. I wish all challengers and GP's were for free like the Autumn Classic! For the record: I don't mind paying a bit, but 20 Euro per Challenger really is going too far!

I briefly considered going to see the Lombardia Trophy, but when I saw the ticket price I changed my mind. EUR 150 for a three day competition, whereas for Nebelhorn Trophy you pay only EUR 60. And Nepela Memorial just EUR 10 for two days!

 

[TT_Fin]

"Nobody has rights to broadcast GP series in Nordic countries" answers STLL, Finlands figure skating association to somebody on their Facebook-site. So if there is any free stream without geoblocking, it should be available here - or no-geoblocked payable stream. If there is payable stream, depends much how much it is, if I will pay or not. Probably something will be in Youtube anyway and I can watch only European competitions and some Asian on Saturday mornings my time. live and in Espoo I will be on place, so it is not worth of paying much.

 

[NanaPat]

Do the feds and the ISU even care at this point?

I would say that Canada cares, based on availability of GP events and ISU championships on CBC, domestic events on Dailymotion, and JGP on ISU youtube channel.

I would also say that the ISU cares somewhat, based on the ISU JGP channel, and more recently the ISU youtube channel for senior events (GP and championships).

I would also say that Russia cares a lot as well.

As for the other federations: well, at least some of them allow unfettered access to the ISU streams!

As I understand it, Ted Barton talked the ISU into streaming the JGPs on youtube, and his original motivation was to provide the skaters themselves with a high-quality video of their performances. I had my doubts about adding a second commentator, fearing that they would do too much off-topic chatting, but I was totally wrong. I didn't think there was another commentator in the world as kind as Ted, but again I was wrong; Mark is, if anything, even kinder, and it seems to be totally genuine. It's good for the two to share the workload, as Ted will eventually be unable to do it solo.

 

[snowflake]

"Nobody has rights to broadcast GP series in Nordic countries" answers STLL, Finlands figure skating association to somebody on their Facebook-site. So if there is any free stream without geoblocking, it should be available here - or no-geoblocked payable stream. If there is payable stream, depends much how much it is, if I will pay or not. Probably something will be in Youtube anyway and I can watch only European competitions and some Asian on Saturday mornings my time. live and in Espoo I will be on place, so it is not worth of paying much.

This is what I thought. I’ve read that Nent group owned the rights until this season. Swedish Viaplay’s table is not showing Skate America. And I can’t find another company broadcasting it.

So if no one has the rights in your country I suppose you can watch the ISU youtube channel without a VPN.

Nent group is no longer listed in 'where to watch' in Europe. And no other broadcasters in the Nordic countries.

 

[FlossieH]

I'm not sure that 'Where to watch' list is up to date. It still says that Eurosport includes the UK and I'm 99% certain it does not. Eurosport lost the UK rights at the end of last season and following the 'Figure Skating' link on the UK version of Eurosport now takes me to Cyclo Cross events!

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I'm not sure that 'Where to watch' list is up to date. It still says that Eurosport includes the UK and I'm 99% certain it does not. Eurosport lost the UK rights at the end of last season and following the 'Figure Skating' link on the UK version of Eurosport now takes me to Cyclo Cross events!

Yeah, I found that strange. I can't see any connection between cycling and skating.

In a way, I can understand Eurosport recycling the figure skating page for something else now that they have lost the rights. But, you would have thought they would have waited until all the skating on demand content had expired. Because it is confusing having two very different sports on the same page.

---

Anyway, it's now Thursday, and there's still no sign of any skating on Viaplay, Eurosport, Sky, or any of the other broadcasters that we were looking at.

HOWEVER, all of the livestreams for the World Feed coverage of Skate America are now visible on the "Upcoming Livestreams" page on the ISU YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@SkatingISU/

I would say that is a good sign that the streams will NOT be geo-blocked for us when they come on-air.

So, I take it this means that Viaplay has already handed back the rights in the British Isles, and nobody else has bought them.

Well, at least it means we will be able to watch the skating for free. Just a pity that it is online only, and not on linear TV as well.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[ladyjane]

Exactly what @CaroLiza_fan says, I can also see the figure skating on the upcoming livestreams page. Nothing on Eurosport, except for Sports I never watch (snooker anyone?), so that subscription has been cancelled. They did respond quicky and returned the money already paid.

 

[TallyT]

Exactly what @CaroLiza_fan says, I can also see the figure skating on the upcoming livestreams page. Nothing on Eurosport, except for Sports I never watch (snooker anyone?), so that subscription has been cancelled. They did respond quicky and returned the money already paid.

I have a UK friend who is as mad about snooker as we are about skating, we have an agreement that I will virtually nod and listen when she babbles about it, and she does the same when I babble about my little group of skaters. and neither get offended when the other still says "who???"

Apparently snooker is another sport that has applied to be in the Olympics...

 

[TT_Fin]

I have a UK friend who is as mad about snooker as we are about skating, we have an agreement that I will virtually nod and listen when she babbles about it, and she does the same when I babble about my little group of skaters. and neither get offended when the other still says "who???"

My husband is also a snooker fan. Fortunately we have two TVs and some computers in hour house, so no fight. And FS is prioritety1 if there is some to be watched through main TV. One of free channels here is showing some snooker this season live.

