US team envelopes for 2004-2005 season

[dorispulaski]

It already has. That's why Team A is smaller, IMO. Less A's = less Outlay.

However, ABC still has a contract with USFSA, so they are not as impacted as some other federations and the isu so far, I would guess.

 

[berthes ghost]

But if it also to do with FUNDING then by all means give it to the skaters who don't need it - MK and SC.

Excuse me? Are MK and SC now living in the former East German Republic? I'm pretty sure that in almost every job across the US, the top level people who bring in new clients, make the company a lot of profit, do their job with excellence, etc.. get paid a lot more than the entry level people who are, sorry to say, not very different from the next guy. Even school scholarships are based on grade averages, not just parental income. IIRC, MK herself weizeled her way onto Collins tour to make money before she was a star. Is there some particular reason you have that Felicia Beck and Alissa C. deserve more money than MK and SC? Pray tell and maybe I can use it to convince my boss that I deserve more pay than he does.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Yes, I do. The funds should be given to those qualifiers who are most in need. Michelle and Sasha have plenty of money.

Felicia and Allissa (sounds like a Cole Port lyric ) should get some funding if their needs are financial.

MK and SC may bring in more revenue but I strongly suspect that after 2006 neither of these Ladies will be around. Hence carrying the spirit of the USA in Ladies figure skating will go kerplunk because we were not assisting non-top tier skaters to skate in as many competitions to improve their skills.

BTW, write down all the work you've done for your company emphasizing that certain things were your own innovation. Connect with your boss and in a nice way, ask him if he has any plans for your advancement. There are many ways to approach a boss on this topic and I'm sure those tips apear on the net.

 

[Ptichka]

I am upset that Jane Bugaeva is on "reserve". Her family doesn't have the money to really invest into Jane's skating. Envelope C funding could have made a lot of difference.

 

[hockeyfan228]

It already has. That's why Team A is smaller, IMO. Less A's = less Outlay.

The skaters that are in envelope A are all of those who are guaranteed a spot by the criteria. No other skaters qualified automatically. The only skater who's covered by the "discretionary" clause is Goebel. So unless the criteria have changed since last year, only the decision to leave Goebel off could be due to money.

 

[soogar]

I don't understand why any skater who tours with Collins should even be in Group A for funding. A poster has said that the money is a pittance (and maybe it is for Kwan, Goebel and Cohen), but some of those kids in the B group through reserves could really use that money and it would make a difference in their skating.

If the USFSA wants to save money, maybe they should just not fund skaters who tour with Collins, or perhaps base funding on income and results so that way poorer skaters can get the necessary funding.

 

[Ptichka]

Soogar, I think basing funding on income can be tricky, especially since in many cases skaters in question are underage, and it's their parents' income that we are talking about. What would make sense, though, is taking the old "amateur" definition, and saying that only those who fall in that category (in other words those not making money off of the sport) are eligible for USFSA funding.

 

[Sylvia]

I am upset that Jane Bugaeva is on "reserve". Her family doesn't have the money to really invest into Jane's skating. Envelope C funding could have made a lot of difference.

People can always send a donation to Jane Bugaeva (and to any other skaters in, or not in, the team envelopes as a token of support for their skating) c/o her club:
Skating Club of North Carolina
PO Box 41324
Raleigh, NC 27629-1324
Here's an excellent local article on Bugaeva that was published before 2004 Nationals and archived on her club's site:
http://www.skatingclubnc.com/documents/pressreleases/jannando.pdf

Here are two websites with useful info on how you can support up and coming skaters (includes tax-deductible donation options):

http://www.skatersupport.org/

http://swpskating.com/help.html

 

[SusanBeth]

Did they put people on Team A who didn't automatically qualify last year?

I suppose the whole funding issue boils down to whether you consider it a wage or a grant. I know there are no true amateurs anymore. However, the USFSA hasn't taken on the role of employer to pro skaters, at least as far as the IRS is concerned.
Since I consider the money to be grants, I think the money should go to those who need it to continue their careers. It's simply in the best interests of skating in the US.

 

[Gardenkitty]

Isn't the Memorial Fund the vehicle USFSA uses to help worthy and financially needy skaters, not the envelope funding?

I don't mind the envelope funding going by results, especially if they have another method to help other skaters, but I do think it is nice when skaters who have other sources of income donate their funding either back to the USFSA or to another skating related charity.

I understand Todd donated his envelope funding for many years and Elvis donated his funding from Skate Canada. Michael Weiss established his scholarship fund and Rena and John donated their COI pay to the Memorial Fund.

 

[dr.frog]

Isn't the Memorial Fund the vehicle USFSA uses to help worthy and financially needy skaters, not the envelope funding?

I've heard that Memorial Fund grants are even smaller than the team envelope grants -- about $1000 or so. To put that in perspective, that won't pay the skater's hotel bill at Nationals, and one skate parent I talked to about it a few years ago felt it was not even worth the trouble of filling in all the financial disclosure forms they require. In recent years, the Memorial Fund has been fairly inactive as far as fund-raising goes -- it sort of fell off the USFSA's list of priorities when TV revenues started accounting for so much of their budget.

