UniversalSports.com Institutes Pay Wall For Giro d'Italia
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 1:09 PM EDT
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PrintUniversal Sports, which has rapidly taken over a good size of the US broadcasting of pro cycling, is adding a pay wall in time for its Giro d'Italia coverage starting on May 8. Subscribers will be treated to live coverage and on-demand video through universalsports.com with the following options:
- $14.99 for the entire Giro
- The price drops to $9.99 if you purchase after May 23 -- in other words, you can buy the last 6 stages at a slight discount by waiting
- Stages 12 and 20, you can buy just the stage for 99 cents. Not sure why these stages; maybe this is a pilot
- For $39.99 you can get coverage of all their 2010 cycling events (sounds like more paywalls are coming)
- If you get Universal Sports over the airwaves, the paywall won't apply and you can watch coverage daily live at 7am Pacific (10 Eastern) and prime time replays each night.
Bummer? Yes, we all love excellent free coverage, but this is hardly unexpected. Cycling broadcasts have lured us in with free coverage before, only to throw up the pay wall. Remember the early days of Cycling.tv? My hunch is that $15 for 21 stages won't raise too much of a fuss as long as the login works smoothly. The main complaints leveled by Cycling.TV subscribers were the technical problems (especially with the ridiculous login issues) and uncertainty that you were getting any races once you paid. Universal so far has been flawless, and for the Giro the cost can be offset by not buying a soda at lunch, which you shouldn't be buying anyway, that shit will kill you.
Regarding that $39.99 -- Universal Sports needs to publish a full list of the events they'll be showing, and they need to tell us what the cost of purchasing one at a time is. I will ask for that, because until we know more that particular item isn't very useful.
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giro, vuelta, missouri, worlds
if it’s all their cycling, would also include the track, cross, bmx
they do have pais vasco rights also
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
OK
Vuelta and worlds, fine. Is Missouri happening this year?
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
no clue
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Bummer? No
In the United States, I think it makes perfect sense. Sure, I want everything to be free, but Universal Sports is taking a huge risk spending money on cycling, and I understand why they have to hedge their bets by charging. As long as they provide a good feed and smooth log-in, I’ll glady watch the Giro for $15.
"Far better than a Ricco-Rouser" - sminer
I would too... I'm envious.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
agreed
if i had the opportunity, i totally would.
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
ah. yes.
that was rather stupid wasn’t it? good luck tomorrow by the way, i really really really don’t want to have to go to selhurst park next season.
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
cheers mate
not looking forward to it, it must be said!
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
no, i can imagine
i’ll be thinking of you!
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
Fine by me.
I mean, I’d like to have a low-quality version available so I can continue to evangelize to friends, but eh, it’s all about me me me in the end.
That is a good point, actually
about a free-low fi version for sucking people in. That would be a wise tactic on their part.
But yeah, $15 for three weeks of racing is coolio. As long as it doesn’t break or anything.
Cable
I think if you get Cable with UniSports, you should get the Internet feed free.
Seems unfair that I am paying for UniSports on Cable but not getting the benefit of its Internet feed.
Comcast
is doing something like that, with certain channels, iirc.
The thing here is that Universal – as a channel – doesn’t have any authentication mechanism (cf. Comcast, the actual provider).
If we fast-forward 20 years, though, I suspect we’ll all end up with media authentication keys. But that’ll be the least of our problems, then.
Yes
This will be a minor concern compared to the impending Robot Wars.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I, for one, welcome our metallic overlords.
As we went over the top, Frank Schleck said to me, 'Don't worry, follow my wheel, it'll be OK.' But the first corner, he crashed, he went into a ditch....For two years now I've had to explain why I'm bad at going downhill because of that day.--Robert Gesink
Great
So I won’t have to wonder too long who turned me in.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, this is the internet!
It’s not like we know your real name or what you look like.
As we went over the top, Frank Schleck said to me, 'Don't worry, follow my wheel, it'll be OK.' But the first corner, he crashed, he went into a ditch....For two years now I've had to explain why I'm bad at going downhill because of that day.--Robert Gesink
I will seel you his real name for the cost of a Universal Sports subscription
The whole year subscription I mean
"Do you think we are a bunch a girls?...Go and ride some cobbles and you’ll definately know that we don’t discuss perfume and shaving cream." - Dom
If they can deliver
then I will be there biggest fan. If they cannot deliver, then I will hound them mercilessly until their dreams are haunted by my snark. Just kidding about that last part. Hey, I wonder if that kid from Ctv who eats eggs needs a job?
