ABC and the ISU

[Joesitz]

Quote:
Face it: this year's Grand Prix was a bore. Half of the competitions featured Cohen and Arakawa, with Cohen always winning, no matter how erratically she skated, and Arakawa finishing 2nd or 3rd. The other 3 competitions featured a bunch of hard-luck skaters, with Elena Liashenko coming out on top most of the time. Elena Liashenko? Now there's a name unknown to the average viewer
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Eurterpe - There are some people who may have viewed the Grand Prix series as a bore but we all watched them anyway. So it is not like there was a drop in interest from the avid fans. And casual fans will only watch figure skating when they are at home and at ease. They don't make it a point to watch.

Joe

[Longhornliz]

SkateCynic, Can you copy and paste some of that article, I cant seem to log in unless I'm a subscriber.

Joe--I dont think that the drop in ratings actually reflects a lack of interest in figure skating persay. I think it is part of a larger trend of dropping ratings, reality television has had a big impact on the viewership of the major networks. People either love it, and ratings for sitcoms, dramas and sporting events drop. Or people hate it, and are turned off from television and the ratings for sitcoms, dramas and sporting events drop.

SLC probably played some role in people becoming frustrated with the sport. But I think its impact was temporary. I dont think that a casual fan would care that the judging system is suspect... and commited fans are ready to move forward in hopes that COP will resolve some of these problems.

Thats just what I think... TV is in trouble. The convergence of media in the digital and wireless age is causing some market fluctuations. These changes paired with the change in taste of viewers (to a more reality-centric programming model) are definately challenging the second tier sports and their marketing feasibility.

[mpal2]

I don't know what non-skating fans think overall, but I do know that my co-wokers were channel surfing and stopped at the Worlds Championship coverage because they knew I watched it. They didn't stay on the channel long (enough to see Sasha and Michelle), but they all commented on Michelle. Even though she didn't win, they all thought she was better and how amazing she was after the streaker.

Based on the above, I still insist that if I yap about skating enough I will get a few more people watching that normally wouldn't.

[Ladskater]

Joesitz:

We had the same worry here in Canada with CTV coverage. However, good old CBC stepped up to the plate and did a great job!

Your post is very good but you haven't given a reason for the downgrading figure skating from a mjor network to cable. It is obvious that there is a decline in interest but if the SLC didn't cause it, what did?

I don't think the SLC Olympics caused a decline in public interest in figure skating. I think it's just gone back to the way it has always been.

Figure skating has always been an elite sport and unlike hockey does not get a lot of coverage all year, plus the competitions that are shown on tv are few and far between. Unless people are huge fans and want to attend the Regional and local competitions they have to pretty much wait for the Nationals and Worlds on tv. It's not a huge money maker for tv like hockey or baseball.

There are the die-hard fans like us here at Golden Skate. As long as they keep broadcasting fs somewhere on tv we will be there!!!!

[skatesindreams]

Interest in, and coverage of skating has always come in cycles. We are at the bottom of the latest one; there will be a surge up prior to the 2006 Olympics - and back down again, after.

[Longhornliz]

Interesting perspective Ladskater, I agree.

But the analogy using Hockey as a top tier sport doesnt translate to American viewership!!! Yall Canadians sure do love some hockey... too bad the only hockey I have ever seen is minor league.

[Joesitz]

Hockey as well as Golf, and tennis, are serious sports. Pro FS Competitions were silly. More like Exhibitions.

As for reality TV, Figure Skating should re REAL.

Joe