The figure skating judge: A casual perspective

[SmileHappy34]

The reason I posted is does the people who only watch figure skating once in a while. ( Like Olympic, worlds or nationals) look to see who the judges are. I know I don't . The only times I tend to look it at Senior worlds or the Olympic championship. The other times is when the news media brings out the bad or rigged judging. So who complains regarding bad hiding on these types of posts. We all have opinions . We all relate our opinion of how judges should do things to our liking. That is the way in all sports when consumer thinks being unfairly harsh at a call for their favorite skater , team . Yet despite the ISU listing their names as judges, what Do we know. Do we even care if list judges name. How are they affect by our armchair tactics band judging of the outcome? Do we or they even care? Is our armchair tactics a way to express our frustration at outcome or not understanding the rules or constant changes, or our skater did not medal. Do we take it out on judges and other posters. I my thinking. Thanks for your input.i

 

[Mathman]

Booing the umpire is a hallowed tradition in every sport. I don't think that there is much difference between skating insiders and casual viewers. They both want the home team to win and they tend to see what they want to see.. Or else they feel that they don't have a hprse in this particular race and just want to enjoy the competition.

Likewise, I don't think that prominently snnouncing the judges by name and nationality, or not, plays much of a role in the audience's reaction to judging. Once in a while a judge might gain enough notoriety that people start saying, "Why is that guy allowed to continue judging," but for the most part fans are happy when a call goes their way and mad when it goes against them, and then it's on to mext week's game.

 

[SmileHappy34]

Booing the umpire is a hallowed tradition in every sport. I don't think that there is much difference between skating insiders and casual viewers. They both want the home team to win and they tend to see what they want to see.. Or else they feel that they don't have a hprse in this particular race and just want to enjoy the competition.

Likewise, I don't think that prominently snnouncing the judges by name and nationality, or not, plays much of a role in the audience's reaction to judging. Once in a while a judge might gain enough notoriety that people start saying, "Why is that guy allowed to continue judging," but for the most part fans are happy when a call goes their way and mad when it goes against them, and then it's on to mext week's game.

Thank you. I agree. However, I do believe that while fans move on to next year or game. I do believe they do not let go. I will not go into if how many times ( including me) brings up who should have won. They didn't. They hold the judges responsible years after it over with.

 

[icewhite]

I don't think it's all just bias and people wanting better scores for their favourites. There are some real issues with scoring, and it is normal and right that fans want good judging, the results to be fair, transparent and according to the rules.
If a score where I have absolutely no horse in the race is obviously not correct that goes against my feeling of fairness, but if it's too much it can also devalue the whole competition, even lead it ad absurdum. It's not fun to watch a competition where the rules that were agreed upon in the beginning are nothing but loose guidelines...

 

[4everchan]

I like looking at scores/judges from scoresheets. But it ends there. I have a pretty good memory for everything important, and other than one or two judges in dance, I don't have any memory of judges by name/country that made me and I precise, made me, angry. Another fan may have felt these judges were perfectly fine.

Also, the judges change so often from event to event that it's hard to really hold a grudge on anyone. I watch tennis and I know better the tennis umpires than figure skating judges because there are a few of them who tend to always do the biggest event... Also, figure skating judges are not vocal. Tennis refs or football refs to name only do have a few interactive moments with crowd and players.

So yeah... i think most judges, though they are presented to the crowd live incognito.
And finally, when I am at a rink, live and judges presentation happens, all I have ever witnessed and felt was respect and applause towards the judges, all of them, equally.

 

[SmileHappy34]

Thank you. How it seems to fans viewpoint is very uneven in scoring the skaters, when it possible not. As you stated to normalize between the skaters. Maybe they can do a better job of explaining why a ur for one and not another. Thank you

I don't think it's all just bias and people wanting better scores for their favourites. There are some real issues with scoring, and it is normal and right that fans want good judging, the results to be fair, transparent and according to the rules.
If a score where I have absolutely no horse in the race is obviously not correct that goes against my feeling of fairness, but if it's too much it can also devalue the whole competition, even lead it ad absurdum. It's not fun to watch a competition where the rules that were agreed upon in the beginning are nothing but loose guidelines...

