ISU concerned with Celebrity TV Skating Shows | Page 2 | Golden Skate

ISU concerned with Celebrity TV Skating Shows

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
what could be the possible motive behind an action like this? All I can think of is POWER and GREED.

Unless there's something I'm missing that could actually hurt the ISU if these shows continue to run. In fact I think it would only help because it helps to put skating back in the public eye again. Right? :scratch:
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
what could be the possible motive behind an action like this? All I can think of is POWER and GREED.

Unless there's something I'm missing that could actually hurt the ISU if these shows continue to run. In fact I think it would only help because it helps to put skating back in the public eye again. Right? :scratch:

Well, POWER and GREED have motivated a lot of people to do a lot of things -- stupid as well as evil -- so, why should $peedy and the ISU be exempt?

Seriously, though, I am not sure if these shows will help Oly eligible skating. I read somewhere that, after food rationing in Britain ended (after WW II), there were people who couldn't eat butter because they had gotten so used to margarine. Similarly, the people who get used to these kind of shows might not adjust well to competitive skating.
 

elinmand

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
If interst in figute skating increases, maybe we'll get ISU events back on network TV, where they belong. But of course Speedy doesn't think that way.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
that's a valid point. But I still can't see how restricting/taking action on/banning the shows could possibly help their situation.

The status quo certainly won't help eligible skating because it's on the decline. I can't see how these shows could make it any worse...my thought is that it would either have a) no impact or b) a positive impact (possibly get more people interested in skating again). However, I think too many shows (like reality shows are now) could possibly start having an overall detrimental effect on "competitive" skating. A lot of people already don't see it as a real sport...maybe a "nonsport" sport or just not a sport at all.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
...However, I think too many shows (like reality shows are now) could possibly start having an overall detrimental effect on "competitive" skating. A lot of people already don't see it as a real sport...maybe a "nonsport" sport or just not a sport at all.
I think this is definitely a concern of the ISU. They have been quite consistent in their efforts to maintain (a) the integrity of competitive skating and (b) their own control over it. This seems to be more important to Cinquanta and the ISU than pursuing opportunities to increase the visibility and popularity of the sport.

For instance, the ISU requires that the cheesefests (if they involve eligible skaters) strictly adhere to ISU judging standards. This may not produce the best TV, it is awkward for pro-am shows like the Japan open (where crowd favorite Yagudin got creamed by the CoP), and now it is making the producers of the Campbell's show do a little tap-dance around Sasha's preferences.

Similarly, the flap about not letting Plushenko do an exhibition skate (they showed a tape instead) because he had opted out of his Grand Prix events, citing injury.

I can understand the ISU's insistence on holding the sporting aspects of figure skating to a consistent standard.

On the other hand, this celebrity thing seems a little silly. I don't think anyone would confuse a skate-off between the pairs teams of Katy Taylor / Al Gore and Beyonce / Johnny Weir with a serious sporting event.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
I think this is definitely a concern of the ISU. They have been quite consistent in their efforts to maintain (a) the integrity of competitive skating and (b) their own control over it. This seems to be more important to Cinquanta and the ISU than pursuing opportunities to increase the visibility and popularity of the sport.


Well i think you might be pushing it to say that the ISU has made consistent efforts to maintain the integrity of competitive skating.

The ISU through $peedy put in place annonymous judging. That was not done in order to maintain the integrity of competitive skating, it was done so that when deal breaking and cheating occurred, no-one would be able to call into question the integrity of competitive skating because the information was no longer available to make the allegations.

Ant
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I guess I was using the word "integrity" in a different context. I meant, for example, that the ISU does not allow the hula hoop girl or a barrel jumping contest to count as an ISU sanctioned competition.

If you put on a cheesefest involving eligible skaters your only choice is either to call it an exhibition, with no marks and no winners, or else to go strictly by ISU procedures with qualified ISU judges, etc. You can't have celebrity judges giving out 6.0s, for instance, and call it a competition.
 

