Spokane to host 2010 USA Nationals

Joesitz (RIP) · Sep 9, 2008

I'd really like to discuss the schedule and the venue for Spokane, because it's not clear at all to me how this is going to work.

http://www.spokane2010.com/12,faqs

Scroll about 2/3 down the page for the Nats info.

This will be NBC's first tampering with the Nats in hopes to increase interest for the Olys: Mens and Pairs to be shown on first weekend; and Ladies and Skate Dance on final weekend.

Monday through Thursday will be Novice and Juniors but Ladies short will also be on Thursday evening.

Since I do not plan to go to Spokane for this. Much too expensive, I am hoping it will all be shown on IceNetwork.

How do you feel about splitting up the Senior Divisions in two separate weekends? and do you think NBC's plan of action will increase American interest in figure skating?

merrybari · Sep 9, 2008

Joesitz said:
This is not about semi-retired skaters returning to the ice for a chance at the Olympics. It's about the venue and its schedule.

http://by110w.bay110.mail.live.com/mail/mail.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0&n=1068811963

Scroll about 2/3 down the page for the Nats info.

This will be NBC's first tampering with the Nats in hopes to increase interest for the Olys: Mens and Pairs to be shown on first weekend; and Ladies and Skate Dance on final weekend.

Monday through Thursday will be Novice and Juniors but Ladies short will also be on Thursday evening.

Since I do not plan to go to Spokane for this. Much too expensive, I am hoping it will all be shown on IceNetwork.

How do you feel about splitting up the Senior Divisions in two separate weekends? and do you think NBC's plan of action will increase American interest in figure skating?

Personally I'd rather have the championship events all on the same weekend. I think it's a shame to separate them for ratings. I don't think the competition should be dictated by networks - I think it's the province of the USFS to decide what is best for teh skaters. If it DOES stimulate interest, then I guess it's OK, but I doubt it will do that. I think rather it will dilute the impact.

I also heard a reason for the diference is to simulate the order of events that will be used in the Olympics the following month thus giving the men and pairs the same length of time to train between events as the other two disciplines.

To me that's rather lame as they will still have to stick around for the EX the following weekend so how will they get benefit from serious training time the days in between.

Again, tampering by the network is, IMO, not in the best interest of fans or skaters either one.

MFarone · Sep 10, 2008

Spokanes schedule

I've really tried to understand the reasoning behind this change, but honestly, I don't get it.

Are the men and pairs that will appear in the exhibition going to go home and then return the next weekend? Some of their coaches have skaters in other disciplines. Are the coaches going home and leaving the ladies division to a secondary coach? If the coaches stay for the ladies, who will be the male skaters who returned home train with? If all of the skaters scheduled to appear in the exhibition stay in Spokane where will they train?

As a spectator this is a large additional expense. Instead of flying into Spokane on Sunday afternoon as I did in 2007, I will need to fly in Wednesday evening or very early on Thursday. This means four additional nights in a hotel and four more days of eating in restaurants.

I've read that NBC is hoping that this will increase interest in figure skating. Maybe it will, if they televise the men and pairs live - like a real sporting event.

If it increases interest in the sport, then ok, I'll stop whining.

Maureen

sillylionlove · Sep 10, 2008

It might increase interest in the television side but I can't imagine that it will for the live spectator side.

Tonichelle · Sep 10, 2008

Attendance will most likely be down in the arena, and I don't think it will boost ratings at all on NBC. So it's a poor move on the USFSA's part.

As for IceNetwork - I would think that with NBC taking a big interest in how the event is run they're not going to allow full coverage of the senior events. At least, I wouldn't if I were running things at NBC (then again I wouldn't push for two weeks of competition either). I doubt NBC would care if IceNetwork broadcasted Novice and JRs, but having full coverage of seniors online would take possible ratings away from NBC, which is what they don't want to happen.

Should be interesting as 2010 rolls around and we start seeing how the broadcast schedule will really work.

As a spectator this is a large additional expense. Instead of flying into Spokane on Sunday afternoon as I did in 2007, I will need to fly in Wednesday evening or very early on Thursday. This means four additional nights in a hotel and four more days of eating in restaurants.

I wonder if there are bed and breakfasts that you could possibly stay at where you'd have meals prepared there and what not (then again you're stuck to their schedule for that, so forget that idea lol)

I honestly don't know what's there in Spokane, I've only ever driven through it and I would assume that their tourist schedule is more like Alaska's - slow to dead in the winter, everything happens in the summer.