I don't think it's all just bias and people wanting better scores for their favourites. There are some real issues with scoring, and it is normal and right that fans want good judging, the results to be fair, transparent and according to the rules.
If a score where I have absolutely no horse in the race is obviously not correct that goes against my feeling of fairness, but if it's too much it can also devalue the whole competition, even lead it ad absurdum. It's not fun to watch a competition where the rules that were agreed upon in the beginning are nothing but loose guidelines...

 

[SmileHappy34]

I like looking at scores/judges from scoresheets. But it ends there. I have a pretty good memory for everything important, and other than one or two judges in dance, I don't have any memory of judges by name/country that made me and I precise, made me, angry. Another fan may have felt these judges were perfectly fine.

Also, the judges change so often from event to event that it's hard to really hold a grudge on anyone. I watch tennis and I know better the tennis umpires than figure skating judges because there are a few of them who tend to always do the biggest event... Also, figure skating judges are not vocal. Tennis refs or football refs to name only do have a few interactive moments with crowd and players.

So yeah... i think most judges, though they are presented to the crowd live incognito.
And finally, when I am at a rink, live and judges presentation happens, all I have ever witnessed and felt was respect and applause towards the judges, all of them, equally.

Thank you . I don't think fans realize judges to change from event and singles to pairs. As stated most times , fans don't notice unless the error is noteworthy of news. They see the results and I'd please happy.yes they do appreciate the judges effort due to it is hard. The Dan's are glad they don't judge the event that affects the skaters. They glady armchair and applaud, appreciate the effort of judges and skaters.

 

[4everchan]

Thank you . I don't think fans realize judges to change from event and singles to pairs. As stated most times , fans don't notice unless the error is noteworthy of news. They see the results and I'd please happy.yes they do appreciate the judges effort due to it is hard. The Dan's are glad they don't judge the event that affects the skaters. They glady armchair and applaud, appreciate the effort of judges and skaters.

Outside the skating forums, almost nobody knows about judging processes. They just enjoy it. I spoke as a hardcore fan : even there, I only remember a couple judges who tend to not like my favourite skaters So yeah, I think judges are appreciated and respected by most people, simply because it's obvious they know a bit better than fans.

 

[Mathman]

Live figure skating audiences are the soul of politeness (except possibly at the Olympic Games, where the audience includes a sampling of general sports fans and "my country right or wrong" patriots). We seldom hear of riots breaking out among rival groups of fans at Grand Prix events, with spectators being trampled under foot.

Fans at live events cheer for their favorites and at least clap politely for their opponents, as well as for the judges, skating officials and visiting dignitaries.

I get the impression that the skaters themselves, sure they want to win but there is also a certain camaraderie along the lines of, "Look at all the people who have paid their money to come out and watch us skate!" (I wish them more.)

 

[Kelly Lynn]

Are we forgetting Sochi, Salt Lake City, foot tapping ? I haven’t forgotten.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I don't think it's all just bias and people wanting better scores for their favourites. There are some real issues with scoring, and it is normal and right that fans want good judging, the results to be fair, transparent and according to the rules.
If a score where I have absolutely no horse in the race is obviously not correct that goes against my feeling of fairness, but if it's too much it can also devalue the whole competition, even lead it ad absurdum. It's not fun to watch a competition where the rules that were agreed upon in the beginning are nothing but loose guidelines...

I think that there's been a change in the language used to express personal opinions about skaters. It's gone from "i like this particular skater more than that one " to "that skater is underscored and that one is overscored". A lot of what looks like discussion of scoring on a surface level can often just be bias and wanting higher scores for favourites.


I also think that a lot of fans might not fully understand how the scoring is meant to work but may know some of the terminology and throw it around incorrectly. Like constant complaints about flutzing and prerotation if they don't like the skater (even when the skater doesn't have that problem) but no mention if the skater they like underrotates their jumps. A lot of fans can't admit that their favourites can make mistakes and get unfair/incorrect calls in their favour over ones they aren't a fan of.

Attempts at actual meaningful discussion about the scores seems to increasingly get lost in a sea of hostile confusion.


(For example, when Mao Shimada wins over Jia Shin you're guaranteed to see accusations of Japan engaging in bribery under the youtube videos and there's no real reasoning for that conclusion and they certainly don't seem to want to engage in an informed discussion).

Language in general has a way of catching on. It gets repeated by the uniformed and the meaning can change or get lost.