• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Media Coverage of WC racing - Streaming or TV

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,419
It’s highly unlikely that they’re on site.
In fact, I doubt the Steve’s are on site and possibly not in the sane room.
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
It’s highly unlikely that they’re on site.
In fact, I doubt the Steve’s are on site and possibly not in the sane room.
There is no doubt & nothing unlikely about it. It’s pathetic but it’s what we are stuck with.
I remember a few years ago Pino broadcasting with Steve Nyman when he was injured, they were in Pinos garage or basement studio in Sun Valley at 2 AM for a European race.

At least Marco Sullivan was on site at Palisades & Aspen, he did a good job too.
 

Rudi Riet

AKA songfta AKA randomduck - a USSS coach, as well
SkiTalk Tester
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
2,462
Location
Washington, DC
There is no doubt & nothing unlikely about it. It’s pathetic but it’s what we are stuck with.
I remember a few years ago Pino broadcasting with Steve Nyman when he was injured, they were in Pinos garage or basement studio in Sun Valley at 2 AM for a European race.

At least Marco Sullivan was on site at Palisades & Aspen, he did a good job too.

The budgets for U.S. media outlets to cover non-North American FIS events is all but non-existent these days.

Even Ski Racing isn't sending their reporters and photogs to international events. That wasn't the case in the final years of the Black family operating the company, but under Leever they're content to rehash wire reports and USST press releases as "SR Staff Report" coverage. The photos are all pool sourced (e.g. GEPA).

Pino does almost all of his non-U.S. coverage from his Sun Valley home. The Durans do theirs from Colorado. Doug Lewis does his from Park City. They used to all commute to Colorado or Connecticut to be on one place, but in these days with reliable broadband connections it's no longer necessary.

Look at GCN/Eurosport's cycling coverage, where Robbie McEwan is exchanging banter with his UK-based colleagues with nary a time delay. Sure, you never see them on screen during things like the spring classics, but they're separated by half a world. But their commentators know their stuff, are well versed in the material the cover and how to cover it for an audience of both new viewers and longtime fans alike.

USSS (and to a lesser extent NBC Universal) could learn from Eurosport and GCN. The irony is that Eurosport is part of the NBCU global holdings so they should be able to share knowledge. But even when it comes to pro cycling NBCU has decided to do its own thing with the long-in-the-tooth Phil Liggett and Bob Roll, rather than the (to my ears) superior Carlton Kirby, Rob Hatch, Sean Kelly, Dan Lloyd, McEwan, Brian Smith, and Brad Wiggins. Even those in their arsenal who are closer to the modern sport - Christian VandeVelde, Chris Horner, and even Pino - are given short shrift compared to the legacy folk.

That said: all of these cycling commentators have been trained and served apprenticeships under the seasoned pros. It's a far sight more professional than taking recent USST alumni with zero media training and having them call races. Agreed that Marco Sullivan knows what he's doing - he should see more time.
 

Teppaz

Out on the slopes
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Posts
556
Location
Brooklyn, NY
It’s highly unlikely that they’re on site.
In fact, I doubt the Steve’s are on site and possibly not in the sane room.
Sure, but at least they manage to sound engaged. It's far from optimum conditions — especially since they're commenting at, like, 2 or 3am their time — but to my ears the Steves are doing a decent job compared to the Durans.

If the USST can't get better TV coverage when it has the GOAT, who also happens to be a likable, highly marketable champion, then there is no hope for the sport in the US. Shiffrin is the best hook you could dream of to draw casual viewers, and yet here we are. I'd be willing to suffer through the usual NBC crap of storifying her exploits to death in exchange for better coverage and more exposure for the sport.

Anecdotally, I got a friend who's a big sports fan but not into skiing to become invested in the Shiffrin story. (I might or might not have shared my ski and snowboard password so he could watch the races). Now he thinks she's a great athlete and role model. Can you imagine if more people were able to follow what she's doing?
 

S.H.

