The role of fans in shaping skaters’ careers

[Mathman]

When I started watching figure skating, I was blessed to have really good commentary that included the explanation of PCS that most commentators never explain. I guess that it helped me a lot and that's the major difference between your experience and mine... *whole post*

This is a very thoughtful analysis of PCSs. I think that there is a disconnect between how PCSs are handled in the IJS (not too bad) and the public perception by fans (terrible, biased, cheating, whimsical).

 

[Isk]

I fit into this category, so I'll share my experience.

I tried. When I found Yuzu after the PyeongChang Olympics, I fell down a rabbit hole and, for a while, watched everything I could — Challengers, GPs, Nationals, anything.

Perhaps I got too involved in social media after discovering him and spent too much time reading and analyzing things, but I became disillusioned quickly. As someone who has watched other sports, I couldn’t accept many things that other FS fans consider “normal.” I went from watching all competitions, to only men’s singles, to only events with Yuzu, and finally to just Yuzu’s performances. I was relieved when he went pro and have so much fun in his current pro era.

I still like some of the currently competing skaters — just not enough to make me watch competitions anymore.

FYI, JSF is struggling because they stretched their funds to cover speed skating as well. When Yuzu was competing, the profits generated were enough to cover the expenses for both figure skating and speed skating. After he left, the income from figure skating decreased and was no longer sufficient to cover both.

Me and a loved one fell into this hole with ski jumping. One winter evening we were staying at home sick, so we turned on Eurosport and there was an event in Engelberg, where two of the Prevc brothers and Noriaki Kasai got on the podium. We've never seen it before. The loved one got interested, and we watched a few more events. It was the season when Peter Prevc was flying like an airplane and won everything. There was another guy Simon Amman, he struggled with the telemark but flew well and he was 36 y.o. or so. Noriaki was 44 and still flying well. The commentators kept mentioning some Schieri, but we never got to see him, turned out he was a legend, but on decline. I researched all these people, and it was quite fascinating. BTW English speaking fan-base and media coverage is non-existent in this sport, so the side effect of this short interest is that I can now read in German. The next season, Peter lost form, some new guys gained it and it became a kaleidoscope of winners none of whom was really catching. It's also very monotonous, they all do the same thing over and over again in the same way. The fan-base is mostly young women who like to talk about how cute their male athletes are and largely ignore female athletes. There are judging problems, safety issues, all sorts of eating disorders and scandals there too. So, I can see how personalities can attract viewers for a short time, especially in countries where the sport is not endemic. Having said this, short-term fans can be very fixated on their hero and can literally flood on-line platforms and turn them into fan-fests. I am not saying it's a bad thing, just that it can lead to falling out with other viewers.

 

[Isk]

Badminton, F1, Volley.

Some small examples:

• It is widely accepted for skaters in the earlier groups (and from weaker federations) to receive lower PCS compared to those in the later groups.
• It is considered normal for skaters with higher technical content (read: more quads) to also receive higher PCS.
• PCS (which used to have five categories: Skating Skills, Transitions, Performance, Composition, and Interpretation). It’s very rare for a skater to be strong in all categories, but you wouldn’t know it from the scores.
• Ice dancers often have to compete for many years and wait for their “turns.”
• Skaters are not allowed to question their scores, etc.

And then there are the numerous cases of abuse involving athletes and coaches.

There didn't used to be subdivision into groups with different starting PCS levels. In earlier years, the order of skating in the free was determined by the results of the short, whereas in the short the order of skating was decided by a random draw. When there was qualification or figures, then the order in those rounds was random, but the results decided the order in the short program. Also, each flight had a random draw, which sometimes resulted in the last skate of the day being underwhelming. I think the subdivision based on world rating gives the judges some baseline, like a PCS corridor. I also disagree that different components should always get similar scores: a person can have great skating skills but the program itself can be so-so, or performance can vary. But also it is a bit difficult to separate them: if a person can't skate well, it might be harder for them to skate intricate choreography, this affects transitions, program composition, sometimes performance. OTOH a program with few transitions makes it moot how to judge skating skills. But keep in mind that judges attend training sessions, where they see more than they see in a program. This shouldn't affect their marks at a competition, but it does. Also, in theory I disagree with giving PCS based on jumping output, consistency and reputation, but these factors do play a role and are kind of hard to not take into account.

