A gripe about the USFSA and Skate America

sillylionlove · Jan 13, 2009

I read the announcement on the home page of golden skate about the change in the junior grand prix. So the ISU also had on that announcement about the senior grand prix dates and where they are.......the only country that says TBA....the US? What's the deal are they waiting to the last minute to tell people where it is going to be? I would like to know where it is going to be sooner rather then later so I can see if this is a trip that I will be able to make. I am sure that there are other's that feel the same way as me.

Thanks for letting me vent.

merrybari · Jan 13, 2009

Vent away! Doesn't seem like it'd be all that hard. It's not like they didn't know it was coming up. The dates have been determined for quite a while. Wonder what the hold up is. Apparently they have a reason. Would be nice if they'd share it. Like you, I'm trying to plan - just need to know where.

And while we're at it, I'd like to say I find it hard to believe they'd schedule the final only two weeks after Skate Canada. Sure doesn't give those assigned to the last two events much of a break.

And then there's the 4Cs - the very next week after US Nationals. Not even a week in between. How do they expect any of the US competitors to be in top form coming right off their own Nationals.

They need to re-think the whole scheduling process, imo!

And thanks for letting ME vent.

Tinymavy15 · Jan 13, 2009

maybe Skate America won't be in America. If there really if there is such little interest in figure skating here, maybe USFSA will do away with Skate America and the ISu will replace it with Skate Finland or something. First they take away our TV, now they take away our live events?

jcoates · Jan 13, 2009

I agree with both of you. I've said for a long time that US nationals should happen earlier and much closer to schedule of the various European national championships. That would allow Europeans and 4CCs to be similarly scheduled also, perhaps in successive weeks. IMO that would accomplish several goals.

1. It would allow 4CC skaters to have approximately as much recovery time as their European counterparts between national and continental championships.

2. Increased recovery time would encourage more federations to send or even require their top skaters to compete at 4CCs.

3. Greater depth of field would raise the profile for 4CCs from an afterthought to a more equal level of equivalence with Euros.

All it would take is a move of one to two weeks. It's certainly possible since it usually happens in Olympic years anyway. Of course this is all a pipe dream since the almighty NFL playoffs supersede any others sports scheduling on TV or otherwise in December and January.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 13, 2009

renting hockey arenas do not come cheap. And what does it take to fill them up? They are most lilkely planning to cut at least one day if not two. how many fans go these events or wait for them to be on TV? Of course will NBC be interested after the OLYs?

Didn't TEB get their GP down to 2 days, inluding the Gala? It can be done.

gsrossano · Jan 13, 2009

merrybari said:
And then there's the 4Cs - the very next week after US Nationals. Not even a week in between. How do they expect any of the US competitors to be in top form coming right off their own Nationals.

Is too. 4C is week of Feb 2, Nationals is week of Jan 19.

KwanFan1212 · Jan 13, 2009

Rumor has it they're going to announce the SA site during US Nationals next week but I don't know if this is true or not. I'll be in Cleveland the whole time and if I hear anything, I'll try to post something here.

sillylionlove · Jan 14, 2009

KwanFan1212 said:
Rumor has it they're going to announce the SA site during US Nationals next week but I don't know if this is true or not. I'll be in Cleveland the whole time and if I hear anything, I'll try to post something here.

That would be great! If you do hear anything....please let us know!!

merrybari · Jan 14, 2009

gsrossano said:
Is too. 4C is week of Feb 2, Nationals is week of Jan 19.

Excuse me - that's 2009 schedule. I was referring to 2010. Sorry for the confusion.

US Nationals: Jan. 14 - 24, 2010

Four Continents: Jan. 25 - 31, 2010 (dates on ISU website as of 1-14-09)

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 14, 2009

merrybari said:
Excuse me - that's 2009 schedule. I was referring to 2010. Sorry for the confusion.