USSA Coach
Skier
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
1,821
Location
New England --> CO
Sure, but at least they manage to sound engaged. It's far from optimum conditions — especially since they're commenting at, like, 2 or 3am their time — but to my ears the Steves are doing a decent job compared to the Durans.
I mean yeah, the Steve's are professional broadcasters

The Durans are ski coaches
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
l wasn’t sure if this should go here or the Shiffrin thread…


Obviously TV coverage is huge for Mikaela to promote her brand in her own country. If I were her I’d be pissed & I bet she is!
 

Choucas

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Feb 17, 2016
Posts
342
Location
Vermont
I tried hard all season to watch World Cup races. It was not easy. Balky streaming, no sound, no picture, poor announcing, no announcing, having to hunt around NBC, Peacock, and the website to find out which race was being shown when Finding out that it's on Peacock but that certain races can't be added to your My Stuff file to be watched later. ARGH!
I have an easier time watching pickleball, cornhole, and ax throwing than seeing the greatest alpine ski racer of all time in her prime. The coverage of Nordic skiing was much better for some reason. Good announcers and streaming that worked great most of the time vs. hit or miss for alpine.
 

S.H.

USSA Coach
Skier
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
1,821
Location
New England --> CO

Speaking of network TV, during 19 hours of coverage in the NBC Sports extension, U.S. Ski & Snowboard events saw 429,000 viewers per minute, with a total of 10.1 million unique viewers reached by April of the 2022-23 season.


This is a 13% increase from the same period last year—notable because Olympic years are typically the strongest for NBC viewership. The men’s World Cup in December at Beaver Creek, the Xfinity Birds of Prey, averaged 686,000 viewers per minute, up 25% from NBC's average in that time slot.

Personally, I'm impressed with these numbers. I never would have thought 500K people would watch non-olympic ski racing.
 

Moose32

Attacking the Fall Line
Skier
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Posts
780
Location
Niwot & Whitefish (via WNY)
Honestly, I'm fine with that as long as streaming options are easy-to-access.

I rarely watched the races "on TV" anyway, because...I was skiing or asleep. I would DVR it though.
I like getting up early and watching it on TV just before heading to the hill with my girls.
Shiffy’s second runs usually coincide right when we have to finish eating and getting out the door.
 

S.H.

USSA Coach
Skier
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
1,821
Location
New England --> CO
I like getting up early and watching it on TV just before heading to the hill with my girls.
Shiffy’s second runs usually coincide right when we have to finish eating and getting out the door.
you could fire up the laptop/tablet just as easily, right?
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,419
Clearly the author did not read this thread.

Otherwise, nice to hear an alternate reality where more and more people are watching ski racing. Which is weird, since few want to watch it, and those who do, can’t or find it ridiculously hard. I, for one, watched maybe 8-10x more last year. This year was mostly YouTube replays.
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
Clearly the author did not read this thread.

Otherwise, nice to hear an alternate reality where more and more people are watching ski racing. Which is weird, since few want to watch it, and those who do, can’t or find it ridiculously hard. I, for one, watched maybe 8-10x more last year. This year was mostly YouTube replays.
I think I watched them all but it was no easy task & l’m a seasoned veteran ogwink!
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
Clearly the author did not read this thread.

Otherwise, nice to hear an alternate reality where more and more people are watching ski racing. Which is weird, since few want to watch it, and those who do, can’t or find it ridiculously hard. I, for one, watched maybe 8-10x more last year. This year was mostly YouTube replays.
He should :)
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
Solden is only a couple weeks out & not a whisper of how to watch? Anyone know?
Do we need a new “who to watch” thread?
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,095
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
Solden is only a couple weeks out & not a whisper of how to watch? Anyone know?
Do we need a new “who to watch” thread?

Right now I expect it to be similar to last season, with even less communication/notice unfortunately.

Ski and Snowboard live still says it will have all non-US events other than Austria. They have several events listed/linked on the website.

If you search for Peacock alpine skiing, you find an ad for the service that says :

Snow Sports
Streaming LIVE on Peacock
Returning for the 2023–2024 season: From skiing to snowboarding, we've got winter sports that keep your heart racing.


But nothing further.

I can't find anything about NBC broadcasts.

*sigh*
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top