Bill508

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Golfing with Celebs, dancing with Celebs, skating with Celebs. I don't dig any of that stuff. I d rather watch the History Channel or "Dirty Jobs" (lol) on Discovery as an alternative. The Celebs are often usually 2nd tier to boot ie Paris Hilton, Tucker Carlson, Jason Alexander etc. Kinda like the Hollywood Squares crowd. On the other hand, I can't wait till Skate America.
 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!
Medalist
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Country
United-Kingdom
Seriously, though, I am not sure if these shows will help Oly eligible skating. I read somewhere that, after food rationing in Britain ended (after WW II), there were people who couldn't eat butter because they had gotten so used to margarine. Similarly, the people who get used to these kind of shows might not adjust well to competitive skating.

If I might say so Attyfan, I find that view a little patronizing, and as far as the UK is concerned, not accurate. ;)

The after effects of the first series of Dancing on Ice have been two fold:

1) An incredible upsurge in interest in Skating, both at the rinks, where they were packed out for public sessions, queues were literally around the block, and many have continued Skating themselves, or taken their children for lessons.

2) T&D's career has totally taken off again, with a whole swathe of new fans, too young to remember them first time round, and the new fans' interest in them has led to a general interest in the sport, and other skaters, including eligible, as DOI UK coincided with the Torino Olympics.

You just have to look at the massively increased numbers registered on the FSVids Forum, which came around the time of DOI UK series 1, with people wanting to catch up and learn all about the sport.

what could be the possible motive behind an action like this? All I can think of is POWER and GREED.

Unless there's something I'm missing that could actually hurt the ISU if these shows continue to run. In fact I think it would only help because it helps to put skating back in the public eye again. Right? :scratch:

Exactly! :agree: These shows are a lucrative business, infact the UK show was just about the only big success that ITV had all year, with over 11 million viewers [for a population of 60 million, that's very high.] ;)
It was very professionally created, with high production values, not in any way tacky, and the daily update show DOI Extra featured children skating often at the end of the programme, or other Touring Companies, like the Russian Ice Stars or Holiday on Ice.
We would never see any of these performers usually, as Skating had become a 'Cinderella Sport' in the UK, with very little terrestrial TV coverage, and no coverage of the British Championships since 1999, when the BBC dropped the contract.

Ofcourse once people become interested, it's up to our governing body NISA to look after and cherish that interest [which they haven't always been successful in doing] but there's no denying that interest and an upturn in the whole aspect of Skating, be it Competitive or Show Skating, has definitely been created as a result of the Dancing On Ice TV Show - accepted a large part of that was Torvill & Dean's involvement.

What would help IMO is if the ISU lowered their contract price so that Eurosport could regain the rights to broadcast the GPs. Wouldn't that do more to spread the word about competitive skating instead of getting into a huff about light hearted entertainment TV shows? :p
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
It does seem strange that Torville and Dean can do this but not the Kerrs. I wonder if there was one particular incident that sparked this declaration by the ISU.
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
If I might say so Attyfan, I find that view a little patronizing, and as far as the UK is concerned, not accurate. ;)

The after effects of the first series of Dancing on Ice have been two fold:

1) An incredible upsurge in interest in Skating, both at the rinks, where they were packed out for public sessions, queues were literally around the block, and many have continued Skating themselves, or taken their children for lessons.

2) T&D's career has totally taken off again, with a whole swathe of new fans, too young to remember them first time round, and the new fans' interest in them has led to a general interest in the sport, and other skaters, including eligible, as DOI UK coincided with the Torino Olympics.
...

I apologize if I offended anyone by sounding patronizing -- and I am glad that DOI did better for skating in the UK than Skating with Celebrities did for skating in
the US.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
If I might say so Attyfan, I find that view a little patronizing, and as far as the UK is concerned, not accurate. ;)

The after effects of the first series of Dancing on Ice have been two fold:

1) An incredible upsurge in interest in Skating, both at the rinks, where they were packed out for public sessions, queues were literally around the block, and many have continued Skating themselves, or taken their children for lessons.

2) T&D's career has totally taken off again, with a whole swathe of new fans, too young to remember them first time round, and the new fans' interest in them has led to a general interest in the sport, and other skaters, including eligible, as DOI UK coincided with the Torino Olympics.

You just have to look at the massively increased numbers registered on the FSVids Forum, which came around the time of DOI UK series 1, with people wanting to catch up and learn all about the sport.



Exactly! :agree: These shows are a lucrative business, infact the UK show was just about the only big success that ITV had all year, with over 11 million viewers [for a population of 60 million, that's very high.] ;)
It was very professionally created, with high production values, not in any way tacky, and the daily update show DOI Extra featured children skating often at the end of the programme, or other Touring Companies, like the Russian Ice Stars or Holiday on Ice.
We would never see any of these performers usually, as Skating had become a 'Cinderella Sport' in the UK, with very little terrestrial TV coverage, and no coverage of the British Championships since 1999, when the BBC dropped the contract.

Ofcourse once people become interested, it's up to our governing body NISA to look after and cherish that interest [which they haven't always been successful in doing] but there's no denying that interest and an upturn in the whole aspect of Skating, be it Competitive or Show Skating, has definitely been created as a result of the Dancing On Ice TV Show - accepted a large part of that was Torvill & Dean's involvement.

What would help IMO is if the ISU lowered their contract price so that Eurosport could regain the rights to broadcast the GPs. Wouldn't that do more to spread the word about competitive skating instead of getting into a huff about light hearted entertainment TV shows? :p

Did it ever increase the popularity of the sport in the UK. While DOI was on the air the thursday tea time adult group lessons who used to have about a quarter of the rink coned off for them for an hour with about 6 adults learning then went on to take over two thirds to three qaurters of the rink with something silly like 60 people (though after that first blunder, management realised that numbers shoul dbe limited!) now nearly a year later the adult tea time group class on a thursday still takes up two thirds of the rink, sometimes there's about 30 of them on the ice and a lot of them are in tehir own skates and really making progress and there are many more adults to talk to and get to know in the public session that follows it - all good stuff as far as i'm concerned!

Ant
 

CB1AB2

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I don't know what all the hoopla is about == it is a skating show for ENTERTAINMENT = half the people who watch don't even know who the skaters are = they know who the stars are and I think it is watched to see how they skate = can't the ISU stay out of it and let us just enjoy a show
 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!
Medalist
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Country
United-Kingdom
Did it ever increase the popularity of the sport in the UK. While DOI was on the air the thursday tea time adult group lessons who used to have about a quarter of the rink coned off for them for an hour with about 6 adults learning then went on to take over two thirds to three qaurters of the rink with something silly like 60 people (though after that first blunder, management realised that numbers shoul dbe limited!) now nearly a year later the adult tea time group class on a thursday still takes up two thirds of the rink, sometimes there's about 30 of them on the ice and a lot of them are in tehir own skates and really making progress and there are many more adults to talk to and get to know in the public session that follows it - all good stuff as far as i'm concerned!

Ant

That's really fantastic to hear! :clap:
Great that the enthusiasm has continued almost a year later, and it wasn't a flash in the pan. Even Bonnie Langford, who came 3rd in the show, continued skating, with her husband and daughter taking it up aswell, and is now actually a much better skater than she was in the show. She skated a performance of "Bolero" with her Pro partner [hunky] Matt Evers at a private function for ITV Execs recently. :bow:

I have heard and read that the upsurge in interest is all over the country too, so let's hope it continues, NISA and the rinks nurture it well, and GB will have many more future champions in ISU events! :rock:
 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!
Medalist
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Country
United-Kingdom
I don't know what all the hoopla is about == it is a skating show for ENTERTAINMENT = half the people who watch don't even know who the skaters are = they know who the stars are and I think it is watched to see how they skate = can't the ISU stay out of it and let us just enjoy a show

:yes: :thumbsup:

ITA! It's only the die-hard skating fanatics that recognize the skaters, it's not a competitive event, it's a show, like the old variety, family entertainment.
 

Simka

Spectator
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Maybe I'm just cynical, but maybe Speedy is TRYING to get back to the good ol' days of no television coverage = no hassle over bad judging?
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
If they were eligible skaters, I can understand the ISU being concerned. I see this as just another effort by the ISU to control everything, and hurt all aspects of FS. They already destroyed the pro competitions, something that I miss even today. Now they seem to be after anybody that is skating and making money (it's not like the top eligibles don't make money).
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Is it me, or does the ISU seem to be "acting" a little fascist? Do they have the best interest of the sport in mind or their own pockets?:cool:
 
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