Sasha & Weiss join SOI this fall!
- Thread starter Frau Muller
- Start date
I'm begining to think that we should go back to the way things used to be - amateurs should not be allowed to earn money (eg. from the Grand Prix or from skating shows) until they become professionals. Amateur figure skaters today are making too much money and it violates the ideals of amateur athletics. I remember reading on this board recently that someoe said that Jeff Buttle bought himself a $50,000 car last year. If you can spend that type of money you are no longer an amateur athlete - you are a professional.
Ryan O said:
Why should figure skaters be subject to special treatment? After all, the Williams sisters could compete at Olys, and the Oly basketball team members make a fortune from the NBA. It also strikes me as grossly unjust to think that the ISU, the federations, and/or the TV people can all make money from skating competitions, but the athletes who actually do the work cannot. .
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
The moneys earned by figure skaters is the reason why they are no longer termed amateurs. Rather they are now known as Olympic eligibles.
attyfan said:
They might be. Different sports set different criteria for Olympic eligibility. Those are wide open for basketball and hockey. Figure skating has different rules. Basketball and hockey want the best players to be able to play. The best players from many different countries play in the NBA and the NHL.
I think Olympic eligible skaters being able to earn money is almost a necessity with the expenses invovled. Otherwise some would be even more pressured and others would basically have to go pro ASAP to help the families recoup the cost. Also- many skaters recieved stipends, housing, etc from their countries based on performance.
Also - I think its fair since other sports like college football and basketball draw huge ratings and $ yet the athletes being peddled don't see a dime when they've put so much effort in. I think after seeing Michelle's 06 situation, other skaters considering runs at second or third Olympics will probably look more to the route Todd took in 99-02.
Also - I think its fair since other sports like college football and basketball draw huge ratings and $ yet the athletes being peddled don't see a dime when they've put so much effort in. I think after seeing Michelle's 06 situation, other skaters considering runs at second or third Olympics will probably look more to the route Todd took in 99-02.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Interesting article by JoJo Starbuck in BOI on this. During her hey day with Ken Shelley, they had to abide by the strict amateur rules. They didn't get the support of government assistance as other skaters and teams received. One other thing she brought out was that during the era there were no other competitions to work out the kinks in their routines before a Worlds. There were no PanAms, no GPs, no Cambells, no Marshalls, no 4Cs It was just Nats to Worlds.rob43 said:
Joe
rob43 said:
First, college athletes very often get something very valuable -- a college education, with tuition, room, board, etc. all paid for. It's called an athletic scholarship. Second, IIRC, there have been a lot of scandals in college sports -- athletes improperly receiving money or other gifts. Do you want to invite more scandal into skating?
Well I think making the earnings above board and transparent removes the scandalous aspect. They know to run all decisions by USFSA or USOC powers. We all know the Sashas, Michelles and Yagudins often earn appearance fees and are given prize checks at the end of comps. Heck- one year some sports reporter dissected the USFSA budget to figure out appearance $ from pro ams or something of the like. That may not be your cup of tea but is far from scanndalous since it is in line with what is said/promised and is reported to the governing body and IRS.
My point with college athletes is that football or basketball players can bring in major monies for their universities, risk limb if not life and while education is great- it is not always comensurate with the value of their contribution.
I simply like how skating handles it- place x,y,x and ear a,b,c in prize money. If you choose to tour you can negotiate your worth with Scott Hamilton or Tom Collins. And if you take part in shows you can do so for free or for benefit. Some skaters like Kwan bank a mint, others like the Hughes girls chose to avoid the $ and their associated tasks. It's their choice- earn a living, make a fortune or simply do enough to keep yourself in boots and choreography.
My point with college athletes is that football or basketball players can bring in major monies for their universities, risk limb if not life and while education is great- it is not always comensurate with the value of their contribution.
I simply like how skating handles it- place x,y,x and ear a,b,c in prize money. If you choose to tour you can negotiate your worth with Scott Hamilton or Tom Collins. And if you take part in shows you can do so for free or for benefit. Some skaters like Kwan bank a mint, others like the Hughes girls chose to avoid the $ and their associated tasks. It's their choice- earn a living, make a fortune or simply do enough to keep yourself in boots and choreography.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Well, if they couldn't get paid, there would only be rich skaters. The ones whose parents are already rich and we would never have seen someone like M. K. Since practically all other countries let them earn big bucks, there would only be a few from USA that could afford it here and we would have very few medalists. I know, there are always a few but it doesn't seem fair that only the rich could do it. We would never have had a Kwan. Look how hard they had to work before she started earning money. I know she was skating before they allowed it but I doubt she could have gone quite as far. I think she would have quit some time ago to pay her folks back, etc.
