TobFromme

In the US, what do you use to watch the cycling races? I currently subscribe to NBC Sports Gold (Cycling Pass) and it annoys me that for $50-ish per year, they only show the last 60km or so of each stage, not to mention their production is subpar. For example, today, it was scheduled to start airing at 7:35am Eastern, but it didn't start until 8:45am Eastern.

Is there any source in the US that allows you to watch the entire race, with at least a decent amount of effort put into the production?

jimmyodonnell

Although I didnt tune in to the start of today's broadcast, I've noticed in past years that they join these Dauphine stages somewhere in progress . . . I have no idea why they don't show the entire stage. This doesn't happen with the Tour or the Vuelta, they show the entire stage with an American broadcast and a commercial-free international broadcast.

Other than NBCSN, I think US viewers can also see the Dauphine on FloBikes.com and on Fubo.tv, for different month-to-month subscription fees.

I have no idea whether their coverage is the same or different from what you see on NBCSN, it might just be a simulcast of the very same broadcast.
NBCSN doesn't produce most of this coverage we see on Cycling Pass, they just distribute the international feed featuring English commentary.
Yeah they produce their own Tour coverage and Paris Roubaix but most of the other races we see the international coverage.

Marcus_Ti

The thing with the USA....NBC pays for geolocked exclusives. SO if NBC is airing it--no one else can in the USA.

For example Dauphine today was region locked. I pay for FloBikes. Can't watch Dauphine on FloBikes...unless you're like me and VPN into some other country and then it is geo-unlocked and can watch it on FloBikes fine.

jimmyodonnell

Thanks, that restriction will probably apply to all the ASO races.

Marcus_Ti

Yup. same rules about geo-locked exclusives apply to everything. For example the GCN Race Pass. Their USA calendar is 60% smaller than their EU race calendar...because of geolocking restrictions.

Which...if you have a VPN with multi-national gateways with a good bit of throughput is no big deal. I use NordVPN these days after Private Internet Access got bought by a spamware company

TobFromme

Thanks for the info. I noticed Cycling.Today had the same video coverage as NBCSN, so I can see what you're saying. I guess I'll just stick with NBCSN.

Iride01 

I've been using NBC Gold for sometime too. Yeah, audio for the commentator a lot of times is crappy or not there. I doubt they have many people actually working these things for the smaller races. Might even just be the commentator doing everything.

I think their subscription fee is inexpensive and am willing to put up with the issues as I want to see it not necessarily hear it. And the actual video coverage is something they have to buy from whomever was given license by the race organization to film it.

I thought the deal with not getting all of some stages of various races was that the entity that filmed the stage didn't provide it. Not so much it's anything NBC or others can control.

Or is that too a simple matter that they don't pay the cost of getting the full video coverage that is available? I've never looked to see if other services provide the starting coverage that sometimes NBC Gold doesn't have.

OPC

Just a heads-up for those like me who hoped to watch TdF on NBCSN. Looking at their broadcasting schedule, they're only listing coverage through Stage 3 (Aug 31). Not sure if it'll update as the race gets closer, if not, folks may want to have a viewing Plan B.

https://www.nbcsports.com/tv-listings/full

Poking around the site further for coverage options only results in the paid app, NBC Sports Gold.

TobFromme

I see NBCSG saying they will provide both the NBCSN feed and an ad-free feed of every stage. The ad-free also starts earlier.

OPC

Velonews is reporting the N America broadcast schedule:
​​​​​​
https://www.velonews.com/events/tour...north-america/

Looks like NBCSN is an option after all.

jimmyodonnell

The past couple years, I've favored the ad-free broadcast.
I like the commentary pair of Matt Keenan and Robbie McEwan, I hope they return this year.
Heads-up to anyone considering the ad-free broadcast that commentary by Keenan + McEwan is very AUSSIE-CENTRIC

jimmyodonnell

In the most recent couple years, the ad-free coverage on Cycling Pass / NBCSG shows the full stage coverage, at least for the Tour and the Vuelta.
On smaller races yeah some stages have limited coverage, joining the stage in-progress.

gpsblake

NBCSN is cutting way back on Prime Time Coverage as Hockey playoffs take priority. It still will be live in the mornings but only one hour on Saturday prime time (7 pm to 8pm) and none on Sunday (although they will have it from midnight to 3 am)

fietsbob

Live morning broadcast west coast of US 5 AM, NBCSN , other replays go to CNBC,

Marcus_Ti

I had to laugh at the special "portrait" segment that the TdF organizers produced and force-fed all the broadcasters on Chris Froome...who isn't even at the race, and we knew wouldn't be coming for a week.

Eric S.

I'm watching using the $4.99 option of Peacock Premium. I didn't get up for pre-race coverage (4am Pacific in the US) but when I did start watching I was surprised to not be hearing Phil Liggett. Anyone know what's going on? Being that Peacock is NBC, I assume I'm watching via NBC Sports channel but there's no NBC Sports icon on the screen. I know some people would be happy to NOT hear Liggett but I like him.

I found this on a website that says Phil & Bob should be doing commentary -

"NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2020 Tour de France features Phil Liggett, universally known as the “voice of cycling,” who will call play-by-play race action from Sky Sports’ studios in the U.K. Analyst Bob Roll will remotely join Liggett on the call from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn."

EDIT: Highlights are on YouTube already and Peacock is clearly using a different feed. I wonder if I would get NBC Sports if I moved up to the $9.99 option.

EDIT #2 : I think I figured out what's going on with this Peacock app. Instead of looking for Tour de France under "Sports", I have to find NBC Sports under "Channels" for the so-called US broadcast.

EDIT #3 : The NBC Sports "channel" on Peacock is not the TV broadcast, it's just random shows. I caved and got set up with Sling TV this morning to watch the broadcast for US audiences.

Eric S.

I posted here about using Peacock Premium (US$4.99 for one month) and that it seems to have two feeds. The one found under "Sports" is the feed with the commentators you prefer. I'll have to confirm my suspicion this evening but the regular commercial NBC Sports TV broadcast is found by going to NBC Sports under the "Channels" list.

Not sure if Peacock can be used internationally, though.

John HP

My cable guide shows no more Tour on NBCSN after Wednesday. Hopefully the guide is wrong... I'm going to be pissed if I have to buy the gold package on top of my cable.

Eric S.

This VeloNews link shows it airing consistently -

https://www.velonews.com/events/tour...X9-8dXB7amynZE

EddyR

I had NBC Gold for many years but they offered no credit for all the missed races this year so I gave up on them.
I heard about Peacock on here and went for one month. I am retired so the time of broadcast does not bother me here on east coast. Use my laptop connected to the tv and it worked great.
Ed

TobFromme

It's still NBC so they still got your money. LOL

HeyItsSara

In NYC I can get it on cable Channels 4 and 212. I'm pretty happy with the pre-game coverage at 7 am and then the longer coverage later. I don't see watching more than 6 hours or so of it every day anyway.

Cyclist0100

I’ve watched all 5 stages live via NBC gold ad-free coverage. So far, so good. Start to finish coverage, no technical issues, no ads.

hrdknox1

Subscribe to a streaming service. I use Cyberstreamz. It offers NBCSN, Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 which show a good amount of every stage of the Tour. If you miss the morning broadcast, it is on again later that day.