NBC TO AIR SEVEN HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE OF THE U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND

Ladies Free Skate (Live) and Short Program in Primetime this Saturday

Live Coverage of Men's Free Skate Sunday at 4 p.m. on NBC

Mike 'Doc' Emrick, NBC Sports Group's Emmy Award-Winning NHL Play-by-Play Voice, to Host Coverage on NBC

"The 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championships have an even greater excitement beyond its usual importance of being the national championship." - Scott Hamilton

New York- January 22, 2013 - NBC Sports presents 10 hours of coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships from CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., over the next two weekends, including live primetime coverage of the Ladies Free Skate this Saturday.

NBC begins its coverage this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, with live coverage of the Pairs Free Skate and Free Dance. Later that evening in primetime, the Ladies Short Program will air at 8 p.m. ET, followed by live coverage of the Ladies Free Skate. Coverage continues on Sunday with the Men's Free Skate, live, from 3-5 p.m. ET.

NBC will also air the Smucker's Skating Spectacular on Sat., Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. ET. The Skating Spectacular will feature all the winners from this weekend's competition. The skaters will perform their own highly produced creative programs.

COMMENTATORS: Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Mike 'Doc' Emrick, the lead voice of NBC Sports Group's NHL coverage, will host Saturday night and Sunday afternoon's events, with Steve Schlanger hosting Saturday afternoon's coverage. NBC's Olympic figure skating analysts Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Tracy Wilson will rotate during the weekend's coverage with Andrea Joyce handling the interviews.

SCOTT HAMILTON ON LADIES COMPEITION: "Ashley Wagner has looked very comfortable with the Ladies' crown she won last year, and looks to be the favorite to repeat as National Champion. Last year's Junior Ladies Champion Gracie Gold has been turning a lot of heads and might make a strong case to be on her first World Team."

HAMILTON ON MEN'S COMPETITION: "Jeremy Abbott is the defending champion and has shown maturity and amazing artistry this year, but will need to fend off his nerves and perform two solid skates to hold off a field of much younger skaters."

2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

NBC Broadcast Schedule (all times Eastern, subject to change, check local listing)

DATE EVENT TIME (ET)
Saturday, Jan. 26 LIVE pairs free skate and free dance 3-6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26 Ladies short program 8-9 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26 LIVE Ladies free skate 9-11 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 27 LIVE Men's free skate 3-5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 2 Smucker's Skating Spectacular 1-3 p.m.

More than 370 figure skaters will compete at the juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior and senior levels for 20 U.S. titles in ladies, men's, pairs and ice dancing in Omaha. Several members of the 2012 U.S. World Team are set to compete, including reigning U.S. champions Wagner (Ladies), Abbott (Men's) and Meryl Davis & Charlie White (Dance).