I think NENT group gave up FS because they were disappointed to number of viewers. In Finland there is more audience in Finlandia than there seem to be in many other challenger series, but if compared to ICE hockey, local hockey games in some towns have about the same number or more audience than FS worlds. Euros did not get near that. National TV does not want to buy rights either, maybe too expensive and maybe two few viewers. I know many who watch only Euros and WC and they even do not know there are other competitions. Those people won't pay one euro to see GP series or something else. Probably people who pay for Finlandia Trophy are skaters and their family members and we who only want to watch are minority. But I would blame Finland, they were the first to find out that CS viewing can be charged. And some years ago nationals were free to watch, now they send only some medalists in an half-an-hour or one-hour compilation, if you want to see more, pay. Even qualifications are not free, but I can watch also them through my monthly-paid-channel.

Edit. I think there can be found sponsors to help in broadcasting. In Finlandia on the boards were ads which have nothing to do with FS, for example gardening company and furniture company.

 

[icewhite]

I am glad that there are actually confirmed snooker fans because I was always sure that's just a filler so that the screen is not black when they couldn't be bothered to show something else...
I respect a lot of sports, but I don't respect snooker as a sport, so if it ever becomes Olympic I will probably
So, for everyone affected that's a good thing that the streaming rights have not been sold and you can watch for free!
It's not so good for the sport, because some decent broadcasting/streaming deals would be financially advantageous. It's also a bad sign if nobody even cares to buy the rights. But right now I'm happy for those of you whose problems are solved for now!

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I am glad that there are actually confirmed snooker fans because I was always sure that's just a filler so that the screen is not black when they couldn't be bothered to show something else...
I respect a lot of sports, but I don't respect snooker as a sport, so if it ever becomes Olympic I will probably

I used to watch all the snooker tournaments. But then they went too far when expanding the number of tournaments on the calendar. You literally had tournaments every week, with one tournament finishing on Sunday, and the next tournament starting on Monday. And only a few days off for Christmas. It was too much. And I stopped watching completely.

So, for everyone affected that's a good thing that the streaming rights have not been sold and you can watch for free!
It's not so good for the sport, because some decent broadcasting/streaming deals would be financially advantageous. It's also a bad sign if nobody even cares to buy the rights. But right now I'm happy for those of you whose problems are solved for now!

Speaking of buying sports rights, did you hear about the auction for the rights for the top football league in France? At the moment, the rights are split between Canal+ and Amazon.

• Canal+, which has broadcast it since 1984, decided not to bid this time.
• Amazon decided that they had paid too much last time, and so this time put in a lower bid that was below the reserve price.
• beIN Sports put in a bid that was below the reserve price.
• DAZN put in a bid that was below the reserve price.

The auction was cancelled, as was the auction for the 2nd tier league's rights (currently held by beIN). And they are now trying to work out what to do.

So, if even football can't get the rights sold, what hope is there for minority sports?!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Winnie_20]

Coulda sworn Eurosport Germany was gonna stream the FS? But I cannot find (anymore?).
Guess I’ll just quit my subscription altogether and pretend I don’t hear the commentary on the ISU youtube stream. Meh.

 

[icewhite]

Coulda sworn Eurosport Germany was gonna stream the FS? But I cannot find (anymore?).
Guess I’ll just quit my subscription altogether and pretend I don’t hear the commentary on the ISU youtube stream. Meh.

Hm, it's so weird, it's difficult to find but it seems to be there?
Guess I will find out tonight if it actually is.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

The livestreams have now been geoblocked: check the ISU's Youtube page. If you don't see the upcoming livestreams for SkAm, they will unfortunately be geoblocked in your country. I would second ProtonVPN: it's free and very safe. Set it to the Netherlands and you will be able to watch. You can also check on VK if you have an account (Russian site, requires phone number and to subscribe to the channel) and this liveQQ link (no signup required, Chinese website and sometimes glitches but no sketchy popup ads)

 

[snowflake]

Coulda sworn Eurosport Germany was gonna stream the FS? But I cannot find (anymore?).
Guess I’ll just quit my subscription altogether and pretend I don’t hear the commentary on the ISU youtube stream. Meh.

How do you know there'll be commentary? Who will be talking?

 

[Winnie_20]

How do you know there'll be commentary? Who will be talking?

Eeuuh… isn’t there always commentary on the senior FS youtube streams? From what I remember, anyway.

 

[icewhite]

Coulda sworn Eurosport Germany was gonna stream the FS? But I cannot find (anymore?).
Guess I’ll just quit my subscription altogether and pretend I don’t hear the commentary on the ISU youtube stream. Meh.

So weird, it was there, but then it said it doesn't work in my country and I was wondering if there was something with the cache/VPN somehow still interfering despite being disconnected or something... or if it's actually not shown in Germany. Thing is I never experienced that before, that an event is shown and I click on it but then it says it's not for my country.
Anyway, then I did the VPN thing with the ISU stream on youtube and it worked, and I still watch other sports on Eurosport now and then, so I will likely not cancel the subscription because of that... but I do prefer the no commentary thing on ES... and in general, it would be good to know. So confusing.