2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[SnowWhite]

Let's just hope everything turns out well for her.[emoji120]
This is quite unexpected considering she had some problems with jet lag last season.

Well, Autumn Classic is tight for test skates, but on the other hand it gives her a lot more time at home training before Shanghai. If she were to do say, Nepela, she'd have test skates in Russia, a CS in Slovakia 2 weeks later and then Shanghai Trophy in China a couple weeks after that. Not much time at TCC.

 

[Georgya]

Russian skaters pay back quite a large amount of their earnings to the federation, right? Is the $800k before or after the federation takes their cut? (I'm just curious.)

I don't think the skaters have to pay back to the actual federation, the coach is another issue. So Alina may pay Eteri, like in Romania the gymnasts used to do, even if the coach is getting a salary from the federation + bonuses for victories. It all depends on the agreement coach-student

 

[andromache]

I don't think the skaters have to pay back to the actual federation, the coach is another issue. So Alina may pay Eteri, like in Romania the gymnasts used to do, even if the coach is getting a salary from the federation + bonuses for victories. It all depends on the agreement coach-student

Gotcha. I just assumed that the federation paid the coach (and other things) on behalf of the skater, and then the skater owes the federation a percentage of all future earnings. Like basically the federation "invests" in the skater, and then makes their money back (and maybe even makes a profit) if their investment in the skater pays off with a lot of success and $$$$.

 

[thedude]

https://www.forbes.ru/biznes-photog...sportsmeny-rossii-2019-reyting-forbes?photo=8

In a recent Forbes Russia issue Alina got into the list of young athletes with highest incomes. Her 2018/19 season total earnings were estimated at $800,000... Medvedeva's earnings were $700,000.

In Russia many people paid big money to see "Hanyu the star" rather than "Hanyu from Japan".

These numbers are made up. Forbes's lists of "richest" or "wealthiest" are a joke and made up numbers. The lists are 99% made up because nobody actually provides their personal information to some reporter. Endorsements companies don't give details of contracts. Unless the information is required to be publicly disclosed, I can guarantee you they're made up. Big numbers are used for page views and clicks, or the athletes' agents leak made up numbers to make their athlete seem more important.

The only thing we know for sure is the prize money from the competitions. Grand Prix Individual Event winners get $18K, Final's get $25K, Europeans or 4CC get $20K, World's get $45K. Assuming you win 2 ISU event's, GPF, Europeans, and World's that's only $126K. After the Russian Fed takes their cut(15-20%) and the coach or coaching team takes their cut(20-30%), you're probably left with well under $100K. That's only if you win 2nd and 3rd place make considerably less.

The next issue is skating show money. Japan is the only place where skaters can make decent money. Alina spent her summer in Japan, not Russia. The skating shows in the USA were mostly empty according to the internet. If the average Russian salary is $600/month, that doesn't leave a lot of money to attend skating shows.

Gate revenue at skating events in non-Japanese locations is probably minimal. Even if the stadiums were are reasonably full, there are only 6 grand prix events worldwide. Most of my high school hockey games were better attended then some of the events, and we played a lot more games.

Attendance is one thing and TV viewership is the other. Companies don't pay to be corporate sponsors unless they can get viewers. Most of the people on this forum watch videos from illegally uploaded Youtube sources.

Hanyu is an economy by himself. You can't use him as an example as he is the only superstar in skating. That was one event in Moscow, the wealthiest and most populous city in Russia. It was obvious the crowd was full of Japanese fans. It's night and day between attendance of Yuzuru and non-Yuzuru events. His fans and only his fans travel well across the globe. Nathan Chen beat Yuzuru at World's. The event was blip in the US sport's news cycle.

 

[Amei]

These numbers are made up. Forbes's lists of "richest" or "wealthiest" are a joke and made up numbers. The lists are 99% made up because nobody actually provides their personal information to some reporter. Endorsements companies don't give details of contracts. Unless the information is required to be publicly disclosed, I can guarantee you they're made up. Big numbers are used for page views and clicks, or the athletes' agents leak made up numbers to make their athlete seem more important.

I think there was a model that claimed the Forbes list caused her to get audited by the IRS (US Tax collectors) because Forbes put her earnings far more than what she actually made.

 

[Edwin]

I think there was a model that claimed the Forbes list caused her to get audited by the IRS (US Tax collectors) because Forbes put her earnings far more than what she actually made.

Yes, and the national equivalent overhere didn't please the people on the list because they felt it would give criminals a better idea of who to abduct, burglar, rob of his car or ransom his children since most of those people don't live an extravagant life style in posh mansions with wild parties, flaunting their wealth, but rather like to stay inconspicuous.

