How will USFSA promote its 4 most talented ladies?

[krenseby]

Here's a question that's been bugging me: With four talented ladies who are very promising (Mirai, Ashley, Rachel, and Caroline,) can the US federation be smart enough to avoid picking favorites?

I would love to see them all promoted equally with exception of Mirai who does deserve a bit more attention because she is the national champ. Anyhow, do you think the USFSA will succeed in being an impartial promoter of these 4?

 

[heyang]

Part of the promo will also be dependent upon how Ashley performs at World's and don't forget Kimmie, Emily et al depending on what they decide for next year.

If they are smart, they will promote it as the battle of all-comers because every one of these ladies has the potential to win at Nationals [assuming, of course, that they continue to compete and are relatively healthy that night.]

 

[skatergirl45]

Well said heyang. I do worry though, that USFS will promote Mirai since she is the US champ and Rachael since she is the JW champ more than the others.
I worry that USFS has forgotten about Emily................

 

[childfreegirl]

Here's a question that's been bugging me: With four talented ladies who are very promising (Mirai, Ashley, Rachel, and Caroline,) can the US federation be smart enough to avoid picking favorites?

I would love to see them all promoted equally with exception of Mirai who does deserve a bit more attention because she is the national champ. Anyhow, do you think the USFSA will succeed in being an impartial promoter of these 4?

Call me pessimistic, but IMO, no. They've already chosen Caroline as the favorite. Never mind that she can't go to Worlds. Mark my words, unless Kimmie has a stellar performance (medals) at Worlds, Caroline will be the one on the promos for the GP next season.

 

[gkelly]

How would the USFSA decide who are its "4 most talented ladies"?

For that matter, why should they decide that?

Why should they limit their promotion of talented skaters to 4? Why should they determine promotional opportunities based on "talent" when they can just as well do it by recent results?

 

[attyfan]

Call me pessimistic, but IMO, no. They've already chosen Caroline as the favorite. Never mind that she can't go to Worlds. Mark my words, unless Kimmie has a stellar performance (medals) at Worlds, Caroline will be the one on the promos for the GP next season.

And give up the promising Caroline/Mirai/Rachel rivalry? Or, will the three have to start trash-talking each other?

I think the USFS will pick "roles" for each lady, as with Johnny and Evan, but there will be equal hype for all, simply because the USFS hypes rivalries.

 

[childfreegirl]

Why should they determine promotional opportunities based on "talent" when they can just as well do it by recent results?

IMO, they shouldn't. But the USFSA has a track record of latching on to one "promising" skater and holding on. For years it was Kwan (and deservedly so), then Sasha for a year or so, then Kimmie. Now it looks like it's Caroline. I'm not saying its right. But its what they do.

There dosen't seem to be much attention given to skaters beyond the top two or three at the senior level and maybe the top one or two of junior men. Maybe a couple in ice dance. It seems the USFSA holds these up as the ultimate ideal, as if they can be the only role models for young skaters and the only ones worthy of media attention. Which is completely unfair, IMO.

 

[childfreegirl]

And give up the promising Caroline/Mirai/Rachel rivalry? Or, will the three have to start trash-talking each other?

I think the USFS will pick "roles" for each lady, as with Johnny and Evan, but there will be equal hype for all, simply because the USFS hypes rivalries.

And it's ricidulous, when both Evan and Johnny have indicated and even said as much that there is no "rivalry". But the USFSA thinks that if it dosen't have something "manly" to hype, they won't get viewers. Come on! When was the last time you talked to someone who said they watched skating b/c of the "Johnny and Evan rivalry"? Like they're going to have a lock down drag out in the middle of the ice! The same goes for the ladies.

 

[gkelly]

Well, the USFSA can promote skaters by inviting them to Skate America and to any other invitational televised events that they control the invitations for and by featuring them in articles on their website and in Skating magazine.

Other than that, promotions by TV networks (or magazines, etc.) would be based on who each of those media outlets wants to promote, not so much by the federation.

