FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

2017 U.S. CHAMPION NATHAN CHEN HIGHLIGHTS NBC SPORTS GROUP’S 10 HOURS OF 2017 ISU GRAND PRIX FINAL COVERAGE THIS WEEK

For the First Time Since 2009, Three Americans Will Compete in the Men’s Competition

Live Coverage Begins Tomorrow with Pairs’ Short Program at 4:30 a.m. ET on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

Terry Gannon Calls NBC Show with Analysts Tara Lipinski & Johnny Weir This Sunday at 4 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – December 6, 2017 – NBC Sports Group presents 10 hours of 2017 ISU Grand Prix Final coverage from Nagoya, Japan, this week, where the top six skaters after six Grand Prix events will compete against each other. Live coverage begins tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 7, at 4:30 a.m. ET with the pairs’ short program on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and continues throughout the week, culminating this Sunday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC.

For the first time since 2009, three Americans will compete in the men’s competition: reigning U.S. champion Nathan Chen, the only man to win two Grand Prix events this season, 2016 U.S. champion Adam Rippon, who finished second to Chen at Skate America, and 2014 Olympian Jason Brown. 2017 world junior champion Alina Zagitova of Russia and 2017 world silver medalist Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada headline the ladies’ field. Two-time reigning world champion Yevgenia Medvedeva of Russia, who was the top qualifier to the Final, withdrew due to a broken bone in her foot.

The ice dance competition will feature three American teams: siblings and three-time world medalists Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani; two-time world medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates; and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue. Reigning world champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China and 2017 world bronze medalists Yevgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov of Russia highlight the pairs’ field.

Terry Gannon handles play-by-play on NBC, joined by 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski and three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir.

Steve Schlanger calls play-by-play on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, joined by 2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley for the men’s, ladies’ and pairs’ events, and 2006 Olympic silver medalist Ben Agosto for the ice dance competition.

Coverage on NBC and NBCSN is live streamed on NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Coverage on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA is available on OlympicChannel.com, the Olympic Channel app, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app.

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.

Date Time Event Network
Thurs., Dec. 7 4:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Pairs’ Short (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Thurs., Dec. 7 5:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Men’s Short (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Thurs., Dec. 7 6:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Short Dance (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Fri., Dec. 8 5 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Ladies’ Short (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Fri., Dec. 8 6:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Men’s Free (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Sat., Dec. 9 2:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Pairs’ Free (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Sat., Dec. 9 4 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Free Dance (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Sat., Dec. 9 5:30 a.m. ISU Grand Prix Final: Ladies’ Free (LIVE) Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Sun., Dec. 10 4 p.m. ISU Grand Prix Final NBC

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–