Universal Sports and FIS World Cup Skiing

Watching televised World Cup Ski events on television for the last couple of years has been virtually impossible and really non-existent. The old OLN cable network carried FIS World Cup races for several years but when it changed to Versus Network, ski racing was dropped. It doesn't attract enough viewers to make it viable. Yes, there were a few celebrity ski races but to view FIS World Cup skiing there just wasn't any way to see it. Finding ski race results is kind of hit or miss for your local news. It is just not high on their priority list. So, any information on my favorite sport was gathered from the Internet.

An Internet website WCSN took up the slack and for a small subscription fee you could watch the races on your computer. Not a very satisfying experience but at least you could stay on top of the sport. Last summer WCSN merged with the new NBC cable channel Universal Sports. In addition to the TV cable channel they have a very good website that carries many of those sports that main stream television does not offer.

By sheer accident my son ,who lives in Arlington VA , told me that his cable system was broadcasting the FIS World Cup ski races . The cable network is called Universal Sports. I am a DirecTV satellite user. DirecTv does not offer this channel. I was bummed. However, I do have a digital TV with an outside UHF antenna and noticed that an Albany, NY station near where I live carried this network. I live at least 40-45 miles from the digital transmitter site. It's pretty much on the fringe for digital in my area.

As we approach the February 2009 cutoff date for analog TV, your local stations are working diligently to improve their digital signals and add content to the many additional digital stations that they can use. I was able to rescan my outside antenna for new channels and sure enough, I can now watch ski racing again. The new channel is listed with the DirecTV viewing guide and works seamlessly with the satellite channels. The signal is strong and I'm ecstatic! We are back to watching FIS World Cup ski racing.

I have watched all the races from Soelden, Austria and last weekend the races at Levi, Finland. Lindsay Vonn had a spectacular 2nd run and won the Women's Slalom and Bode Miller is back with a 2nd place in the Men's slalom. Go USA!

If you live in the Albany, NY area you may be able to see Universal Sports on the Time Warner Cable or directly on your outside UHF antenna from WRGB digital channel 6.2. If you have an outside antenna and an HDTV rescan for new digital channels. You'll be surprised at what might be out there in the digital world.

The Ski Traveler