2023 U.S. Nationals survey input

[moonvine]

They apparently sold out but the people (or corporations?) who bought them, a lot of them didn't turn up by the number of empty seats (in the ladies and dance -? what were the others like?) This is more or less true of most competitions so far this year but the various Nats can't blame the lack of Russian stars for it.

What was the advertising like? I read elsewhere complaints that people didn't even know when competitions were on. To compete with everything else these days, advertisers have to get really creative and flog the hell out of their product. The Japanese use TV, posters in metros and malls and shops, magazines, newspaper coverage, interviews... maybe the US Fed can't drum up all of this but they could shell out for creative publicity. surely.

Typically the primo seat people show up for ladies and men’s long in my experience. That’s when the whole first 1-3 rows will be full. After seniors started there were even people in the first section above the middle (certainly not full, though)

 

[TallyT]

And as far as coverage, media, etc. we need figure skating stars! More than one.... You have to have skaters who draw the interest and then you have to promote that interest through the media.

Which - as every media expert knows and the Powers That Be keep forgetting - you can't manufacture (except in entertainment dream factories and kpop, and even there its still a gamble, and does any sport really want to go there?) Figure skating straddles - not as well as it used to, of course - the entertainment line between sport and art, and the stars needs to do so as well, and that's hard.

I'm not in any way claiming to be expert on who currently has the star quality, I remember saying Trusova would be the next Big Thing after Yuna and Yuzu, and she's popular but no way what I expected. And that the 3A would Rule the Fandom World, if only for a short while. But while they know they need stars, what can they do about it? The public rules.

 

[moonvine]

Which - as every media expert knows and the Powers That Be keep forgetting - you can't manufacture (exce[t in entertainment dream factories and kpop, and even there its still a gamble, and does any sport really want to go there?) Figure skating straddles - not as well as it used to, of course - the entertainment line between sport and art, and the stars needs to do so as well, and that's hard.

I'm not in any way claiming to be expert on who currently has the star quality, I remember saying Trusova would be the next Big Thing after Yuna and Yuzu, and she's popular but no way what I expected. And that the 3A would Rule the Fandom World, if only for a short while. But while they know they need stars, what can they do about it? The public rules.

Gracie is a star. Perhaps this new person will see that.

 

[TallyT]

Gracie is a star. Perhaps this new person will see that.

Oh god, I actually do love and feel for Gracie (she and Jason are the only US skaters I have separate folders for on my hard drive due to the sheer number of files and pictures) and I truly believe that, had internal and external demons not tragically overtaken her, she would have been It.

 

[noskates]

Gracie WAS a star with incredible star potential. But, her performances of late have been lackluster and I just don't see her commanding any kind of a television or show audience except with her diehard fans. Nathan could have probably brought a lot more attention to figure skating but he wants to finish college and you can't fault him for that. There really hasn't been anyone since Michelle Kwan on the ladies side that struck an interest with the public IMO, I think Ilia and Isabeau have a chance if they do well internationally and at Worlds. Get them on some Late Night talk shows, have them guest on daytime talk shows....give them some exposure outside of the rink.

 

[Kris135]

Gracie WAS a star with incredible star potential. But, her performances of late have been lackluster and I just don't see her commanding any kind of a television or show audience except with her diehard fans. Nathan could have probably brought a lot more attention to figure skating but he wants to finish college and you can't fault him for that. There really hasn't been anyone since Michelle Kwan on the ladies side that struck an interest with the public IMO, I think Ilia and Isabeau have a chance if they do well internationally and at Worlds. Get them on some Late Night talk shows, have them guest on daytime talk shows....give them some exposure outside of the rink.

And Ilia would be more than willing obligate you. He really likes to talk. He has no problem sitting down for an interviews. He likes to talk about his skating, his family, and his life in general. He sat down for an interview this summer with Polina Edmunds that lasted for about an hour where he talked about skating goals and other facets of his life. If you haven't listened to it I would encourage you to if still available. Ilia though has one ability that I have seen from a US man in about 30 years. The ability to take control over an arena and hold the audience under his sway. We saw a glimpse of that in his Short Program and he is only 18 years old. Imagine how much better he going to get in skating and presentation in the next three years. This kid was born to be a star he lives for linelight he wants to be the center of attention. He has such charisma and that is something you can not teach.