Remember the tragic fate of Denis Ten, young and innocent sportspersons are easy prey for hardened criminals.

 

[[email protected]]

Do those very nice dollar totals include endorsements? I know they get paid to do shows as they should.

Russian skaters pay back quite a large amount of their earnings to the federation, right? Is the $800k before or after the federation takes their cut? (I'm just curious.)

That's the total sum. Prize money is "just" $134,000. I have no idea what she pays back but, I guess, she shares prize and show money with the coaches. I would doubt about endorsements, though.

These numbers are made up. Forbes's lists of "richest" or "wealthiest" are a joke and made up numbers.
Hanyu is an economy by himself. You can't use him as an example as he is the only superstar in skating. That was one event in Moscow, the wealthiest and most populous city in Russia. It was obvious the crowd was full of Japanese fans. It's night and day between attendance of Yuzuru and non-Yuzuru events. His fans and only his fans travel well across the globe. Nathan Chen beat Yuzuru at World's. The event was blip in the US sport's news cycle.

Forbes is not a tabloid. Although no one will give a guarantee that the number is 100% accurate I would not agree with "99% made up list" notion. They surely can estimate the value of contracts with Shiseido and Puma as well as the money she earned in shows.

Hanyu is the brightest star of them all. This does not prevent others from receiving endorsements and slowly but steadily opting for star status. The more chances young Russian prodigies have to show themselves the more adverising contracts they will receive increasing overall figure skating awareness in the world.

 

[ramed]

Tennis is definitely more popular. Yet during last ten, fifteen years I don't remember much films about tennis (the only one I have in mind is Wimbledon), but several about figure skating. Not that those films would have quality (unfortunately), but this sport definitely attracts some specific attention

I beg to differ about quality - Thomas Vinterberg's "It's All About Love" is totally brilliant. (Yeah, it's a bit older than 10 years...) Does it qualify as "a film about figure skater"?

 

[Georgya]

These numbers are made up. Forbes's lists of "richest" or "wealthiest" are a joke and made up numbers. The lists are 99% made up because nobody actually provides their personal information to some reporter. Endorsements companies don't give details of contracts. Unless the information is required to be publicly disclosed, I can guarantee you they're made up. Big numbers are used for page views and clicks, or the athletes' agents leak made up numbers to make their athlete seem more important.

The only thing we know for sure is the prize money from the competitions. Grand Prix Individual Event winners get $18K, Final's get $25K, Europeans or 4CC get $20K, World's get $45K. Assuming you win 2 ISU event's, GPF, Europeans, and World's that's only $126K. After the Russian Fed takes their cut(15-20%) and the coach or coaching team takes their cut(20-30%), you're probably left with well under $100K. That's only if you win 2nd and 3rd place make considerably less.

The next issue is skating show money. Japan is the only place where skaters can make decent money. Alina spent her summer in Japan, not Russia. The skating shows in the USA were mostly empty according to the internet. If the average Russian salary is $600/month, that doesn't leave a lot of money to attend skating shows.

Gate revenue at skating events in non-Japanese locations is probably minimal. Even if the stadiums were are reasonably full, there are only 6 grand prix events worldwide. Most of my high school hockey games were better attended then some of the events, and we played a lot more games.

Attendance is one thing and TV viewership is the other. Companies don't pay to be corporate sponsors unless they can get viewers. Most of the people on this forum watch videos from illegally uploaded Youtube sources.

Hanyu is an economy by himself. You can't use him as an example as he is the only superstar in skating. That was one event in Moscow, the wealthiest and most populous city in Russia. It was obvious the crowd was full of Japanese fans. It's night and day between attendance of Yuzuru and non-Yuzuru events. His fans and only his fans travel well across the globe. Nathan Chen beat Yuzuru at World's. The event was blip in the US sport's news cycle.

They are not "made up". Forbes has models and experts who make projections, estimates. Sure it's not the exact number, it can be a bit lower or higher. Even 500.000$ would be amazing for a 17yo figure skater in Russia. I assume since it's Forbes Russia they can investigate locally. Prize money from competitions are not exactly a secret, and after OG Alina received, like all the medalists from those games, money and presents (car/apartment) from the russian state. I have seen her photo on a commercial plane and on credit cards so assume she received money for that also. Maybe the russians here can help with where they have seen Alina's image in Russia to make an idea about endorsments, outside Puma and Shiseido, the big ones. And of course there are the money from shows in Japan.

Edit: Alina promoted Puma, Shiseido, Madoka, Airweave, Sberbank (the biggest bank in Russia). What else?

