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Universal Sports channel (affiliated with NBC Universal) will be airing taped portions of Skate Canada, the second Grand Prix of Figure Skating event. If you're one of the lucky ones who get Universal Sports channel -- congratulations, I'm very jealous. I, however, will be viewing on YouTube and icenetwork. Click here for complete Universal Sports Grand Prix schedule.
Universal Sports Broadcast Schedule for 2012 Skate Canada
All Times ET
Saturday, October 27
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Skate Canada, Pairs & Dance Free
7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Skate Canada, Men’s Free Skate
Sunday, October 28
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Skate Canada, Ladies & Mens’ Free (tape)
Megan Hilty signed on as Special Guest for NBC’s TV Special PANDORA Unforgettable Holiday Moments on Ice
Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are back for a third year – Teams up with Actress and Singer Megan Hilty for a unique blend of holiday music
OMAHA, NEB., October 22, 2012: Megan Hilty, star of NBC’s musical drama “Smash,” has signed on to joining Mannheim Steamroller, the #1 selling Christmas music group of all time, as a special musical guest for NBC’s special PANDORA Unforgettable Holiday Moments on Ice. The show will be nationally broadcast on NBC during Thanksgiving Weekend on Nov. 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., as part of the PANDORA NBC Skating Series.
Chip Davis, the creator of the multiplatinum music group Mannheim Steamroller, Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi and three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss will host the show with Hilty making special musical appearances throughout the performance. Hilty, who is working on a new album to be released in early 2013, for a unique holiday music performance, will combine her amazing voice with the “18th Century Classical Rock” sound Mannheim Steamroller for several songs, including "Silver Bells," "O Holy Night," "The Sign of Love," and "The Christmas Song.”
Mannheim Steamroller and Hilty’s show will feature one-of-a-kind sound that blends electronic, acoustic, digital and analog music styles highly-inventive interpretations of traditional Christmas music, as a group of world famous figure skaters, headlined by Brian Boitano, Elvis Stojko, and Kimmie Meissner, breathe life into the sounds of Santa with flawless choreography and intricate skate work intertwined with a few show stopping surprises.
Joining Boitano, Stojko and Meissner on the ice will be reigning U.S. champion Ashley Wagner, 2011 U.S. champion Alissa Czisny and 2008 U.S. champion Mirai Nagasu. The show is scheduled to tape on Nov. 10 at Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix at 7:00 pm. Joining this already stellar skating cast in this one-of-a-kind holiday event will be the always entertaining 2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley, Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette and five-time U.S. champion ice dancers Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev.
No holiday ice show would be complete without the pop culture phenomenon of signature holiday music from Mannheim Steamroller, the biggest selling Christmas artist in history. The musical group has sold more than 40 million albums, including 27 million in the Christmas music genre, making them one of the top 50 biggest selling musical artists of all time.
Tickets for the show taping are on sale now and can be purchased at www.gcuarena.com, the GCU Arena Box Office or by phone at 602-639-8999.
Universal Sports channel (affiliated with NBC Universal) has announced their 2012 Grand Prix schedule:
2011 World Figure Skating Championships Broadcast/Web Schedule (All times ET)
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DATE
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COMPETITION
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TIME
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OUTLET
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Wednesday, April 27
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Men's Short Program
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5:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Opening Ceremonies
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10:45 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Pairs Short Program
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11:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Shorts: Men's & Pairs
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6:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Thursday, April 28
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Men's Free
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5:00 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Pairs Free
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10:00 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Men's Free
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6:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Pairs Free
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8:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Friday, April 29
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Ladies Short Program
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5:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Short Dance
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10:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Shorts: Ladies & Dance
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6:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Saturday, April 30
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Ladies Free
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5:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Free Dance
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10:30 a.m.
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universalsports.com/icenetwork.com
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Ladies Free
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6:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Free Dance
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8:00 p.m.
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Universal Sports TV
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Universal Sports Presents Unprecedented Multi-Platform Coverage of the 2011 ISU World Figure Skating Championships
Universalsports.com and Icenetwork.com partner to stream competition LIVE -- Universal Sports television broadcast includes over 14 hours of coverage
Los Angeles, CA—Universal Sports presents unprecedented multi-platform coverage of the 2011 International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Skating Championships, in Moscow, Russia. The championships, originally scheduled for mid-March in Tokyo, Japan, were relocated to Moscow after the unfortunate and devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis. The event is now set for April 27-May 1.
The network will broadcast over 14 hours of coverage and will air every event. Primetime coverage will begin April 27 at 6 p.m. ET with the men’s and pairs short programs and continue throughout the week with the rest of the competition. The Universal Sports broadcast team includes Andrea Joyce (play-by-play), 1984 Olympic silver medalist Peter Carruthers (men’s and pairs analyst), 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski (ladies analyst) and Judy Blumberg (ice dancing analyst).
Universal Sports’ digital platform, Universalsports.com, in collaboration with icenetwork.com, will deliver LIVE on-line coverage, on a subscription basis, of the 2011 World Championships, beginning with the men’s short program on April 27 at 5:30 a.m. ET. Universalsports.com will also feature full replays, highlights and analysis.
“While we all keep the people of Japan in our hearts, we are glad the athletes will be able to compete in the 2011 World Figure Skating Championships," said Perkins Miller, COO of Universal Sports. “With 14 hours on-air and another 30 hours online through our partnership with icenetwork.com, we know our fans will be able to celebrate this great event whenever and wherever they want."
“We look forward to our athletes competing in Moscow,” said David Raith, Executive Director of U.S. Figure Skating. “We are excited our fans will be able to follow their favorite skaters and watch all of the action on Universal Sports and icenetwork.com.”
The ladies competition features reigning Olympic champion Yu-Na Kim of South Korea, who seeks to reclaim her 2009 World title. Kim has not competed since finishing second at the 2010 World Championships. Challenging her will be Mao Asada of Japan, the 2010 defending World champion. Reigning U.S. champion Alissa Czisny and 2010 Olympian Rachael Flatt will also compete for a spot on the podium.
On the men’s side, defending World champion Daisuke Takahashi leads a talented group of men from Japan against last year’s World silver medalist Patrick Chan of Canada. Ryan Bradley leads the contingent of three U.S. men hoping to reach the podium.
In the pairs competition, 2010 World champions Pang Qing and Tong Jian of China look to defend their title against Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy. While in the ice dancing event, reigning Olympic and World champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada will square-off against chief rivals Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States. For Davis and White, a gold medal at the 2011 World Championships would be the first-ever World title for a U.S. ice dancing team.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL SPORTS:
Universal Sports, a partnership between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, LP, is the premier multi-platform media destination for Olympic-related sports programming in the United States. Universal Sports is available in 52 markets nationwide, including all of the nation’s top 10 media markets and 20 of the top 25. Major world championship sports events aired on Universal Sports include track and field, skiing, swimming, gymnastics, marathons, figure skating, cycling and rugby. The network’s website, UniversalSports.com, delivers an immersive user experience via live and on-demand competition coverage, interaction with top athletes through interviews and blogs and in-depth access to Olympic sports news and information year-round. For more information, please visit UniversalSports.com.