 

[Mathman]

Skaters from earlier groups ... tend to receive lower PCS but it's not because it's "widely accepted".

My own experience on as a spectator is widely different depending on whether I am in the life audience or watching on TV. When I watch on TV, lots and lots of skaters in the earlier groups give great performances , plus I get to play the game of "slay count" if an early score holds up for a long time.

However, watching live, it is almost always obvious when the last group takes the ice for their warm up that -- WHOA -- here we go! These guys are visibly superior to previous groups in terms of speed and blade control. For the most part, they are simply better skaters. For me, that his not so obvious on TV.. Not at all.

 

[PaulE]

However, watching live, it is almost always obvious when the last group takes the ice for their warm up that -- WHOA -- here we go! These guys are visibly superior to previous groups in terms of speed and blade control. For the most part, they are simply better skaters. For me, that his not so obvious on TV.. Not at all.

This reminds me of an experience going to Canadian Nationals in Victoria. I believe it was in 2011. Jessica Dube's pairs partner had retired and she was entered as a singles skater. She could only do double jumps and finished somewhat low as I recall but she appeared to me to be the best skater on the ice by far. She moved so powerfully across the ice and with great speed that her gliding skill is burned into my memory. Each stroke seemed to carry her further than any other skater. She is the only ladies skater that I remember from that competition.

 

[el henry]

This is one of the examples I have in mind when I said “Skating fans normalize some things I cannot accept.”

Imagine reading news about abuses to young athletes day after day and think, “we have less cases compared to other sport, entertainment, or professional environment.” Should these things even be compared in the first place?

But that's not the way I believe that your post read.

It did read (to me) that you did not like figure skating as much as other sports because figure skating has more abuse than other sports.
Figure skating does not have more abuse than for example, volleyball. Therefore, abuse is not a reason to prefer volleyball to figure skating,
That is far from normalizing abuse, but simply stating a fact. No abuse, in either of those sports, should be tolerated.

ETA: and to bring this back to the OP, is one way that fans of any sport anywhere can support the athletes in their sport, by advocating against abuse and for funding of agencies fighting it.

 

[TallyT]

...not because it's "widely accepted".

You do not, however, dispute that it is widely accepted? (For just the most recent evidence, look at the discussions of how Petrosian would be disadvantaged by her placement at Beijing and will be at Milan, very very few if any people argued that she wouldn't be, most were just "ehh, that's how the judges are." Not exactly an edifying display of trust in officialdom, folks.

And going back to the subject at hand, it does not matter in the end if fans who disagree with your 'clarification' and therefore 'misunderstand' are not swayed. Watching figure skating, following skaters, spending money to support them and/or the sport, is in the end a recreational pursuit and like the millions who hated the end of Game of Thrones and dumped the entire franchise after supporting/funding it for years, people can pick it up and drop it for whatever reason they choose. If the ISU want to grow, it is on them to change while creating a balance and if they was to attract more fans, they must develop more skaters worth fanning over.

And the skaters themselves can and will choose if they want to work to attract personal fans. I would be very surprised if many of them see it as not worth the effort.

 

[Magill]

You do not, however, dispute that it is widely accepted? (For just the most recent evidence, look at the discussions of how Petrosian would be disadvantaged by her placement at Beijing and will be at Milan, very very few if any people argued that she wouldn't be, most were just "ehh, that's how the judges are." Not exactly an edifying display of trust in officialdom, folks.

And going back to the subject at hand, it does not matter in the end if fans who disagree with your 'clarification' and therefore 'misunderstand' are not swayed. Watching figure skating, following skaters, spending money to support them and/or the sport, is in the end a recreational pursuit and like the millions who hated the end of Game of Thrones and dumped the entire franchise after supporting/funding it for years, people can pick it up and drop it for whatever reason they choose. If the ISU want to grow, it is on them to change while creating a balance and if they was to attract more fans, they must develop more skaters worth fanning over.

And the skaters themselves can and will choose if they want to work to attract personal fans. I would be very surprised if many of them see it as not worth the effort.