US Nationals: Jan. 14 - 24, 2010

Four Continents: Jan. 25 - 31, 2010 (dates on ISU website as of 1-14-09)

The 2010 Nats are just before the 2010 Olympics, and NBC had a play in giving the dates of 2010, i.e. 2 extra days for having the Men's Free on one weekend and the Ladies Free on the following weekend. This will be fine for the TV viewers, but will it be fine for the LI VE audience viewers? What is the venue of this Nats? I presume it is in the NorthWest USA. Hopefully the locals take an interest and attend, especially during the days between the two weekends.

Where is the 2010 4CC being held? I know the Worlds is in Torino.

Mathman · Jan 14, 2009

^ 2010 Four Continents is scheduled for Korea, 25-31 January. This is less than two weeks before the start of the Olympics (February 12). I doubt if many of the Olympics-bound skaters would want to participate. The time frame is even too tight for federations who might want to use Four Continents as a skate-off for an Olympic spot.

I wonder if Yu-na Kim will be "forced" to skate to buld up the audience. It won't be so bad for the ladies, because they don't skate in the Olympics until near the end.

2010 U.S. Nationals will be in Spokane. By the way, I just noticed that they have attracted a naming sponsor. This will be the AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Spokane set all-time attendance records for 2007 Nationals as well as for 2002 Skate America. The organizing committee has reported advance ticket sales at a record pace, but that might just be hype.

Although the locals are supportive, I doubt if the mid-week events will draw enough of a crowd to pay their way. But you still have to hold novice and junior competitions, in addition to less popular events like compulsory dance, whether you lose money or not. That's the job of the USFSA, and presumably they pay for it out of their general operating budget generated by dues payed by clubs and individual members, etc. (?)

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 14, 2009

As a mid-sized city, Spokane did very well in their previous venue. It's a charming city and super clean. :rock:

The USFS has sent out messages requesting volunteers if anyone is interested.

sillylionlove · Jan 14, 2009

Joesitz said:
As a mid-sized city, Spokane did very well in their previous venue. It's a charming city and super clean.

The USFS has sent out messages requesting volunteers if anyone is interested.

Volunteers for what?

merrybari · Jan 14, 2009

If I'm not mistaken, AT&T is the naming sponsor for 2009 US Nationals too.

There are now three "sponsors" on the USFS site, where for quite some time there had been only Smucker's. For a short time, Smucker's was replaced by State Farm as the sole sponsor listed. Now there are Smuckers, State Farm & AT&T. Mabye that means the interest is on the upswing again. This could be just the beginning of bigger and better things.

If sponsors come on board, I wonder how long it will take for the networks to take a re-newed interest?

Looks like the new head of marketing is doing his job well.

sillylionlove · Jan 14, 2009

Maybe with more sponsors there will be more television and then there will be more happy fans like us!!!

R.D. · Jan 14, 2009

It's not so much the amount of sponsors as how much revenue USFS is picking up from it. Events with far fewer viewers have plenty of sponsors, too. I wouldn't get my hopes up. We still need Americans to do well in the ladies event, and even that may not be enough. Face it, skating will never again reach the popularity here that it did in the 90s.

If skating wants more coverage, they must turn to cable networks. ESPN has already dumped it; how about Turner Sports? Fox Sports Net? Comcast SportsNet? Network TV just does not have the base nor money for sports programming any more...even the mighty college football BCS will be disappearing from network TV starting in 2011 (all events except the Rose Bowl are moving from Fox to ESPN). And if ESPN gets the 2014/2016 Olympics...count on far less coverage on ABC than NBC currently offers.

ETA: One thing is crystal clear, though. The USFS MUST air their Nationals on whichever network is broadcasting the Olympics. They're on the right track with the current NBC deal. If NBC keeps the Olys through 2016, USFS needs to renew the current TV deal when it expires in 2010. If ESPN gets 2014/2016, then the USFS needs to get ABC interested again. If those games go to Fox, then that's who they need to sell their product to.

A gripe about the USFSA and Skate America

sillylionlove

merrybari

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

jcoates

Joesitz (RIP)

gsrossano

KwanFan1212

Joey Votto Fangirl

sillylionlove

merrybari

Joesitz (RIP)

Mathman

Joesitz (RIP)

sillylionlove

merrybari

sillylionlove

R.D.

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