I decided after all of the headaches and poor service/treatment in St. Paul (not the organizing comittee's fault, but the USFSA's) that it wasn't worth hitting up another nationals, at least not in this country. Each time the prices go up the service goes down, it isn't right. USFSA wonders why interest in the sport is going down, I point to them.

merrybari · Sep 10, 2008

I think Icenetwork will have full coverage like they did for the 2008 US Nationals - just not live for the senior events but on demand after NBC has done the broadcasts.

As to live attendance being down, the sales figures for tickets to Spokane are already ahead of the pace set for the 2007 event, so I don't think there will be a huge loss there. Seems many are interested in being there when the Olympic team is decided.

Remains to be seen what impact it will have on the long term, but I agree that it's ridiculous to expect or even figure out what the pairs and men will do - how, where they'll train - if they'll be able to train in the days between their events and the EX. Not a good scenario at all.

Not to mention, depending on the time slots, it could mean live coverage in the wee small hours of the morning again on the east coast! NOT good for increasing interest IMO. What in the name of anything are they thinking. Sure seems ounter productive.

Time will tell. In the meantime, let's get on with this season. It promises to be full of surprises. We've had plenty of change and surprise already and it hasn't even started.

R.D. · Sep 10, 2008

I can see the logic behind the two-week idea: give the network the opportunity to spread the event out and promote more names. Could even enable them to show more coverage without pre-empting as much regularly scheduled programming.

That said, will it work? it remains to be seen but I think it's almost a certain that live attendance will go down as a result. USFS has chosen the right place to maximize the live audience but, I dunno, they just had it 3 years ago.

Doesn't NBC do this for gymnastics as well? Except it's worse: the men's event is on a completely different month, and in a completely different city, then the women's. I think for skating fans it does the opposite of what the network thinks it will do: it actually dilutes the appeal of the event by sticking a whole work week in between events, rather than having it all at once, in which case names might get lost in the shuffle. Maybe for the casual fan it might work, who knows.

And I read about the rule change that the champion is no longer guaranteed an Olympic spot. That means the event cannot be called "Olympic Trials" any more and that part of the suspense is taken away.

Tonichelle · Sep 10, 2008

were the US Figure Skating Nationals ever called the Olympic Trials, though? At least in recent/television history?

As to live attendance being down, the sales figures for tickets to Spokane are already ahead of the pace set for the 2007 event,

How many of those, though, were sold to groups BEFORE the NBC decision? And will they actually be there in attendance?

Joesitz (RIP) · Sep 11, 2008

The Tour Groups begin booking early. I'm already booked for Torino Worlds. But I will not be dictated by NBC for their personal reasons, and I am not going to Spokane Nationals.

The Exhibition telecast has never been LIVE. It seems that the EX generates a family type interest so it's unimportant when it is shown, but planned for higher ratings. If they schedule a Mens competition on a Sunday followed by an EX which seems to be the latest fad (a new market search must have taken place) I would stay for the EX and fly out next day. I would watch it on TV by tape at home, and notice how much they left out.

EX to me is so anti-climatic.

dorispulaski · Sep 11, 2008

One thing that is interesting is apparently you can book your ticket now with a deposit of $200 and pay in installments.

http://www.spokane2010.com/12,faqs

Check the FAQs

Tonichelle · Sep 11, 2008

ABC showed the Exhibitions LIVE (at least in part) in 2006....

Joesitz (RIP) · Sep 11, 2008

Tonichelle said:
ABC showed the Exhibitions LIVE (at least in part) in 2006....

ABC was a different ballpark. I didn't stay but went home that day. I did see them in repeats on ESPN - something I am still waiting for NBC to do with the USA channel. Should I hold my breath?

Tonichelle · Sep 11, 2008

USA is not going to show repeats of an NBC sports broadcast, so I wouldn't hold my breath

mycelticblessing · Sep 12, 2008

I think it's not a great idea to try something like this out in an Olympic year. I can't imagine the athletes being thrilled about this.

Joesitz (RIP) · Sep 12, 2008

MFarone said:
I've really tried to understand the reasoning behind this change, but honestly, I don't get it.

