- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
As the heated debates on the figure skating scoring systems rage on in various threads as usual, and with laments of loss of popularity of the sport in the US, mainly blamed on the current scoring system as well, I think maybe it's a good idea to gather the thoughts together in one thread. I do have a brand new proposal to make that may address both issues.
Figure skating is a very special sport, highly technical, yet artistic and emotional. Winners cannot be determined by measurable time, distance, or number of goals scored. It has to be judged by human judges. Unfortunately, for every event, besides the three Tech Specialists and nine official Judges at the rink, there are millions more judges worldwide, each scoring with a different perspective and system. Some think the winner should be determined by how clean s/he or they skated or conversely by the number of falls, some insist that quad jumps should be the deciding factors in Mens, with 3A or 3/3 for Ladies, for many it's the musicality that counts while others want to be moved and see emotional connection with the music as well as the audience. Some people think the many technical requirements demanded by COP entail less artistic performances. Therefore, many changes have been suggested to make the results more suited to the proponents' tastes or to favor their favorites.
There are currently two programs to be performed by each skater or team in a competition, the Short Program and the Free Skate. But the Free Skate is better named Long Program as it is full of requirements and rules, rather far from free. Even if it were allowed to be designed and skated freely, the COP scoring system will still ensure that the competitors will jam their programs with high valued elements. So, now then, my proposal: Why not have an actual free program, and have it judged by the fans?
As it is, top competitors perform three programs each including one in the Gala. The exhibition programs are truly free, choreographed to entertain and appeal to the fans, not the judges. Why not let the fans vote on the best gala program according to however they wish to judge it, either by the live audience or maybe even online by the public at large? There can be a winner in each discipline or there can be 3 interdisciplinary medalists. Fans get to have their say and feel involved and empowered. Like reality talent shows, when people get to participate and vote to express their opinions and judgements their enthusiasm rises to new heights. Figure skating is highly technical, so complex well considered scoring system and trained judges are necessary, even as changes and improvements may be made to the system. But adding a non strictly technically based program can appeal to the general public and less technically knowledgeable fans who nonetheless have strong feelings and personal artistic preferences. Meanwhile, they will still be invested in the prior technical programs because only the top finishers get to compete in the new Free Skate. And if only live audience can vote or if their votes are weighted, many fans will want to be present at the event and even bring more seat fillers with them to support their favorites.
What do you think?
Figure skating is a very special sport, highly technical, yet artistic and emotional. Winners cannot be determined by measurable time, distance, or number of goals scored. It has to be judged by human judges. Unfortunately, for every event, besides the three Tech Specialists and nine official Judges at the rink, there are millions more judges worldwide, each scoring with a different perspective and system. Some think the winner should be determined by how clean s/he or they skated or conversely by the number of falls, some insist that quad jumps should be the deciding factors in Mens, with 3A or 3/3 for Ladies, for many it's the musicality that counts while others want to be moved and see emotional connection with the music as well as the audience. Some people think the many technical requirements demanded by COP entail less artistic performances. Therefore, many changes have been suggested to make the results more suited to the proponents' tastes or to favor their favorites.
There are currently two programs to be performed by each skater or team in a competition, the Short Program and the Free Skate. But the Free Skate is better named Long Program as it is full of requirements and rules, rather far from free. Even if it were allowed to be designed and skated freely, the COP scoring system will still ensure that the competitors will jam their programs with high valued elements. So, now then, my proposal: Why not have an actual free program, and have it judged by the fans?
As it is, top competitors perform three programs each including one in the Gala. The exhibition programs are truly free, choreographed to entertain and appeal to the fans, not the judges. Why not let the fans vote on the best gala program according to however they wish to judge it, either by the live audience or maybe even online by the public at large? There can be a winner in each discipline or there can be 3 interdisciplinary medalists. Fans get to have their say and feel involved and empowered. Like reality talent shows, when people get to participate and vote to express their opinions and judgements their enthusiasm rises to new heights. Figure skating is highly technical, so complex well considered scoring system and trained judges are necessary, even as changes and improvements may be made to the system. But adding a non strictly technically based program can appeal to the general public and less technically knowledgeable fans who nonetheless have strong feelings and personal artistic preferences. Meanwhile, they will still be invested in the prior technical programs because only the top finishers get to compete in the new Free Skate. And if only live audience can vote or if their votes are weighted, many fans will want to be present at the event and even bring more seat fillers with them to support their favorites.
What do you think?
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