Nathan has a lot of wonderful qualities but charisma not one of them. The problem with that is what skating needs right now is someone toe give skating that wow factor back because look how poorly nationals was attending this year. Maybe half of the arena was full on best of days. Look at where Skate America was held , in Norwood, MA in a glorified club rink that only holds at most 2,000 people. This doesn't look good and 4CC is going to be similar set up though the arena is bigger but this only holds 7,000 people. 20 years ago this would have been unthinkable. This is how far skating as fallen in this country. The thought that the federation can not give enough financial support to their best athletes so they can live and train on it is disgraceful. It got so bad for one of them that he could not afford food for a time. Ilia needs to do ice shows I'm Europe in middle of season and skip a major competition to pay the bills. And do not even get started on the lack TV coverage in the US. or how during the entire Grand Prix season NBC could not figure out to put up any replays of the events which either meant you had to rearrange your schedule to accommodate this or watch the limited over view on Sunday or get a VPN to watch and replays on the ISU YouTube channel.

This is the state of US FIgure skating and it is sad state of affairs. It would be laughable if it was not the reality that is taking place right now. The fact is that someone in the federation needs to start taking charge of matters. I remember the excitement that took place when Alyssia Liu won her first national title. For a few weeks she and skating got more attention than they had in years. Then it died off again as could not compete anywhere else because of her age. I mean I could understand Isabeau not being presented too much because of her age and the fact that US skating does not need a replay of Alyssia Liu situation happing again but allowing her to have some events or a article in teenage magazine that would give girls her age some insight into her life would be nice. Ilia should become the face of US FIgure Skating. He breaks all the rules on what a male figure skater should be. I would love him to become in America as big as Yusru Hanyu became in Japan. I want that level of fan support without the craziness of it because at times it did become ridiculous. Also USFS needs to learn to use and leverage social media to ensure that people know about skating and encourage people to support or even join the sport. If they need to ask for tips many of the skaters have very visible and popular social media accounts and could show the officials how to how to create the buzz that would be needed because it seems that the federation missed the social media boat all together. Skating needs to become relevant again it can be done just it going to take some effort but it can be done. I want to see an arena filled capacity it want it to be like a rock concert in there. I used to be like that with tons of people coming to events like nationals. We going to have World's in Boston in 2025 where would you like it to be held. A big arena downtown that has up to 40,000 seats or in Norwood again with their paltry 2000 seats if we keep on the same path as now that where the Figure Skating World could held in the glorified club rink again. USFS needs to figure out a real plan to get skating out of the death spiral it been for the past decade and it needs it soon.

 

[TallyT]

I would love him to become in America as big as Yusru Hanyu became in Japan.

Ummm, that's more than a little wildly over-ambitious, don't you think? (looking again at the unheard of insanity going on in Tokyo right now). Apart from everything else, you need to remember that skating was quite popular in Japan, a lot more than in the US now, when Mao and then Daisuke started its climb into big numbers and then Yuzuru rocketed into lightning-in-a-bottle megastardom. Even if you believe Malinin to be as talented and mediagenic as Hanyu (former still to be proven, the latter... definitely still to be proven) it's a massive ask.

Cleaning the Augean stables of crap judging and corruption, balancing artistic/athletic properly and making it stick, and opening up streaming of all competitors, to let the public choose their own stars and hopefully more than one of 'em - and then listening to the goddam public - would be a much better way. For all feds.

 

[skatesofgold]

I'm curious about the costs involved in attending gymnastic events vs figure skating events. I've only gone to Skate America a few years back and to attend all events was well over $300. I lived in the area so no travel expenses involved, but image the costs for those who need flight, car and hotel. I don't know much about gymnastics, but it doesn't seem to have the same high price tag as figure skating, that could be a factor in attending live events.

It's actually really expensive to attend elite gymnastics meets, like Nationals, and those aren't as well attended, especially for the men, unless it's an Olympic year. NCAA gymnastics is cheaper and more accessible because of that.

 

[mrrice]

Gracie is a star. Perhaps this new person will see that.

This is totally true! Gracie is still very well known and popular here in states. Isabeau, certainly has star power now that she has the title. However, Gracie has been a star for a long time. I truly think she'd be great in Stars On Ice. I know my students knew who Gracie was when I was still in the classroom back in 2014. She's also great with the fans.

 

[moonvine]

It's actually really expensive to attend elite gymnastics meets, like Nationals, and those aren't as well attended, especially for the men, unless it's an Olympic year. NCAA gymnastics is cheaper and more accessible because of that.

It wasn’t expensive for me at all. I want to say Olympic Trials (women) were $66 a day, which I don’t think is expensive? But I live here so no travel/hotel cost.