Another source of financial support for skaters is that the three USFSA sectional vice-presidents have each had about $20K per year that they can dole out as they see fit. This is sometimes used for emergency funding grants for national or international competitors.

As Sylvia pointed out, if you think a certain skater deserves more funding, the best thing to do is to donate some money yourself rather than just whine that the USFSA isn't taking care of them. You don't have to be rich -- think about your own priorities and budget, and maybe instead of spending $100 for a COI ticket and souvenirs, you can buy a less expensive ticket and forgo the souvenirs and send the difference to your favorite skater. Or whatever.

 

[SusanBeth]

As Sylvia pointed out, if you think a certain skater deserves more funding, the best thing to do is to donate some money yourself rather than just whine that the USFSA isn't taking care of them.

But shouldn't the USFSA be using it's [tax exempt] resources for the betterment of figure skating? Considering they have several programs for soliciting donations on their site, I would imagine there are several donors with an interest in how the money is spent and a right to ''whine''. If the USFSA doesn't want to hear opinions on how funds should be spent, they should stop asking the public for money.

 

[bronxgirl]

After reading everyone's replies on this thread, I'm as baffled as I was at the beginning. What is the purpose of these envelopes? Funding, choice of events? It seems there should be a better way of making both of these decisions.

 

[Jumpingbeans]

After reading everyone's replies on this thread, I'm as baffled as I was at the beginning. What is the purpose of these envelopes? Funding, choice of events? It seems there should be a better way of making both of these decisions.

Well, from what I understand, it is all about the funding. I might be wrong (please someone correct me if I am!) the envelopes were started back when Amateurs were Amateurs and you couldn't make any money off your skating otherwise you would forfeit your status. You couldn't compete. And of course skating was expensive, and the USFS didn't want their best skaters have to quit so they created the envelopes. The best skaters got the most relief from money troubles.

Of course that rule is now broken and amateurs can now make money off of tours and etc. So nowadays people like Michelle Kwan donate their share back to the USFS because they don't need it.

I hope that explained it.

 

[dr.frog]

After reading everyone's replies on this thread, I'm as baffled as I was at the beginning. What is the purpose of these envelopes? Funding, choice of events? It seems there should be a better way of making both of these decisions.

As various people have said repeatedly, the team envelopes are about FUNDING. Period. The purpose is to provide some training funds for skaters who are eligible for selection to international events.

Personally, I think the way they make the selections now -- a system of rewards for past performance based on specific, published criteria -- is a lot better than the way the USFSA used to run it, where it was all backroom politics and whose coach had the most influence with the international committee.

 

[bronxgirl]

Well, from what I understand, it is all about the funding. I might be wrong (please someone correct me if I am!) the envelopes were started back when Amateurs were Amateurs and you couldn't make any money off your skating otherwise you would forfeit your status. You couldn't compete. And of course skating was expensive, and the USFS didn't want their best skaters have to quit so they created the envelopes. The best skaters got the most relief from money troubles.

Of course that rule is now broken and amateurs can now make money off of tours and etc. So nowadays people like Michelle Kwan donate their share back to the USFS because they don't need it.

I hope that explained it.

Thanks much

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

As we know, the Funding is basically secret, and I do think the envelopes are tied in with the assignments. Never mind.

I would suggest that whatever funds are available, I would allow coaches to nominate a financially insecure skater who has decided talents for consideration. The monies if awarded would be used only to assist in travel expenses to competitions - not for the coaches fees.

Joe

 

[dr.frog]

As we know, the Funding is basically secret....

No, it's not. The USFSA at least used to publish detailed budget figures in the materials supplied to Governing Council delegates. The last time I saw a hardcopy of this was four years ago, when the team envelope funding numbers were $15K for team A, $10K for team B, $5K for team C, and $3K for the reserve team -- those being for singles skaters, pair and dance teams got 1.5 times as much at each level. My impression is that those numbers are basically unchanged since then.

The one thing that *is* secret is the details of the individual appearance fee contracts the USFSA signs with the skaters who appear in their cheesefests. However, you can get a clue by downloading the USFSA's form 990 from guidestar.org -- this is a budget form all nonprofits have to file with the IRS, and it lists their highest-paid employees and contractors. For the most recent year they have available (2001-2002 season), the list includes Michelle Kwan ($830K), Todd Eldredge ($399K), and Sarah Hughes ($173K). I've been told that even lesser-known skaters invited to a single cheesefest get on the order of $20K, so this is really a much bigger deal for the skaters than their envelope funding.

 

[Mathman]

Dr. Frog, do you know whether the top draws like Michelle get additional money directly from ABC television for her appearances?

Mathman

 

[dr.frog]

Dr. Frog, do you know whether the top draws like Michelle get additional money directly from ABC television for her appearances?

No, I don't know. Back prior to 1998 when FOX had the contract for the Grand Prix events, it was reported in the press that they were paying her appearance fees, but Kwan hasn't done the Grand Prix recently, I haven't heard that she is getting appearance fees for US Nationals or Worlds, and if she is, it might be included in her USFSA contract instead of paid to her separately by ABC. She is clearly making a very good living from the events she does do, anyway, and you can see why she's in no hurry to retire....