 

[flanker]

I beg to differ about quality - Thomas Vinterberg's "It's All About Love" is totally brilliant. (Yeah, it's a bit older than 10 years...) Does it qualify as "a film about figure skater"?

I've seen two or three films directed by Vinterberg, but not this one. According to synopsis and gallery probably yes, partially

But if I consider those that are not counted only partially, than the score of quality is quite low :sad46:

 

[Artemisa]

it's a thought field this year Autumn Classic ... if Medvedeva wins there or came close to Rika ... will be a boost to her score previous to GP ... but is a risk

 

[TallyT]

Forbes is not a tabloid. Although no one will give a guarantee that the number is 100% accurate I would not agree with "99% made up list" notion. They surely can estimate the value of contracts with Shiseido and Puma as well as the money she earned in shows.

That's what ESPN did with their world rankings - where they didn't know, they made it clear it was an estimate and how they did it. Forbes are likely to be experienced in this, and most endorsements are art least semi-public knowledge.

Hanyu is the brightest star of them all. This does not prevent others from receiving endorsements and slowly but steadily opting for star status. The more chances young Russian prodigies have to show themselves the more adverising contracts they will receive increasing overall figure skating awareness in the world.

Alina and Evgenia are special cases, I think - they have media appeal, they shine off ice. Their physical beauty, fan appeal and charisma (especially Evgenia, despite the fact that Alina is now the greater skater) and the story (the rivalry/upset/emotional fallout, you couldn't make this stuff up but it's all publicity) and each's solid medal haul make for stars who will draw international fans in their own right even if even they can't fill a non-Russian rink in their own right.

One or more of the rising girls in Russia or Japan may take that place, where they have all the ingredients to fire a world-wide fandom as well as a home crowd, but they simply don't have the runs on the board as yet. And there are such a horde of them (good for Russian skating) that it is going to take something bigger on and off ice to be THE one to stand out from the crowd in the public's eyes (not so good for solo superstardom, and no use pointing to Yuzuru again, as said he's a special case)

I have little respect for the ISU but they do seem to have one thing right. If you have a sport that appears to be only for one or two countries to compete at the top, you will end up with a sport that is only in those one or two countries. And figure skating being what it is, no country will dominate forever.

 

[dante]

the story (the rivalry/upset/emotional fallout, you couldn't make this stuff up but it's all publicity)

Oh God, I just thought what the 4A and Kamila may go through in 2022... Screw the publicity, I hope by that time Eteri will raise not just fierce fighters, but also true loyal friends.

 

[TallyT]

Oh God, I just thought what the 4A and Kamila may go through in 2022... Screw the publicity, I hope by that time Eteri will raise not just fierce fighters, but also true loyal friends.

Be fair, we can't - and in fact probably shouldn't - judge how genuine their or any skaters' friendships or relationships are, and while it would be nice to see the ladies' podium in 2022 (whoever is on it) as warm and fuzzy as the 2018 mens', given the pressure and expectations these people have to live with, if it falls another way could you blame them?

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Is there a thread where we can make predictions about who will be on the podium at each senior GP event? I can’t find one. Or is it too early for that?

 

[Ziotic]

Is there a thread where we can make predictions about who will be on the podium at each senior GP event? I can’t find one. Or is it too early for that?

Too early! But they are coming.

 

[mathlike]

Are we going to see triple axel attempts from someone else than Tuktamysheva at the senior test skates? :think:

 

[katymay]

They are not "made up". Forbes has models and experts who make projections, estimates. Sure it's not the exact number, it can be a bit lower or higher. Even 500.000$ would be amazing for a 17yo figure skater in Russia. I assume since it's Forbes Russia they can investigate locally. Prize money from competitions are not exactly a secret, and after OG Alina received, like all the medalists from those games, money and presents (car/apartment) from the russian state. I have seen her photo on a commercial plane and on credit cards so assume she received money for that also. Maybe the russians here can help with where they have seen Alina's image in Russia to make an idea about endorsments, outside Puma and Shiseido, the big ones. And of course there are the money from shows in Japan.

Edit: Alina promoted Puma, Shiseido, Madoka, Airweave, Sberbank (the biggest bank in Russia). What else?

There was a Russian article that said she made more like 2 million last year. So Forbes might be an underestimate. Just guessing, I think it would be closer to 2 million. Hopefully a portion of that is set aside until she reaches majority.

 

[Vandevska]

What is this, no new post in 13h?! Is the world coming to an end?! [emoji23]

 

[SkateSkates]

Anyone know when the entry list for the Moscow Open will be available?