ISU World Team Trophy, April 2012, Tokyo | Page 2 | Golden Skate

ISU World Team Trophy, April 2012, Tokyo

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
I think the Japanese Federation must have made a deal with the ISU -- they will only host this event and shell out big $$$, or actually ¥¥¥, if ISU can guarantee that there will be some good skaters and competitive excitement for the audience.
The prize money is substantial, though; the monetary return to skaters is probably similar to top-tier shows that the skaters might have been participating in otherwise. But of course making the long trip to Asia is maybe not something every NA or European athlete wants to do (although these days it seems that's where most of the show money is anyway).
Plus, if the team event is going to be an official Olympic event, then it's good for these individualistic skaters to practice playing like a team. ;)
 

Serious Business

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Nah, the monopolistic scumbags are just saying that you can't play sick, skip the World team thing, and then make a miraculous recovery just in time to skate in a show scheduled for the same day that pays more. Note that the time period for the "suspension" just covers the three weeks from worlds to the end of the team event.

Traveling to another country to compete in a competition using your competitive programs is a huge investment of time and physical effort. For many skaters, it would be more convenient to recuperate at home and/or do some ice shows while preparing for the next season. This trumped up competition unnecessarily extends the season for the top skaters.
 

callalily

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
I did too; it was fun watching the great camaraderie amongst the skaters. And, the skaters themselves seemed to be having a ball.

Yes, they seemed to really enjoy it; plus they earned excellent prize money. Glad to see someone is willing to fund an event like this.
 

bigsisjiejie

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
For my share of that sort of $$$ prize money, I'd happily show up ready to rumble and toss in a little post-competition Japan sightseeing to boot. I'd even (as Johnny Weir says) be willing to change from a swan into a deck of cards! :thumbsup:
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Traveling to another country to compete in a competition using your competitive programs is a huge investment of time and physical effort. For many skaters, it would be more convenient to recuperate at home and/or do some ice shows while preparing for the next season. This trumped up competition unnecessarily extends the season for the top skaters.

I'm not sure why you are so angry, LOL? We used to have the Marshall's competition after Worlds and now we have this. Given that the team competition is actually an Olympic event now, it completely makes sense to have a yearly team competition. We get to see more skating and it's fun too - the atmosphere is different from normal competition since the skaters aren't competing for themselves; it allows some people to perform more freely. What's not to like?
 

ayayukiituka

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
^
yes, Japan mostly shoulders the expenses like how they do for Japan Open
at least their purse and love for FS is generosity enough

I suspect popularity of figure skating in Japan is over after the Sochi Olympic,when it seems Mao/Dai retires. Most of the audience is not a figure skating fan but one of individual skaters especially Mao or Dai. They have so much charisma in them and their characters are beloved. So ISU should search countries for money sources they'll need. I have a feeling it could be China because it's had strong pair skaters and now promising single skaters coming up like Zijun and Han Yan.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Oh Marshalls:love:
But I thought it was held before Christmas..no?

There were two "Marshalls" events. One just before Christmas and one around the first of April. Sometimes these shows were sponsored by someone else besides Marshalls department stores, and had different names.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
^ Japanese fans are making me anxious, :laugh:I had a japanese friend in Euros and she told me they wait the Sochi tickets to start selling.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
you can all count. Japan tournaments are always sold out.
I envy how their spectators occupy the full stadium.
 

DianaSelene

Medalist
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
I expected a lot more people at 4CC's. It looked kind of empty. Definitely not like in Japan. Was it as empty as it looked on tv?
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Didnt MK and the USFSA get a nastygram one year when she decided to not do the GP circuit?

Yup. She blew it off. The ISU did not appreciate that Michelle didn't feel up to doing the Grand Prix, yet she never missed a cheesefest.

Phil Hersh reported, in connection with Michelle's induction into the Hall of Fame, that back when figure skating in the U.S. made money, Michelle was paid upwards of $900,000 a year by the USFSA to do Skate America and the three annual cheesefests. He who pays the piper...

Michelle tried to beg off and skip Skate America in 2002 (held in Spokane). But when Sarah Hughes withdrew at the last minute they made Michelle an "offer that she couldn't refuse." She was quoted as saying that she felt like Michael Corleone in the Godfather:: "Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in."

She won, and made the Grand Prix final on the basis of that one first place finish. But she put her foot down when it came to participating in the Final.

In 2006 she cashed in the favors that the USFSA owed her. ;)

Edited to add: By the way, do you think that the same six teams will make the show this year? Japan, Canada, Russia, U.S.A., China and France. Is anyone else in the running, pending Worlds?
 
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Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
By the way, do you think that the same six teams will make the show this year? Japan, Canada, Russia, U.S.A., China and France. Is anyone else in the running, pending Worlds?
Italy. I think it'll obviously be the USA, Canada, Japan and Russia, and the final two spots should come down to Italy, France or China. I wouldn't be surprised if China doesn't qualify.

Can the title of this thread please be changed? It's called the World Team Trophy and it bugs me to see the mistake each time ;)
 

MarkusNJ

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
isn't there a plan to make this an Olympic event? Does anyone know more details? And would it be the same people competing in singles, or maybe the 4/5 place finishers?
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
isn't there a plan to make this an Olympic event? Does anyone know more details? And would it be the same people competing in singles, or maybe the 4/5 place finishers?

Yes. I believe there was a thread where folks were discussing Team Skating becoming part of the Winter Olympics.

Calling gkelly......
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
isn't there a plan to make this an Olympic event? Does anyone know more details? And would it be the same people competing in singles, or maybe the 4/5 place finishers?

I sincerely hope at the Olympics they do something to make the team event more interesting. I for one would like for them to require different programs than the individual events, and perhaps even change up the the required elements for the team program.

Another issue that needs to be resolved is the factoring of the PCS. If country A has a male skater that gets 8's in PCS and a female skater that gets 7's, while country B has a male skater that gets 7's and a female who gets 8's, country A will already be ahead because male skaters' PCS is adjusted higher than the female skaters'. I'm thinking some type of ordinal system would be fair here, so you would reward a team with across-the-board excellence rather than having one outstanding athlete inflating the score of a mediocre team.
 

MarkusNJ

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
I am hoping that the skaters who are participating in the singles mens and ladies, pairs, and dance are not allowed to compete, and that it is the 4th place finishers!
 
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