Russian Audiences | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Russian Audiences

Trewyn

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Aliona is Ukrainian, so as close as she gets to skating for a home crowd :) (I recently read that she helped Tatiana train in the early years? Ironic that.)

What also bugs me is the low attendance in the rink. Apparently a lot people show up only for the Russian skaters. Like I read the Russian hockey team just came to watch V/T and didn't bother with the rest of the competition? I know they have a tight schedule, but all athletes deserve a full arena for their Olympic experience.
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
This is ... "natural." Home audiences are going to support their home teams. In Vancouver 2010, after Domnina and Shabalin's FD scores, they crowds cheered wildly. Not for them but for Tessa and Scott. The Canadians hardly gave a standing ovation to anyone, even D&W who were brilliant. This happens all the time. Canadians, Russians, just about anyone with a loyalty to their home country will be guilty of this.

Unless a pair is exceptional and the home country has no medal hopes, people are going to favor their own.
 

treeloving

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I don't know if they try to cheer for S/S or glad that s/s fall so I will not comment on that. but I really like that they applause for great music.
 

Figure 8's

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Have you noticed how biased the audience has been during the team competition? Yes, it is in Russia but even when a skater from a different country excels in his performance, they are very muted. Compare that with American or Canadian crowds who really cheer when they witness great skating regardless of country. I think it has to do with the innate Russian sense of insecurity.

My aren't we getting snarky about the Russians. Forget how blatantly biased and loud the crowd was for the Canadian skaters in Vancouver? Or Michele Kwan in Salt Lake? Happens in every country and the Russians are just as entitled to cheer for their skaters as any one else. Many countries they cheer as encouragement if someone falters. I thought the Cold War was over. The Russians have a very strong team of Figure Skaters because they work at it.
 

glam

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
I think the audience is over-the-top patriotic. Those "Russia" yells during warm ups are really annoying. There was even a drummer in the audience!
 

stickle

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
My aren't we getting snarky about the Russians. Forget how blatantly biased and loud the crowd was for the Canadian skaters in Vancouver? Or Michele Kwan in Salt Lake? Happens in every country and the Russians are just as entitled to cheer for their skaters as any one else. Many countries they cheer as encouragement if someone falters. I thought the Cold War was over. The Russians have a very strong team of Figure Skaters because they work at it.

No one is complaining about the Russians giving support to their own skaters. That's to be expected and the home crowds always cheer loudly for their own, but the point of contention is their lack of applause and appreciation for the skaters from other countries. Most figure skating crowds recognize outstanding achievements by any skater and will give them a loud round of applause but to my eyes and ears, that's definitely missing from these Russian crowds and unfortunately, it seems to be affecting the judges.
 

Figure 8's

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
No one is complaining about the Russians giving support to their own skaters. That's to be expected and the home crowds always cheer loudly for their own, but the point of contention is their lack of applause and appreciation for the skaters from other countries. Most figure skating crowds recognize outstanding achievements by any skater and will give them a loud round of applause but to my eyes and ears, that's definitely missing from these Russian crowds and unfortunately, it seems to be affecting the judges.
Did you miss the title of this thread?
 

WinterLily

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 20, 2013
I just cannot for the life of me recall this kind of attitude from the Canadian public in Vancouver. I take no offense in cheering loudly (or louder) for Russian skaters, or chanting 'Rossia' or whatever. But laughing at skaters that make mistakes? Very, very subdued reactions to other amazing skaters? Complete over the top reactions during the warm-up? I also roll my eyes every time they start clapping when music comes on that was created by a Russian composer - skaters who opted to skate to Russian music this season are rewarded with *some* audience participation. I think it's normal that the crowd gets into a familiar tune, but it's just so obvious it happens only when it's Swan Lake or something. The patriotism is just very tangible throughout the entire competition and it's getting on my nerves. I've watched so many figure skating competitions in all sort of countries and I feel it's never been like this before. Still a week and a half to go...

totally agree
Italian figure skating fans are saying the exact same things on their FB group page. Obvioulsy, lots of people have noticed this strange audience :/
I went to Torino 2006. The audience was great there, so different from this one...
 

bonniesin

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
the behaviour of the crowd was really tacky and embarrassing, like hello, the entire world is watching you be a sore winner
 

MK's Winter

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
I think what we are seeing is the equivalent of an American crowd at a Super Bowl. Figure Skating in Russia is as popular as football is in the US. It's the first non boycotted games in Russia. It's a big deal and they seem really excited. On the other hand I didn't know what to make of the clapping when Robin fell. I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt in the respect that they were trying to pick them up.The crowd responded to their choice of music enthusiastically.
 

Rachmaninoff

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
On the other hand I didn't know what to make of the clapping when Robin fell. I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt in the respect that they were trying to pick them up.The crowd responded to their choice of music enthusiastically.

Well, if we ever see a Russian skater fall here, then we'll know. If they were meaning to be encouraging, they'd certainly do the same for "their" skaters.