 

[skatergirl45]

This is only sort of relavent but how, with the ladies is USFS going to figure out GP spots? AM I right that USFS has 12 spots????

 

[museksk8r]

And it's ricidulous, when both Evan and Johnny have indicated and even said as much that there is no "rivalry". But the USFSA thinks that if it dosen't have something "manly" to hype, they won't get viewers. Come on! When was the last time you talked to someone who said they watched skating b/c of the "Johnny and Evan rivalry"? Like they're going to have a lock down drag out in the middle of the ice! The same goes for the ladies.

 

[attyfan]

And it's ricidulous, when both Evan and Johnny have indicated and even said as much that there is no "rivalry". But the USFSA thinks that if it dosen't have something "manly" to hype, they won't get viewers. Come on! When was the last time you talked to someone who said they watched skating b/c of the "Johnny and Evan rivalry"? Like they're going to have a lock down drag out in the middle of the ice! The same goes for the ladies.

You are correct, but when did the USFSA ever let common sense or reality dictate anything, let alone their advertising/publicity/hyping campaigns?

 

[ManyCairns]

Poorly.






Sorry, couldn't resist --

 

[museksk8r]

Poorly.






Sorry, couldn't resist --

I hear you. Hopefully, they'll rise above the media trap that Johnny and Evan sank into and avoid the mentality on internet forums that Weir and Lysacek have the worst attitudes in skating.

 

[Dennis]

If any of them have Irish blood in them they should skate for Ireland

 

[Mathman]

I believe that the people trying to promote figure skating are boxed in by the same old dilemma as always -- sport's battle or family-hour entertainment?

In the past, the only way to promote the sport was to put the face of the big star up on a billboard. Come see Sonia Henie skate. Come see Mikhail Baryshnikov dance. Come hear Little Richard sing. .

Not so much, come and root for your old alma mater USC to crush Notre Dame, Go Trojans!

So it is no wonder that U.S. figure skating rode Michelle Kwan as hard as they could, then pushed Sasha Cohen as the Next Big Thing. As Childfreegirl points out above, to the general U.S. sports fan, Lysacek against Weir is not Ali versus Frazier.

I think one of two possibilities will emerge. One of our rising stars will eastablish herself as the star by winning a bunch of stuff.

Or...we can head into the Olympics with a three-headed monster and play up the "Go U.S.A. Olympic team" angle. We did this with a fair amount of success in 1998 with Kwan, Lipinski and Bobeck, and also in 1992 with Yamaguchi, Harding and Kerrigan.

 

[PolymerBob]

Or...we can head into the Olympics with a three-headed monster and play up the "Go U.S.A. Olympic team" angle.

Well, I guess we can HOPE it's a three headed monster. One of Ghidrah's heads might be chopped off before Vancouver.

Then again, it might grow back in time.

 

[Oreo]

Maybe the USFSA should promote Mirai/Rachael/Caroline/Ashley/Kimmie as five lovely young girls that represent the best in sportsmanship and good manners. No pseudo rivalries, bad mouthing, or psyching out the competitors by bumping into them during the warm up. Tune in to see an hour of athletic prowess and artistry. What a concept!

 

[Cal Girl]

They wont promote them - they will pit them against one another. Of course it will be on their weaknesses. Someone grows, someone loses a jump, someone is injured, someone is criticized for their music choice, where they train, what their lifestyle is about etc . . .
That is the typical format they use.
I truly feel sorry for them, it must be Hell to be that good when you are so young and so vulnerable. I wish them all Armour to protect them from the viciousness of this sport.

 

[PolymerBob]

Fortunately, the USFSA can’t pit the girls against each other. No one can force the girls to insult each other, trash talk, bump, push, shove or show any sort of poor sportsmanship. Yes, a podium catfight might dramatically increase interest in the sport, but if the girls refuse to cooperate, the point is irrelevant.

Remember folks, humility in victory, grace in defeat – this is the foundation of all sport. It might not be the best attention getter, but it seems to be what these girls are made of.