Exactly, This discussion is a perfect example how to make people mildly interested turn back and stay away from the sport, lol.
If you want to attract someone and their money, you need to make sure they feel listened to and their opinions are important. If all your energy goes instead to explain to them how pointless and uneducated their opinions are in your opinion, and how you do not need them, you just make sure they will think it a hopeless case and will take their money and focus elsewhere. Which has happened on a mass scale in FS recently, and still keeps happening. And JSF's almost 3 million dollar deficit accumulated over the period since Yuzuru left the competitive FS and JSF, is the result of such policy, and I do not think it is to the benefit of the sport, though some people will forever pretend to the contrary.
In the end of the day, "perceptions" do matter. They are all that we have.

 

[Wynter]

But that's not the way I believe that your post read.

It did read (to me) that you did not like figure skating as much as other sports because figure skating has more abuse than other sports.
Figure skating does not have more abuse than for example, volleyball. Therefore, abuse is not a reason to prefer volleyball to figure skating,
That is far from normalizing abuse, but simply stating a fact. No abuse, in either of those sports, should be tolerated.

Perhaps that is the impression you got from reading Anna’s post, not mine. After all, you both seems to be very keen to compare the quantity of abuse between sports and think that Figure Skating is somehow better because it has “not more” cases.

I personally don’t see any need to compare and even if I did I will add the number of athletes from both sports into the calculation and compare the incident rate, not the number of abuse cases.

 

[Mathman]

///To the list of factors "normalized" by skating fandom and yet putting off for me I would add painfully striking lack of scoring transparency and any kind of prevention of conflict of interest. A wife of the chairman of one of two biggest federations serving as a judge on the Olympic panel ? No problem. Judges from national federations scoring representatives of their very federation and their direct competitors? No problem. An employee of a skating club sitting on the panel in a competition where skaters from this very club are competing? No problem.

I think that the problem figure skating, at least historically, has been ip against is the whole structure of the sport. Judges are volunteers who donate their time to support an activity that they are interested in. At the club level, where are you going to find judges who are willing to devote their time -- mostly for free -- except at the clubs? As for federations, they, too, have to rely on volunteers, and furthermore, those volunteers have the twin duties to give fair and unbiased judgement and at the same time to promote figure skating in their own country and win as meny medals as possible for the home team.

I remember an ISU disciplinary action a few years ago where a referee at a regional event was reprimanded for letting her sister be on the ice dance judging panel. Her defense was, we couldn't find anyone else to do it. In wealthier sports they can contract with some version of an indepedent and salaried UmpiresAssociation or Official's Union. Does figure skating have enough money to go this route?

 

[Mathman]

You do not, however, dispute that it is widely accepted? (For just the most recent evidence, look at the discussions of how Petrosian would be disadvantaged by her placement at Beijing and will be at Milan, very very few if any people argued that she wouldn't be,

Well, she wasn't (disadvantaged). She skated in the first group at Beijing (SP)) and won.

[I tried to look up on Google to see if Adelia Petrosian was the first to skate in Beijing, and AI overview informed me, No, she wasn't the first. Skating in Beijing goes back to 1745 whereas Petrosian did not compete there until 2025. ]

 

[Magill]

I think that the problem figure skating, at least historically, has been ip against is the whole structure of the sport. Judges are volunteers who donate their time to support an activity that they are interested in. At the club level, where are you going to find judges who are willing to devote their time -- mostly for free except at the clubs? As for federations, they, too, have to rely on volunteers, and furthermore, those volunteers have the twin duties to give fair and unbiased judgement and at the same time to promote figure skating in their own country and win as meny medals as possible for the home team.

I remember an ISU disciplinary action a few years ago where a referee at a regional event was reprimanded for letting her sister be on the ice dance judging panel. Her defense was, we couldn't find anyone else to do it. In wealthier sports they can contract with some version of an indepedent and salaried UmpiresAssociation or Official's Union. Does figure skating have enough money to go this route?