First of all, if Sasha was touring with SOI as a PERMANENT cast member, she would lose her eligibility. When you are a permanent cast member, the SOI contract requires that you do every show, which would preclude Sasha from competing at Nationals, Worlds and cheesefests, because the dates conflict with SOI tour dates. Yes, the USFS allowed Sarah do it because she was in school and not competing anyway (and in no physical condition to compete), but she had to promise that she would return to competition in the future. I do not believe the USFS would give Sasha, the reigning US champion, such a sanction, just as they wouldn't do it for Todd Eldredge.
Sasha could do guest appearances, but that's all. If she is going to Worlds, she will finish in the top 12 and will be required to do two GP events. If she pleads injury, she can't skip a GP event and skate in SOI. SOI doesn't go on tour until December, but the cast rehearsals are in the fall.
Sasha could do guest appearances, but that's all. If she is going to Worlds, she will finish in the top 12 and will be required to do two GP events. If she pleads injury, she can't skip a GP event and skate in SOI. SOI doesn't go on tour until December, but the cast rehearsals are in the fall.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
If Sasha plans to compete in Oly-eligible competitions next season, I don't see how she could appear in SOI until mid Spring after World's.
It's somewhat presumptuous of Weiss to announce Sasha's joining SOI. I would presume that they are wooing Sasha, but that doesn't mean she's signing.
After the 98 Oly's, I attended SOI in NYC. They announced that Tara was in the audience - so, no surprise when she joined them for the 99 season. After 2002 Oly's, I saw B&S in the lobby of Madison Square Garden while waiting for my friends to meet me for SOI - so, no surprise when they joined SOI for the 2003 season.
If this news is true, SOI would have posted it on their site by now since it would be big news to sign the Oly Silver Medalist. Also, other than Browning, I haven't noticed mention of any other guests on SOI this season.
It's somewhat presumptuous of Weiss to announce Sasha's joining SOI. I would presume that they are wooing Sasha, but that doesn't mean she's signing.
After the 98 Oly's, I attended SOI in NYC. They announced that Tara was in the audience - so, no surprise when she joined them for the 99 season. After 2002 Oly's, I saw B&S in the lobby of Madison Square Garden while waiting for my friends to meet me for SOI - so, no surprise when they joined SOI for the 2003 season.
If this news is true, SOI would have posted it on their site by now since it would be big news to sign the Oly Silver Medalist. Also, other than Browning, I haven't noticed mention of any other guests on SOI this season.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
attyfan said:
One problem I have with eligibles making a lot of money is that it exacerbates what has always been an un-level playing field. The rich skaters make lots of $$. They invest some of their earnings back into their skating, hiring the best coaches, choreographers, personal trainers, dieticians, costume designers, PR people, etc. This gives these athletes a huge advantage over unknown skaters of lesser means, creating a sort of "ice ceiling" that is extremely difficult to crack. This is especially true in this day and age when skaters are remaining eligible for such a long period of time... because their federations are paying them (sometimes million$) to do so! That brings up a number of ethical issues. How can a federation conduct their competitions fairly under such a system? There are too many potential conflicts of interest.
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- Aug 20, 2003
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Sasha and SOI
Sasha said at one point she wanted to be National Champion and World Champion. Perhaps she is waiting until after Worlds to see if she can go Gold and then make a decision about SOI. She could probably command more money with a World gold medal than with her silvers. Anyone wonder if Scott Hamilton is wondering how injured Sasha really is? He was the one that reported that she had a groin pull although Sasha refused to acknowledge that. Sasha has had a lot of serious injuries to her back and after the experience with Tara I would think Scott might be a little concerned about Sasha's physical condition (JMO).
Maureen
Sasha said at one point she wanted to be National Champion and World Champion. Perhaps she is waiting until after Worlds to see if she can go Gold and then make a decision about SOI. She could probably command more money with a World gold medal than with her silvers. Anyone wonder if Scott Hamilton is wondering how injured Sasha really is? He was the one that reported that she had a groin pull although Sasha refused to acknowledge that. Sasha has had a lot of serious injuries to her back and after the experience with Tara I would think Scott might be a little concerned about Sasha's physical condition (JMO).
Maureen
Jennifer Lyon said:
Why is this any different than the problems during the "cold war" when US Olympians, usually, had to support themselves, whereas the athletes from the Communist countries got a great deal of government support. It is also not any different than any other system, where it is easier for the rich than the poor. The main advantage to the current system is that any skater, from any where, no matter what the family economic background, can "make it", and support their continued involvement, whereas in the days when the US skaters could not earn money, they couldn't continue whether they wanted to or not -- they were forced out to earn a living.
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