FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 19th, 2016

2016 PROGRESSIVE SKATE AMERICA LIVE ON NBC THIS SAT., OCT. 22 AT 4:30 PM ET & SUN., OCT. 23, AT 12:30 PM ET

Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski & Terry Gannon Call the Action

Coverage Available on Universal HD & Streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app Throughout the Weekend

Olympians and Top International Athletes to Compete

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 19, 2016 – NBC presents live coverage of 2016 Progressive Skate America this weekend, with the ladies’ free skate this Saturday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m. ET and the men’s free skate this Sunday, Oct. 23, at 12:30 p.m. ET from Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Universal HD will present coverage of the event throughout the weekend, beginning this Friday, Oct. 21, at 11 p.m. with the ladies short competition. Coverage will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Eighteen U.S. athletes will compete at 2016 Progressive Skate America, led by 2014 Sochi Olympians Ashley Wagner, the 2016 World silver medalist, and Gracie Gold, the reigning U.S. champion. Reigning U.S men’s champion Adam Rippon and 2015 U.S. champion Jason Brown highlight the men’s competition.

The international field features three-time World champion Mao Asada of Japan in the ladies’ competition, while 2016 World bronze medalist Jin Boyang of China and Japan’s Shoma Uno, the 2015 Progressive Skate America Silver medalist, are expected to contend in the men’s event.

Play-by-play announcer Terry Gannon calls the action on NBC joined by three-time U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir and 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski. Andrea Joyce will report from rink-side.

Skate America is the first event of the 2016 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. The Grand Prix Series, now in its 22nd season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the 2016 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, set for Dec. 8-11, in Marseille France.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will stream coverage of Skate America. The NBC Sports app will stream coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox.

Following is the schedule for NBC Sports Group’s Skate America coverage:

Date Time (ET) Program Network
Fri., Oct. 21 11 p.m. Ladies Short Universal HD
Sat., Oct. 22 4:30 p.m. Ladies Free (LIVE) NBC
Sat., Oct. 22 11:30 p.m. Men’s Short Universal HD
Sat., Oct. 22 12:30 a.m. Pairs Free Universal HD
Sun., Oct. 23 12:30 p.m. Men’s Free (LIVE) NBC
Sun., Oct. 23 9 p.m. Free Dance Universal HD
Mon., Oct. 24 8 p.m. Ladies and Men’s Free (Encore) Universal HD

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–