As for the rest of it, I don't blame a crowd for going wild over "hometown" athletes, which is quite natural, but they do seem more tepid than most countries when it comes to everyone else, which is too bad. Probably isn't as much fun to perform there if you aren't Russian.
 

Amei

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
From my television it does seem different from any competition I've seen in any other country that I've been to or seen on TV

But at least from my TV, my impression of the crowd in the team event was nothing like I've ever seen in relation to response for other countries. Expecting Russia not to get a little overzealous about their own skaters seems a bit unrealistic.

The NBC Sports network live broadcasts when a Russian skater is coming or going on the ice - it's really loud and seems much louder than other competitions -- but I will say I have seen the same competition or at least parts of (Team SP and FS) on NBC and the NBC Sports network and it seems quieter on NBC.

I look at it like this: this is the first time Russia has had non-boycotted Olympics, and it was the first event held at the Olympics and the Russian team was phenomenal; it's exciting, I haven't heard anything to me that says they were cheering when someone fell.

*Leading up to the Olympics there has been a lot of negative press (here in the States at least) and people saying they shouldn't have gotten this Olympics - perhaps this created an us against the world mentality with the 'home-field' cheering.
 

Amei

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
I think what we are seeing is the equivalent of an American crowd at a Super Bowl. Figure Skating in Russia is as popular as football is in the US.

I have not seen 1 naked beer gut in the audience at the Olympics.

And give the Russians credit we haven't seen this yet:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=9W2TZauYNRj5iM&tbnid=hnPCXRCGZWMwyM:&ved=0CAMQjhw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.wsj.com%2Fdailyfix%2F2012%2F02%2F28%2Fpodcast-these-colors-dont-run%2F&ei=cTH8Uui-CKKv2QWs6IC4AQ&bvm=bv.61190604,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNG7mKZH7gK2vXSemLRR8TSX035DrA&ust=1392345739032515

As a American football fan - pick anyone of the 32 teams in the NFL and google the team name + fans = very interesting viewing :popcorn:
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I suppose Russia at figure skating events = 12th Man at Seattle Seahawks home games.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Enthusiastic support and cheering for home athletes are to be expected, and appreciated by those athletes. I think the Team Event being inherently nationalistic brought out even more nationalism. It would be bad though if the extreme nationalism gets carried over to the individual events.
 

koatcue

Medalist
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Country
Russia
I haven't heard cheers on the skaters falling. Really. The only thing that I personally Don't like is when the audience shouts RO-SSI-YAAA!!! I think thats dumb if Im being honest. Just not my thing. Id feel awkward. And also I don't think that the crowd in Sochi doesn't clap or smth for other skaters. The audience loved Carolina as an example..The only problem that I have is that the Russian skaters are pushed in scores. Plushenko, Bazarova/Larionov, Julia, even Ksenia/Klimov a bit. I didn't expect that Gracie would get 130 for a CLEAN program and Julia 141. I am a Julia's fan and I think it was unjust.
 

Trewyn

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Aliona & Robin apparently picked up on the strange 'loyal' crowd reactions to their performance. Icenetwork article:
- their music was welcomed with cheers because it was The Nutcracker
- "Szolkowy fell on a triple toe loop and the crowd cheered again ... The cheers were not lost on the Germans"
- "At least they clapped after our performance."

In the audience's defense (though I still stick to my earlier rant & frustrations) - it's never easy to have a 'good' reaction when a team/skater is having a rough skate.
 

EdgeCall

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Aliona & Robin apparently picked up on the strange 'loyal' crowd reactions to their performance. Icenetwork article:
- their music was welcomed with cheers because it was The Nutcracker
- "Szolkowy fell on a triple toe loop and the crowd cheered again ... The cheers were not lost on the Germans"
- "At least they clapped after our performance."

In the audience's defense (though I still stick to my earlier rant & frustrations) - it's never easy to have a 'good' reaction when a team/skater is having a rough skate.

Full quote from the Icenetwork artice:
The crowd in the Iceberg Skating Palace was boisterous and loyal to the Russian skaters, but once they recognized the opening notes to the Germans' music, which was from the classic Tchiakovsky ballet, The Nutcracker, the fans began to cheer.

Shortly after the Germans opened their program, though, Szolkowy fell on a triple toe loop and the crowd cheered again, this time knowing full well that the gold would end up in Russian hands. The cheers were not lost on the Germans. Savchenko and Szolkowy did not give up on their program, even attempting the throw triple Axel at the very end, but Savchenko fell, and so did their gold-medal hopes.

"For me, it was not the best to skate here," Szolkowy said. "We are in Russia and Russian skaters are on the ice. I would say it would be the same in Germany. At least they clapped after our performance.

"This is a really hard time for us right now," Szolkowy added. "Yesterday, we were in second place after the short program and we wanted to fight to win. Now, it feels like we lost a lot."
 

TelmoFe

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 20, 2011
I noted since short program Team Event that for the main competitors (with russians) few applauses, when we had great performances...

When Robin fel there was a lot of noise, but I didn't understand what kind of...
 
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