I'm sorry but if you say that the judges' second task is to make their national team come back home with as many medals as possible this is screaming mishandling of the role of a judge, Judges are not to bring medals home, that's not their task, This is exactly the problem that we are talking here about. You either provide fair and unbiased judgement, or care about the numbers of medals your compatriots bring home. You cannot do both. This is an abuse of the professional role, this is cheating, and nothing less. It does not matter if you are paid for or volunteer. And the way it is widely though silently accepted as the reality in FS, you're bound to have a shock response from any untamed and unbiased outsider. Maybe some people therefore would prefer not to have these shocked outsiders around.
You see, in the EU the clause on conflict of interest is a routine mandatory clause for any contract involving public money, and there is a lot of public money involved in all areas of life. If you cannot build a structure preventing a conflict of interest, you are simply not eligible for funding. If you are caught in violation of the conflict of interest, the donation may be asked back. It does not mean people do not cheat, but when they do, this is cheating and not normal and acceptable course of events. So you first need to get your mess together, and only then reach out for money. And personally I believe this is the right sequence of things, however harsh it may sound. I'd dare an assumption that by 2025 this is a popular expectation,
I agree this is a problem of the structure, and I am afraid no scoring system reform will ever change it. It demands a change in the structure cutting much much deeper than IJS ever could.
But first the skating community needs to acknowledge that there is a problem and that they need and want to solve it, and stop pretending there is no problem, nothing wrong, only a bunch of disappointed fans that no one needs here anyway.

 

[Isk]

I think that the problem figure skating, at least historically, has been ip against is the whole structure of the sport. Judges are volunteers who donate their time to support an activity that they are interested in. At the club level, where are you going to find judges who are willing to devote their time -- mostly for free -- except at the clubs? As for federations, they, too, have to rely on volunteers, and furthermore, those volunteers have the twin duties to give fair and unbiased judgement and at the same time to promote figure skating in their own country and win as meny medals as possible for the home team.

I remember an ISU disciplinary action a few years ago where a referee at a regional event was reprimanded for letting her sister be on the ice dance judging panel. Her defense was, we couldn't find anyone else to do it. In wealthier sports they can contract with some version of an indepedent and salaried UmpiresAssociation or Official's Union. Does figure skating have enough money to go this route?

Judges are not only not paid, they also do not need to have ever skated, although they do training and tests. Imagine this happening at a Chopin competition or a Ph.D. defence.

 

[Anna K.]

You do not, however, dispute that it is widely accepted? (For just the most recent evidence, look at the discussions of how Petrosian would be disadvantaged by her placement at Beijing and will be at Milan, very very few if any people argued that she wouldn't be, most were just "ehh, that's how the judges are." Not exactly an edifying display of trust in officialdom, folks.

I do not dispute anything with people who
a) don't know the subject,
b) believe in and make up conspiracies,
c) are heavily biased and proud about it.

This is a very thoughtful analysis of PCSs. I think that there is a disconnect between how PCSs are handled in the IJS (not too bad) and the public perception by fans (terrible, biased, cheating, whimsical).

It kind of screams for a separate thread, i.e., "should commentators explain the PCS criteria" and GOE bullet points". There was actually an opinion (I don't remember who expressed it but it was a big name in the early years of IJS - Button?...) that commentators should not be encouraged to do so because "it's too complicated and this will scare away the public" combined with expressed belief that general public doesn't know and doesn't care how the skating is judged. Well, there is a part of general public that doesn't know yet do care. And what do people do when they don't know yet care? Right, they make up theories, myths, and conspiracies. And what do conspiracies do? Oops... They scare away the part of general public that doesn't care

Then, I thought twice and decided that I don't want to search who said what and such thread is hardly needed anyway.
The reasonable part of the forum has recently discussed PCS nearly in every thread and might be a bit tired from it. The part that prefer to print on their flag "I'm not reasonable" and reply to every criticism with "I'm not mad, it's the whole world that has gone crazy" - they already have [my ignore list and] this thread

 

[Isk]

You see, in the EU the clause on conflict of interest is a routine mandatory clause for any contract involving public money, and there is a lot of public money involved in all areas of life. If you cannot build a structure preventing a conflict of interest, you are simply not eligible. If you are caught in violation of the conflict of interest, the donation may be asked back. It does not mean people do not cheat, but when they do, this is cheating and not normal and acceptable course of events. So you first need to get your mess together, and only then reach out for money. And personally I believe this is the right sequence of things, however harsh it may sound. I'd dare an assumption that by 2025 this is a popular expectation,
I agree this is a problem of the structure, and I am afraid no scoring system reform will ever change it. It demands a change in the structure cutting much much deeper than IJS ever could.
But first the skating community needs to acknowledge that there is a problem and that they need and want to solve it, and stop pretending there is no problem, nothing wrong, only a bunch of disappointed fans that no one needs here anyway.

