Like all non-profits, USFA must file financial documents with the U.S. government. These are part of the public record and quite a bit of information is available on line. It is really hard to search out, however.Originally Posted by CoyoteChris
Like all non-profits, USFA must file financial documents with the U.S. government. These are part of the public record and quite a bit of information is available on line. It is really hard to search out, however.
I think both the USFSA abd Evan L should be ashamed of themselves . I am one of many who have shelled out a fair dollar for tickets to the Mens Short and Long programs specifically to see Evan.
I agree with the poster who asked why Evan announced his entry before coming to terms with the USFSA. And why was this allowed to go down to the wire - this should have been negotiated months ago .
I also feel that trying to compare skating to other sports such as tennis is not really a true comparison because the other sports, sadly , have a much bigger fan base that figure skating.
I think everybody involved in our beloved sport should be thinking of one thing and one thing alone at this point in time - doing everything in their power to promate interest in the sport , rebuild the diminished fan base and get back to being significant enough to warrant decent TV coverage, major sponsorship deals etc.
So , Evan may be legally right ( especially about the use of his image thing ) but morally he is striking a blow to a sport that has given him a great deal in his young life . This same sport is on the ropes , he is in postion to help the situation and he turns his back . I am sorry to say this but I think this a very selfish act and one that may prove to be harmful to him personally in terms of image, fan support and much needed competiton experience.
Well, I say, Go Evan! One thing I hope is that he eventually makes enough money to hire someone to compose his press releases for him. There are three grammatical mistakes in these two sentences. (“Inform” is transitive, he is extremely well-trained, and the agreement is between “USFS and me.”)
I regret to inform that I am withdrawing from the 2011 Grand Prix Series. I am extremely trained and eager to compete at Skate America, but a suitable agreement could not be reached between US Figure Skating and myself by the event entry deadline.
Last edited by Mathman; 10-15-2011 at 11:50 AM.
Best bet is to go to Guidestar.org and get their 990, which is the form all nonprofits have to submit to the IRS. You have to have an account, but it's free. I got their last one, which is for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Overall expenses during that period was $14.5 million and income was $12.5 million, so they lost money. It's not clear how much they spent on appearance fees as there isn't a category for that in the expenses.
Last year, when I was trying to decide whether to go to TEB again (it's not exactly a quick hop for me), I asked myself how I'd feel if Brian Joubert ended up not competing. It was not as good a field as in 2009, fewer of my favorites were entered, and there were some WDs, so all the more important to have my favorites stick it out, right? But I eventually decided that I was not going just to see one skater, and that whatever happens, I'll just enjoy the trip and the competition (I realize I had a more attractive destination
I do agree that it would have been preferable to iron out the details well in advance, though.
Last edited by Buttercup; 10-15-2011 at 12:05 PM.
I guess the thing I'll fuss at with Evan is he's telling everyone (or Phil Hersh) anyway: "I never told the USFSA that was I going to compete in Skate America, just that they could put my name in!"
One could argue that there's a practice of putting in one's name and dropping out is common, but still...to blackout and say "Well I never committed anyway" is a bit of a cope-out, IMO.
Which I guess puts me in the "he should have settled everything before he was entered" camp.
Whatever his legal rights and however wrong the USFSA may be on their part, Lysacek will have consequences from this incident. He's alienated some fans and the USFSA, possibly lost some respect from some fellow skaters, and possibly weakened his competitiveness without the GP events. As I posted earlier, there are only two US spots for Worlds, he's somehow jeopardized his seemingly guaranteed berth.
Of course, I don't really know what exactly he wants and tries to accomplish. Maybe none of the above matters to him.
Honestly - I would never go to a competition just because of ONE entry on the list. Injuries happen, comebacks don't happen, too many variables to be sure my favorite will be there. I know others go just for one person and then leave, it's not only rude to the other skaters but it does nothing for the sport. Yes, Evan is a big name draw for those that don't follow the sport as closely (ie the average joe looking for something to do that weekend) but honestly one athlete does not make or break an event. And if it does then it's time to pack the event in and go home.