"Do you think we are a bunch a girls?...Go and ride some cobbles and you’ll definately know that we don’t discuss perfume and shaving cream." - Dom
Yo, hey—it's 2001 calling
There’s this thing called iTunes, where you sign up is free with a credit card, and then can buy granular content for a near-trivial price (99 cents). Not sure it’ll catch on, but I think it’s cool and you should check it out.
-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com
Head down, elbows out since 2005
"granular content"
You kids with your crazy language…
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
adding
more srsly, I wonder if that’s a future option. Like when they get used to handling subscriptions. Baby steps…
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
It just blows my mind
The iTunes store has sold over ten billion songs and yet people routinely tell me 1) users won’t pay for things on the Internet and 2) it’s hard to figure out how to implement a paywall solution.
Now, there are some obvious differences between music and live cycling coverage—smaller audience, higher bandwidth costs, etc. But if Cycling.TV offered a per-race billing plan for the classics, they’d have a whole lot more money in their pockets right now. Instead, they’ve continued with a flat-rate season fee and no schedule to back it up.
C.TV have a site relaunch coming in May, and frankly, I hope it’s awesome. I love their commentary and—while others have had different experiences—their customer service was great to me.
If the new site doesn’t work out, though, they should know I’ll be available to help them with their next redesign as early as June.
-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com
Head down, elbows out since 2005
I agree a working ppv system is the way to go
but I’m with Sui in believing that CTV will never get the job done. As for the commentary, any channel is free to buy those services from the Cyclevox guys. It’s not like they are doing such a bad job marketing themselves that they are hard to find.
try. brian and maggy have been on eurosport 2 quite regularly this year.
they’re breaking in new talent. dan lloyd. julian wynn.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
try = true
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Well it couldn't last
although there was a slight glimmer of hope seeing espn360 was free(well not technically free but no extra charge if it comes with your IP package). But those are major sports, I’m not sure about paying 15 bucks for watching the stage from km 60-30 before I switch on the TV so I may go looking for an Italian feed for free at first, but 15 bucks for 21 stages in beautiful Italy is not shabby at all.
Quitter's People United member # 42
this is online
the TV coverage is from their digital channel which you can get in some or all cable packages and over the airwaves in certain places. Like Seattle, thankfully. So yeah, breakfast watching the Giro on the tube.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Will they have announcers for the giro on-line coveerage?
Seems like I remember watching some universal events that had no live commentary.
This question also applies to the 39.99 package – Will they have commentary for all the races they intend to show
there will be english commentary, i just don't know at the moment who will be doing it. the english guy from last year's giro (and this year's milano-sanremo) or matt keenan. or the us commentators (who, personally, i can do without).
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
yes, he is. he's done the vuelta the past two years (2008 for ctv, 2009 for univsports). and he did the beginning and ending of the versus online streaming for the tdf last year.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
I loved the freebie internet coverage last year that was available at RAI (maybe? – can’t remember exactly). I could choose which helicopter camera feed that I wanted to see, or the whole thing as it was broadcast to TV land. Hoping for more of the same this year.
by ManBicycleThing on Apr 30, 2010 2:45 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
at the moment, that appears to still be available. tho, who knows how diligently those feeds will be shut down.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Slightly related
Universal sports is showing the Iron Man competition that is being held in Washington County UT this week. (My home county.) Mmmmm….ironmen.
Nothing is impossible when you work for the circus.
So
this is what it takes to get you commenting again? Duly noted…
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Jimbo would do nicely, thanks.
I hear he works for peanuts. And likes living in a box in the basement.
Nothing is impossible when you work for the circus.
While I do like peanuts
the “lives in a box in the basement” part is a damn lie. My house is on a slab, thank you very much. Maybe you have me confused with Mark?
"Do you think we are a bunch a girls?...Go and ride some cobbles and you’ll definately know that we don’t discuss perfume and shaving cream." - Dom
i'm available via telecommute
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Our Ironman Race
OK, great challenge race but on a related note, I’ve see this scenery EVERY DAMN DAY for the past 20 years and never take it for granted. Ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhItUfBsgko
Nothing is impossible when you work for the circus.
link...?