This might again not be a popular opinion, but despite all the clauses, conflict of interest is pervasive in some industries, which I dare say receive a lot of public money. IJS was not designed to solve the problem, it was designed to show the IOC and the world that ISU was doing something to address the scandal, without touching the untouchables or stirring the unstirrable. Exposing the depth of corruption could lead to consequences that I am not sure IOC would want. I am pretty sure skating community is aware of this. Perhaps the documentary Meddling would explain things a bit better, here is a link: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/meddling_the_olympic_skating_scandal_that_shocked_the_world.

 

[Magill]

This might again not be a popular opinion, but despite all the clauses, conflict of interest is pervasive in some industries, which I dare say receive a lot of public money. IJS was not designed to solve the problem, it was designed to show the IOC and the world that ISU was doing something to address the scandal, without touching the untouchables or stirring the unstirrable. Exposing the depth of corruption could lead to consequences that I am not sure IOC would want. I am pretty sure skating community is aware of this. Perhaps the documentary Meddling would explain things a bit better, here is a link: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/meddling_the_olympic_skating_scandal_that_shocked_the_world.

Is it the same one they show (used to show?) on Netflix? I don't remember the title of the figure skating episode, it was a part of the Bad Sport series.
As for the conflict of interest clause not being a magical wand I agree, of course, there is not one magical remedy. It did not mend everything and there is still a lot of shady business going on, but it did a lot of good nevertheless.
One of the good things it did is that it made many people aware of what the conflict of interest actually is and it brought a certain standard on public expectations.

 

[Isk]

Is it the same one they show (used to show?) on Netflix? I don't remember the title of the figure skating episode, it was a part of the Bad Sport series.

I think so. There are also some interesting analytics in Russian, I am not sure I should post links due to copyright and the language of this forum, but search for "Вайцеховская, Слезы на льду", you might be able to find a full version who knows, and "Скользящий по лезвию битвы, фигурное катание", it's a blog. You'll have to translate them, but google can do it very well. Too bad Dave removed TSL, some materials there were priceless.

 

[sisinka]

I like the idea of this Thread.
I would wish to have more time to think about this.

It is interesting to read ideas from different posters.

I think it starts with the definition of "figure skating fan". Support. Love. Dedication is what comes to my mind.

Unfortunately people use word "figure skating fan" also for people who are mocking or even bullying skaters, which I don't agree with.

I appreciate real figure skating fans. They are indeed doing A LOT for figure skaters and figure skating world.

Many skaters appreciate figure skating fans, thanking them for their support in their posts.

Few days back I read interview with Ilia Malinin from US Figure Skating magazine. He also spoke about his appreciation for figure skating fans:

"...For me, what helps is taking advantage of seeing the audience and understanding why they are here. They are here because they want to support you, they are here because you interest them, along with all the other skaters, with your skating. They take a lot of hours, a lot of dedication and time to get here and watch us and support us in person. I think that helps me to say, "OK, they came here and they don't expect you to be a perfect robot. They just want to see figure skating."


In another interview Ilia Malinin mentioned negative sides of social medias and negative comments.

Ilia Malinin finds his voice with new Olympic programs ahead of Milan Cortina 2026

Ilia Malinin has two new skating programs for the 2026 Olympic season, titled, "The Lost Crown," and "A Voice."

www.nbcolympics.com

"...in the days following his debut of the program at the ISU Challenger Series Lombardia Trophy in Italy. The concept drew criticism from fans across the internet, who watched the event streaming online. Malinin said he read a lot of the comments, and while he appreciates that everyone is entitled to their opinion, he noted it can be hard as an athlete to see negativity, especially so early in the competitive season.

“People should keep in mind that we're also human beings and we're not robots,” Malinin said. “A couple of my friends who've been thrown off by just a few comments, don't want to skate anymore because they don't want to deal with that. The strongest ones can go through it, and either suppress it or push it away. But also addressing it is a way to show your power, because you're owning your own spot in this.”

Malinin chose the latter route, posting a response to social media, urging critics to try what he can do themselves before casting judgement. “All of this that we do takes a lot of hours, a lot of effort, a lot of dedication,” he said. “And it just makes sense that not all of us are going to be perfect or look perfect, especially at the beginning of the season.”

Constructive criticism is a way to improvement. But what kind of comments it had to be that skaters wanted to quit their careers? We are talking about skaters who are hearing criticism and corrections since their first steps on the ice, so they are certainly not touched by worlds like: "Not fully rotated, not fully extended, not enough revolutions, not keeping the rhythm...". It had to be much more. And this is just wrong.

 

[Anna K.]

Constructive criticism is a way to improvement. But what kind of comments it had to be that skaters wanted to quit their careers? We are talking about skaters who are hearing criticism and corrections since their first steps on the ice, so they are certainly not touched by worlds like: "Not fully rotated, not fully extended, not enough revolutions, not keeping the rhythm...". It had to be much more. And this is just wrong.

It's a wonderful post, thank you!
Right now, we are living through rather dark ages in the evolving history of public media. Web trolling has become a profession for thousands of people and web bullying has become a hobby for millions of people while the web etiquette is still in its early stages of development and requirements for constructive criticism are mostly non-existent. For figure skating it means that the toxicity levels in the commentary are high; so high that the ISU was forced to turn off live comment section for JGP events in order to protect the children.

The good news is though that we can watch how this negativity solidifies and strengthens the figure skating community. We see skaters that are reaching out to each other, supporting each other, and sharing their emotions. This is the fraternity spirit that exists between the athletes who are doing difficult and physically demanding sports; actually, for me this is the best thing about difficult and physically demanding sports: the athletes who know what it takes to learn this skill, to maintain this skill, and to deliver this skill, and deeply respect each other for that. Which means that a negative comment about a developing skater upsets Ilia Malinin as much it did upset the skater it was written about. Because who if not Malinin knows the best what it takes to develop these skills?
I enjoy this fraternity spirit and I believe that it will see figure skating through the dark times. The skater who wanted to quit because of negative comments probably didn't because Ilia Malinin told him that he shouldn't. And whose opinion is worthier, a random viewer's or champion's? Sofja Stepchenko thanked Amber Glenn for writing a support message after Sofja failed to qualify for the OG - and who if not Amber knows best of all that this is a long run? Kaori & Alyssa's hug at the WC was a fantastic emotional moment...

If I think about it again then maybe these are not that dark times at all

 

[sisinka]

...
Right now, we are living through rather dark ages in the evolving history of public media. Web trolling has become a profession for thousands of people and web bullying has become a hobby for millions of people while the web etiquette is still in its early stages of development and requirements for constructive criticism are mostly non-existent. For figure skating it means that the toxicity levels in the commentary are high; so high that the ISU was forced to turn off live comment section for JGP events in order to protect the children.

The good news is though that we can watch how this negativity solidifies and strengthens the figure skating community. We see skaters that are reaching out to each other, supporting each other, and sharing their emotions. This is the fraternity spirit that exists between the athletes who are doing difficult and physically demanding sports; actually, for me this is the best thing about difficult and physically demanding sports: the athletes who know what it takes to learn this skill, to maintain this skill, and to deliver this skill, and deeply respect each other for that. Which means that a negative comment about a developing skater upsets Ilia Malinin as much it did upset the skater it was written about. Because who if not Malinin knows the best what it takes to develop these skills?
I enjoy this fraternity spirit and I believe that it will see figure skating through the dark times. The skater who wanted to quit because of negative comments probably didn't because Ilia Malinin told him that he shouldn't. And whose opinion is worthier, a random viewer's or champion's? Sofja Stepchenko thanked Amber Glenn for writing a support message after Sofja failed to qualify for the OG - and who if not Amber knows best of all that this is a long run? Kaori & Alyssa's hug at the WC was a fantastic emotional moment...

If I think about it again then maybe these are not that dark times at all

Great notes!

I would like to see more educational seminars online from ISU and Skating Federations. How to handle online pressure. How to discover red flags from messages. How to process negative opinions shared online.

When new technology (social media) is revealed, warnings how to handle negative aspects should go hand in hand. I do believe ISU could do a lot in this situation.

Olivia Smart spoke openly about bullying on social media last year.

As you mentioned support of well-known skaters helps a lot to find the way how to handle this situation.

But once again I refuse to call people mocking skaters "figure skating fans".

From positive side there are many figure skating fans respecting or even creating "safe" space for skaters to let them warm-up and concentrate before the competition. I find it to be a nice example of empathy and understanding of competition's importancy.

There are also GoFundMe or other pages where people = fans help skaters to keep going and achieve their dreams. That's lovely example of figure skating fans loving skating and supporting skaters during their journey.