I'm not going, but I definitely think those who do will be fine. You got some up-and-coming Americans (the reigning Nat'l silver medalist and two top 10 finishers), the reigning silver World medalist, plus some other great European skaters.
Jcoates, you made a point bringing out ballroom dance; true it has both pro and amateur comps that are aesthetically judged, but I don't think it proves what you want to say.
Because one, pro dance comps by WDC is not an IOC recognized sport; and because two, such comps are for professional dancers but not the main/only stage for the dancers to be called "professional" by.
Figure skating can have pro comps beside amateur comps in the above sense anytime anywhere.
In that limited sense yes figure skating can show itself also in form of a sport for pros.
But when I say that the the main portion of this olympic sport should remain amateur, it's because the inevitable "collective subjectivity" of the judges, which determine much of the sport's results, can't/shouldn't be responsible for the economical interests created when/if the sport becomes the only stage for the participants to be called "pro"s by (such as in NFL, etc, etc).
Measured objectivity yes can be responsible for such.
This is also connected with the seamless upgrading from novice to senior or the seamless sub-regional to Worlds sequence of amateur figure skating. There is no "pro" tests or registerations that mark the end of a skater's amateur status.
You start as amateur novice and (if talented and lucky) end up in senior champion as amateur.
There is no crossing border where your amateur status becomes a "fallacy".
Being able to perform in shows, ISU rules' loopholes, prize money, expense compensations,... these are basically secondary factors (though important). Being able to keep a living by them does not necessarily mean being pro with it. Especially in spirit.
I always liked Evan but here it looks as if he confused GPs with SOI ... and really, what did he gain?
Extremely (well) trained, he says. He now has to prove his words.
ETA1: Doris, it's the reason of Evan's withdrawal that matters, not the withdrawal itself.
ETA2: Jcoates, if possible don't use unnecessary negative adjectives next time.
Last edited by sorcerer; 10-15-2011 at 02:06 PM.
Toni, I completely agree with you. If skating is to succeed in growing an audience, it can't continue to depend exclusively on marketing events around one main attraction. That's mismanagement IMO. Just because it's a niche sport doesn't mean it can't be a healthy and viable one.
The entire "that-clause" in his statement serves as the direct object of the transitive verb "inform". The indirect object "you", though absent, is implied (e.g., "I am giving (you) my two-cents"). Although pragmatically, it is not as eloquent as desired, syntactically speaking, I would not say it is ungrammatical, especially from the view of descriptive grammar.
Similarly, "myself" can be used reflexively as the object of a preposition and hence "between USFS and myself" (considered as "bad" writing by many) or "between USFS and me” is in fact a question of style rather than grammar.
Last edited by skatinginbc; 10-15-2011 at 02:55 PM.
I have to admit Mrs. P has brought up an excellent sticky issue. If Evan was not misquoted when he said, "I never told the USFSA that was I going to compete in Skate America, just that they could put my name in!"
Then the USFSA has the most egg on its face, trying to make up all that money they lost last year. Cry wolf too many times and no one believes you. They might as well have announced Michelle and Sasha were going to skate and really upped the advanced sales and NBC TV funds....SkateAmerica is a great event and I will still go to it and 4 Conts so I can see off shore skaters.....but this whole "Skating for Dollars" thing has cast a pall over this event. I wonder what NBC is now thinking and what their ratings will be?
the only problem i have is this, if he kinda of knew he wasn't going. he shouldn't have stated he would go . i understand the payoff with the possiblity of him going, however (for me) if he was more than 75% (sure) he wasn't going . he shouldn't have stated he was.
i just feel sorry for the people who bought the tickets expecting, hoping he would show, skate and see his progression. sorry.
fscric, yes it is,
i am surprised they was that honest. i do applaud him regarding that,
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