Popularity of skating

Re: Moneybags Michelle

I'm also skeptical of theh $200 million figure. Especially that it is supposed to be a 10 year contract? Who would sign a 10 year contract with a figure skater? What's the average amateur career of a figure skater? Granted, Michelle's has been very long, but would they have known that a few years back? Sounds like a risky proposition - or a contract that wasn't going to be filled, anyway. However, if they've determined she's worth that, go for it MK. No promoter would offer up that kind of cash if they weren't making many times more than that themselves. Congrats to her if she can bring in that type of revenue.

I've heard for years that her income is between $2 and $4 million - I don't know how true that is, but I'm sure she's making at least that amount. Anyway, she could definitely afford more than a $500K condo - and actually that sounds quite reasonable especially since I believe it's in one of the beach cities (Manhattan, Hermosa, or Redondo Beach if I recall correctly) which have to be expensive - maybe she just wanted to pay cash

Measuring popularity

I'm curious who one measure the popularity of an event these days. I know attendance at events and TV ratings are the standard measures, but there are other influences, as well.

As in real estate, Location has impact. Since I live in the NY/NJ area and near Philadelphia, I have the opportunity to see COI and SOI with a choice of multiple locations. In other areas of the country, seeing the shows can mean travelling 2 hours or more.

Also, given today's economic climate, the cost of tickets is very high. I also believe it's one of the reasons why Broadway is suffering.

Also, I generally don't attend competitions because I think I have a better seat at home.

As for TV ratings, most times events are shown on weekend afternoons when people are either running errands or at other activities. The only fair rating measure is to compare TV at peak hours. For example, if Monday night football vs Skating, how do the ratings compare?

Re: re:

Excidra - I'm just guessing too. From the American point of view, the Wave of Figure Skating, as Roz Summers put it, was great for her financially. Without knowing a definitive answer, it appears to me, that the Wave is over and the absence of the almost-every-sunday-afternoon of figure skating contests has disappeared except for ABC's pre-arranged competitions (Cambells, Hershey). That to me is significance in the declining interest in figure skating. I don't think it has to do with devoted fans. But without the entire interest, there are no sponsors and therefore no programming.

This, of course, is pure USA, and not the rest of the world.


Ladybug - The whole business of MK's 200 mil is pure conjecture. As to the condo, I believe that the entire Kwan family are quite modest in their life style. I don't see them as wanting to play the "keeping up with the Jones' thing.

A half a mil beach house is quite enough unless you intend to use it as a showcase as they do in NY's East Hampton.

Joe

Re: re:

I agree with Excidra, $200m seems impossible even if it's just a speculation. That figure is way too high for figure skating. The highest paying sports are boxing, NBA, golf, soccer and tennis, to name but a few. Even in tennis where the prize money easily dwarfs that of figure skating, I have not heard of any player who commands that much. Don't forget, tennis is way more popular than figure skating in the world. Just my thought.

As for Michelle's role in keeping the sport alive, I can't comment. I just want to add, I pay attention to figure skating solely because of Michelle. When she leaves, I leave.

Re: re:

Apache,

Michelle is not leaving anytime soon, so we're glad were going to have you around. But think about this, just as Michelle made you pay attention to figure skating might another skater do the same when Michelle decides to hang her skates? I love Irina and all but when she decides to leave, i'm sure i'll have Fumie around. If Fumie decides to retire the same time as Irina, then i'm in trouble.

Re: re:

200 mil for over a ten year period? Yes, that is as much as some ballplayers make. Michelle probably has a higher winning percentage than most of those ballplayers. Who would pay 200 mil for 10 yrs? The Texas Rangers are currently paying Alex Rodriguez (aka ARod) that right now. Unfortunately, the Rangers are sitting in last place in the AL West.

Re: Money, money, money

bumblebee - Ooom. Just think of my poor Mets. The most pay out ever for players. They too are in last place.

Joe

Re: Money, money, money

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>
Excidra:
Michelle is not leaving anytime soon, so we're glad were going to have you around. But think about this, just as Michelle made you pay attention to figure skating might another skater do the same when Michelle decides to hang her skates? I love Irina and all but when she decides to leave, i'm sure i'll have Fumie around. If Fumie decides to retire the same time as Irina, then i'm in trouble.
[/quote]

Thanks. And I am glad she still sticks around. I really think I won't be wowed by another skater other than Michelle because my situation is different - I'm not a skating fan. To be honest I hate to watch skating. I slowly have got myself more and more "involved" in this sport in one way or another because I want to understand Michelle's skating better and her skills compared to others'. If you recall, I love comparisons. The only other skater that has caught a bit of my attention is Sasha but only for her flexibility and acrobatic ability not her skating (no offense Sasha fans, this is really how I see it). Oh yes and Irina, because of her beautiful, bubbly personality and dynamic athleticism. But unfortunately I have watched a few of her performances and Sasha's solely for comparisons with Michelle's only.

Also, I agree with you that, just as Michelle has made me notice figure skating, other elite skaters might have done the same to others. That said, I think Michelle has drawn more fans in than other skaters have although I don't have the statistics to prove it.