I was looking for a link that would assure me (at least a little) that this service includes Canada.
Assurances………….???
live to ride, ride to live
Right
Now if Canada were to show more defiance, they might get moved up the list a bit.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions
NBC screws us over again!
just kidding, it makes financial sense to do this, but if I can find half decent free streams I’ll just watch them. 15 dollars isn’t terrible though when worse comes to worse
"I would say my biggest flaw, my Achilles heel is my tireless work ethic"-Kenny Powers
Satilite users still get stiffed
No good to me, either way. Still get Fapped by Hughes.net
pay thru the nose “How much justice can you afford?” will ya?
Direct-TV, never go for U.S. – Versus raked ‘em to bad.
Just have to read P’Cafe, catch a clip here and there.
Keep me posted
signed: Lost in the Wilderness
The alternative markup language
I believe it’s Textile. I’ve tested some of the markups, and they work here too. Possibly there’s a box somewhere that can get un-ticked to turn it off.
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
by TheFigurehead on May 1, 2010 3:23 AM EDT up reply actions
US on TV
Just to answer some of your questions. Universal Sports TV network is on 60 million homes across the country, so make sure to check if you have our channel and can always watch for free that way!
We aren’t on Direct TV yet, but are pushing hard there, so any way you can complain to them about getting us up on their network is much appreciated. At the moment Direct TV has no cycling coverage to offer their viewers.
So sorry Canada, we don’t have the rights up there, so you won’t be able buy the broadcast!
More news will be posted on our cycling channel soon! www.universalsports.com/cycling
by universalsports on Apr 30, 2010 5:22 PM EDT reply actions
And
I am no longer a DirecTv subscriber. Coincidence?
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Versus is back on DirecTV
Maybe we CAN get Universal Sports. I’ll chime in.
Nothing is impossible when you work for the circus.
Someone up here has the rights to all the UCI pro stuff but they don't exercise them.
I think it’s that guy who got the 2 protour events going. He’s been sitting on the rights for decades.
Gets real tiresome having the North American rights to stuff sold to some Yank who then doesn’t include us in the distribution.
Rant from Canuckistan over.
can't be that simple
Why get the rights and not use them? Surely there’s a low-cost channel to run the broadcast.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions
That's a similar situation to broadcasting some World Cup qualifiers in the US.
Very stupid, but there it is.
CBC used to have rights to road worlds
…and would show a highlight package 3-4 weeks later rather than showing anything live. A few years ago Canal Evasion (French-Canadian OLN-like channel) covered the Giro, maybe they’re doing it again?
I’m really hoping that RAI-International comes through again on my digital cable, otherwise guess I’ll be going looking for the rogue internet streaming feeds :-( . If I wake up in time, otherwise I guess I won’t see much.
Yay!!!
RAI-International has posted a Saturday May 8 schedule for North America and it includes the Giro – presumably if they’re showing stage 1 they’ll show the rest (except for a few days perhaps when calcio will take precedence). It’s a few hours delayed but better than no coverage at all – and these days with an 11-month-old, coverage I can record on a PVR and watch whenever is much preferred to coverage I can only access live (even if it means I can’t really participate in the live threads :-( ).
i would never give up my directv... could care less about the return of versus ... but nfl ticket is a must
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
And as universalsports just told me
they did a pay wall for the Boston Marathon, successfully, so don’t expect any technical problems. This isn’t their first go-round.
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2010 5:30 PM EDT reply actions
I'll open a skype session and webcam you all my cable feed...
(joking)
Wish I could do it though…
The artist formerly known as jf(bunchofnumbers).
Universal showing T-A again now
watching cycling in Italy on TV makes me so damn excited about the idea of having the Giro LIVE on TV, oh these next 8 days will be a bitch(although some great cycling on tap for tomorrow).
Quitter's People United member # 42
Will do it
I’ll do it just for the sake of the commentating. Last year the online stream had live commentary from an English bloke, and it was great. I forget who the Americans are who do the TV version, but they’re terrible. My understanding is that they’re not even doing it live, so when they say things like, “Carlos Sastre sure is looking strong today,” what they’re really saying is, “I have already seen the result of this race, and Carlos Sastre wins.”
I’ll also do it as a way to cast a vote for more cycling coverage. Money talks.
Come play Rouleur Derby! Free and fun! http://www.rouleurderby.com
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