Future of Figure Skating

Now that the Olympics is nearing, veteran skaters are making the decision to retire after the competition. As a result, we are now left with the "newbies" who will be able to skate without being "in the shadow" of the past veterans.

So which skaters can we look out for and expect to rise to the occasion and become to the top in their respective disciplines: men, ladies, pairs, and ice-dance??

Hmmm...pretty good thread...surprised that no one had commented yet...

Men: Definitely watch out for Kozuka, Brezina, and Rippon

Ladies: Kanako Murakami and Mirai Nagasu stand out the most for the younger ladies

Ice-Dance: Samuelson/Bates are pretty good.

theresa said:

Now that the Olympics is nearing, veteran skaters are making the decision to retire after the competition. As a result, we are now left with the "newbies" who will be able to skate without being "in the shadow" of the past veterans.

So which skaters can we look out for and expect to rise to the occasion and become to the top in their respective disciplines: men, ladies, pairs, and ice-dance??

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I think Adam Rippon has a bright future. I also don't think Patrick Chan's best days have come and gone either... but as for other young men, there is lots of potential in Japan and Russia and Brezina and Denis Ten are two great rising stars... I also really like Ross Miner.

In ladies skating, Japan seems to be such a hotbed of great rising stars and some of these Russian ladies coming up (the really young ones) have amazing, amazing technical skills. I also think the young French skater Lena Marrocco has a bright future as do her teammates Mae Berenice Maite and Yretha Silete. Mirai Nagasu may well too have a bright future... perhaps Caroline Zhang as well?

There are lots of great up and coming Russian, Japanese and Chinese pairs and as for ice dance, I will agree that Samuelson/Bates have a bright future... France and Russia also have a lot of good rising talent.

I forgot to mention Germany's Daniel Dotzauer... I see a bright future in him as well.

Ladies: Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA :thumbsup:

I think she is a genuine Yuna's rival, if Yuna's going to Sochi

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Polina SHELEPEN, Christina Gao, Adelina SOTNIKOVA,Kanako Murakami


Men: Michal Brezina, Adam Rippon, Denis Ten

I often wonder

When I think about the future of figure skating I often wonder if the sport would attract more young skaters if a few changes were made. I can think of a few right off the bat.

1. Those dance tunes need to be updated. I am sorry, but if I have to here the dutch waltz, or canasta tango one more time.... When was the last time these tunes were updated? What 10-14 year old wants to skate to that? There are plenty of foxtrot , waltz, tangos, rumbas that are up to date by modern artists like Christina Aguilera, Santana, Madonna, Beyonce, well you get the idea.

2. Why not allow words during a freestyle program?

3. Some exciting format competitions like they have with Dancing with the Stars. Perhaps where the audience can vote? Whatever happened to Skating with the Stars? Not enough viewers?

Ah, yes, Skating with Celebrities or whatever they called it. It didn't really take off, did it. I think part of the problem is that while you can train a "civilian" to dance, it's a lot harder to train a nonskater to skate. So the routines couldn't be nearly as exciting. But it would be great if a few more figure skaters could get on a dance show. They'd gain personal fans and also bring in fans for skating.

Because skating doesn't just need more skaters. It needs more fans. Right now, it's not hugely attractive to outsiders--well, not in the U.S. Obviously the situation is very different in Asia, Europe, and maybe even Canada.

Olympia said:

Because skating doesn't just need more skaters. It needs more fans. Right now, it's not hugely attractive to outsiders--well, not in the U.S. Obviously the situation is very different in Asia, Europe, and maybe even Canada.

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I believe if there were more skaters there would in turn be more fans. For every child that skates you get parents, granparent, aunts and uncles and friends interested.

Also, if the music was allowed to be "cool", more people would stop on that chanel when flipping through on TV.

gfskater said:

Also, if the music was allowed to be "cool", more people would stop on that chanel when flipping through on TV.

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As simplistic as it may be I definetely agree with that. Isn't that one of the reasons why the Kerrs are so popular with a lot of ppl?

For the Americans, the 2010 Worlds may get 3 Ladies the following comps.

gfskater said:

When I think about the future of figure skating I often wonder if the sport would attract more young skaters if a few changes were made. I can think of a few right off the bat.

3. Some exciting format competitions like they have with Dancing with the Stars. Perhaps where the audience can vote? Whatever happened to Skating with the Stars? Not enough viewers?

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That's fine if you want to do it for pro-ams or exhibition events. But If skating wants to maintain its Olympic status, there is no way they would ever shift to a fan based voting/judging system. First it would favor large countries or ones with sophisticated communications infrastructure. This would actually shrink the pool of viable nations. This already happens on American Idol. If you come from a small, low population state, you have little chance of making it unless you are the reincarnation of the Beatles. Second, the best or most skill skater would be less likely to win if he/she happens not to be the most popular. This has happened on DWTS the last two seasons and for most of its winners. Sure skaters could campaign in advance (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to build up their fan bases and it may increase popularity, but it would de-legitimize skating as a sport and feed into all the pervasive arguments already made about judged sports. It would just become a popularity contest.

What skating needs is to find a consistent marketing strategy between national federations and the ISU that embraces skaters from foreign countries rather than ignoring them. That way, when or if they succeed, it won't go unnoticed outside their homelands. They need to negotiate common sense TV/internet contracts that don't discourage viewership. They also need to create a schedule aimed first at maximizing performance for the athletes. Good skating attracts more viewers. Tired, worn out skaters doesn't.

Other elements like vocals in programs outside dance are a good idea. Also, simplify the protocol read out and put it up on the jumbotron and tie to scores to camera shots of the judges for fans to see. That way, they are not in the dark about what the point total means. And mandate that broadcasters have to be clearer when explaining scores and rules. All other sports leagues/organizations do it. So should skating. It that means having an official on call for the broadcasters (a la golf) or explain an arcane rule, then so be it.

Also, make skating more internet friendly. More on-demand video playable on handheld devices. Scores sent directly to someone's phone. Video interviews with to skaters on federation websites. If they are not already doing it, the ISU should also organize charity and pr appearances for top skaters at ISU comps, especially worlds. Pro skaters did this all the time and it helped build audience appeal.

Ladies there are a lot, but this could all change once they grow up, unless they are already physically mature like Mirai, Caroline, Angela, Ksenia Makarova.

Christina Gao, Polina Shelepen, Anna Ovcharova, Kanako Murakami, Kiri Baga, and a few really young Russian girls look promising now but again, they could grow 4 inches this next year and then lose their jumps.

All's I know is I'm still waiting for an American Lady that can jump like Tonya Harding....one in a billion I know....but I'm still hoping, waiting, and crossing my fingers.

Personally, I don't get excited about Junior skaters until they have had time to maturate, and show the world that they are capable of still landing jumps with the body of a grown human being. This is one thing that used to bug me in the past, all the hoopla about the baby ballerinas, et al. And when it came from grown up men it left an icky feeling.

Regards music, I too appreciate variety, but in the end I feel like Toller Cranston, whom stated:

Many skaters attempt new & different kinds of music, but I believe that there is no replacement for the classics...there is no substitute for beauty

Nadine said:

Personally, I don't get excited about Junior skaters until they have had time to maturate, and show the world that they are capable of still landing jumps with the body of a grown human being. This is one thing that used to bug me in the past, all the hoopla about the baby ballerinas, et al. And when it came from grown up men it left an icky feeling.

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:yes::yes: