the US fans have always valued women figure skating more... just like I'd say Canadians have valued men more, Russia, pairs... and perhaps we could say that France values their dance teams more.
That’s not true.
Well, that's my perception of things. Maybe yours is different.That’s not true.
I would agree that the average person on the street in the US values Women skaters more than others. But I believe that Alysa is way more than a women skater in the eyes of the public. She has a form of charisma , in part due to her story and in part due to who she is...an IT girl. She has been named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people this year. This transcends way out of the realm of skating. She is now a superstar. How long this effect will last is of course anyone's guess. As long as Yuna? I would guess not but for now, I would say she has a great effect on the sport in the US. (I have not had time to read the thread so this may have been repeated) Ride the wave, Alysa,...all glory is fleeting.
yes. I think both factors may be at play here.
I agree with this even if I put Alysa up there as well for me.
www.interviewmagazine.com
I will politely disagree.
I'm sure the increase in enrollment is directly related to Alysa Liu's gold medal win and to her infectious personality and presence. Yet, I don't believe that all of the increase is solely attributable to Alysa. Not everything that happened in figure skating at the '26 Olympics was about Alysa Liu. There were other fs athletes who achieved great results or who became role models due to their conduct and high achievements at the Milan Olympics.
I have watched figure skating for a, hmmm, long time. Seeing a figure skater reach and touch the general US public like this? Hasn't happened recently, I can tell you that. And by recently, I mean 30 years. 
Thanks @el henry.My OP specifically stated "This is not who deserves to be celebrated" or "Who was the best skater in Milan". That is another thread.
I will just repeat myself., something I love to do
I hope this rising tide stays and lifts all boats. So far, every interview I have seen with Alysa impresses me. I would not have predicted her for this kind of fame, but I'm glad she does.
Regarding the thread topic, my comment that Alysa was not the only figure skating athlete who made an impact at the '26 Olympics, is not stated for purposes of discussing 'who deserves to be celebrated' or 'who was the best skater in Milan.' I'm not even interested in those types of conversations. There is no one skater 'who deserves to be celebrated' above others. And, there is no one individual athlete 'who was the best skater in Milan.' For me, the Olympics is never about measuring absolutes.
That's beyond astonishing. She's a media darling and a cultural icon at this point. But in this age of Internet fame, let's be cautionary and calm regarding social media acclaim. For sure, Alysa is handling it all exceptionally well with her smarts and her irrepressible personality. It truly helped her to take a break before coming back to skating on her own terms.
I dont think I have ever seen a skater like her....when she won worlds, her Social Media comment was, "What the Hell?" But in her case, the program made the skater. John Q. public looses all interest when a skater comes out and does classical music, no matter how good. Or some sort of rapp/steel guitar thing. But people related to Mc Park and she related to it. She was a rock star on stage performing...like on 10 cans of Red Bull. The right music with the right skater can move mountains.... its all about emotional connection. She should do Bye Bye Miss American Pie. Who remembers Rudy G doing YMCA?
I would say in the short term she will have a great effect. But I still say this is less about her being a skater and more like her being a Taylor Swift, who happens to sing.Thanks @el henry.
I will repeat myself, too: I am sure that the increased enrollment in Learn to Skate programs has a great deal to do with Alysa's gold medal win at the Olympics, but even moreso with how she won by going out on the ice to have fun and to be herself. Whether Alysa had won gold or silver, she touched a lot of people through her vibe and her personality. That's what has resonated most of all, hugely complemented by her costume, hairstyle, and music selection. All have now melded into this Zeitgeist phenomenon with drag queens already enacting viral clip parodies of her Olympic fp on IG. I observe it all with great interest and admiration, but I am not overly caught up in it, nor compelled by it. Perhaps because at my age I have relinquished my former passionate, up-to-the-moment interest and knowledge in the latest movies, music, and popular culture happenings.
Having been a long time figure skating viewer (just over 55 years of avid watching), I already know a lot about Alysa's skating career. As likely one of the oldest of the older generation on this fan site, I've seen a lot through my years of watching figure skating. We obviously are living now in a completely different age and era, where it has been possible for someone as unique as Alysa to amass an incredibly huge following over the space of several weeks to months. Incredible!!! Prior to her Olympics stardom, Alysa had hundreds of thousands of followers on IG. She now has over 8 million.
Once again, to specifically answer the thread topic, it is purely anyone's guess re whether or not the huge interest in Alysa will translate into sustained and broader interest in figure skating. From my perspective and years of observation, I say: No. The phenomenal interest in Alysa Liu is mostly about Alysa and her personality, not about the sport. Figure skating is only the backdrop to Alysa's starshine; the shoelaces to her Adidas charm and excellence; an afterthought to her vibing presence (hairstyle, nose ring, golden dress, Laufey tune, IDGAF 'tude); etc. In other words, figure skating is the 'spare' to Alysa's coronation.
It's the sport and its 'handlers' who will need to position and effectively promote the sport and the skaters in honest and significant ways before huge, sustained interest in figure skating beyond the Olympics can occur.
Becoming less 'niche-like' is easier said than done. The lack of leadership, vision, true understanding of the sport, and hands-on involvement by figure skaters in the running of the sport are huge obstacles to the myriad other 'issues being faced,' IMO.
Didn't say it would be easy and of course, to get back to the OP, I actually do not believe one skater can do this on her own. Alysa can have a huge positive impact on American skating. I hope so. But it's also a lot of responsibility to put on her.
ITA. Personally, I have to be a realist although you may call me a pessimist. I have seen skating go from a sport in the last century that was bigger than basketball...from Holiday specials to Pro comps to many movies involving skating to 76 traveling ice show stops a year ...to a niche sport. I think most of us older folk know the reasons why this happened in our society.
This is what I wish for every young skater. Your coach is there to teach you, not to bully and bludgeon you into self-doubts and feelings of inadequacy.
I agree with this but wanted to post coaches should be scared of her.
Kidding of course.