Are the men and pairs that will appear in the exhibition going to go home and then return the next weekend? Some of their coaches have skaters in other disciplines. Are the coaches going home and leaving the ladies division to a secondary coach? If the coaches stay for the ladies, who will be the male skaters who returned home train with? If all of the skaters scheduled to appear in the exhibition stay in Spokane where will they train?
Maureen

There's lots of food for thought in this post.

Will Johnny and Evan hang around? Will McL/Bru hang around? Do they have other committments?

Coaches could go home but miss out on some $$ for preparing the skaters for Worlds.

Ladies will be able to arrive later than usual in Spokane. I don't think this presents a problem.

The skaters who will be in the EX, already have a program which they rehearse in the morning of the EX day.

I guess NBC is only worried about the ratings to get the public interested in seeing it all on TV. They can then sell spot commercials for the olys at a higher rate. I don't see it as any value to the skaters.

merrybari · Sep 12, 2008

Joesitz said:
There's lots of food for thought in this post.

Will Johnny and Evan hang around? Will McL/Bru hang around? Do they have other committments?

I think all the skaters who medal have to appear in the EX or lose out on some of the $$ - at least this is true of ISU events. Not sure how that works for Nationals. Whether they will stick around in between in anybody's guess.

I guess NBC is only worried about the ratings to get the public interested in seeing it all on TV. They can then sell spot commercials for the olys at a higher rate. I don't see it as any value to the skaters.

And that says it all, imo.

R.D. · Sep 12, 2008

Joesitz said:
I guess NBC is only worried about the ratings to get the public interested in seeing it all on TV. They can then sell spot commercials for the olys at a higher rate. I don't see it as any value to the skaters.

To play devil's advocate, though...isn't that what they SHOULD be concerned about? This is a TV network in the TV business of selling advertising and making money, and of course they will do what they can to maximize both advertising and profit, even if it means tinkering with the competition schedule. Of course, this must be done within reason- IOW, in such a way that it does not affect the competitors too much.

Attendance at the event is up to the Spokane organizing committee and skater performance and readiness is up to the skaters themselves. Everyone is looking out for themselves.

Edit 1: TV also plays another role I forget to mention, but is obvious: exposure to the general public. If the two-week schedule maximizes viewership, so be it. I agree it's sort of a risky thing to do but I'd hope that NBC has done its calculations first before deciding to go with this format.

Ginask8s · Sep 12, 2008

Red Dog said:
To play devil's advocate, though...isn't that what they SHOULD be concerned about? This is a TV network in the TV business of selling advertising and making money, and of course they will do what they can to maximize both advertising and profit, even if it means tinkering with the competition schedule. Of course, this must be done within reason- IOW, in such a way that it does not affect the competitors too much.

Attendance at the event is up to the Spokane organizing committee and skater performance and readiness is up to the skaters themselves. Everyone is looking out for themselves.

Edit 1: TV also plays another role I forget to mention, but is obvious: exposure to the general public. If the two-week schedule maximizes viewership, so be it. I agree it's sort of a risky thing to do but I'd hope that NBC has done its calculations first before deciding to go with this format.

I am a busy person as I assume most people are. I can barely find time to watch one night on TV, let alone two weekends. I LOVE to watch skating,but I doubt the network will be able to count on me. The average casual viewer won't be glued to the set. I guess market research people did the homework, but I really dont get it...Nationals will be exhausting for the particapants. I was exhausted watching Nationals when it was in Philly and all done in a week.

Joesitz (RIP) · Sep 12, 2008

Red Dog - NBC should be doing what it has to do to make money. That's the story of commercial business and in the USA, business is everything. But in most countries, if there is interest in figure skating, it goes with the State sponsored channel and it usually is complete. Doesn't rely on sponsors.

R.D. · Sep 13, 2008

Joesitz said:
Red Dog - NBC should be doing what it has to do to make money. That's the story of commercial business and in the USA, business is everything. But in most countries, if there is interest in figure skating, it goes with the State sponsored channel and it usually is complete. Doesn't rely on sponsors.

Well, in that case maybe there should be a campaign to get it on PBS

Spokane to host 2010 USA Nationals

Joesitz (RIP)

merrybari

MFarone

sillylionlove

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

merrybari

R.D.

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Joesitz (RIP)

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

Joesitz (RIP)

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

mycelticblessing

Joesitz (RIP)

merrybari

R.D.

Ginask8s

Joesitz (RIP)

R.D.

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