Mao Asada | Page 12 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

minze

Medalist
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
It's quite puzzling, she most be immune to her surroundings

I know. Kurt Browning has this story: every time they go to Japan they play find Mao because she is everywhere, supermarkets, malls, TV, billboards. Everywhere. He also said that when they go out as a group Mao is not able to go because she is so famous I guess her outings must be plan for security reasons. Fascinating
 

figureskateobasan

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
It's good that she's very down to earth! :) All the Japanese ladies that I've been talking to about Olympics always mention "Mao-chan this mao-chan that" despite the skyrocketing Hanyu :agree:
 

cruzceleste

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
It's good that she's very down to earth! :) All the Japanese ladies that I've been talking to about Olympics always mention "Mao-chan this mao-chan that" despite the skyrocketing Hanyu :agree:


Well, Yuzuru himself said that his outings have to be planned now, so I guess Mao has company in the hotel now
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Hello, is there anybody here from Japan? I would like to ask a question. There is a poster said something about Mao and the sponsors of ISU. So I just want to make it clear. Here is the post:

Not sure about the whole country but ISU and JSF will have their tough days to begin.

How reliable this Chinese cource is? The numbers they bring are just awful. They say it's all based on Japanese media but they bring only one source that doesn't have any numbers http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/04/10/kiji/K20140410007944310.html

The Chinese cource (google translator) says JSF takes 20% from her advertising awards and 95%" from her total annual salary. Is it a joke? http://sports.qq.com/a/20140410/019846.htm

They also say:

If Asada retired, it will slip joint and Japan as well as tricky ISU. Japan is the most popular national figure skating, Fuji TV's exclusive rights to broadcast the world championships, "need to pay an annual ISU 2 billion yen (about 12 million yuan) more than the cost." After retiring Miki Ando, ​​Asada became Japan skating only guarantee of box office, "If Asada retired then, ISU loses to further open Fuji expensive emboldened." Moreover, ISU's 13 official sponsors, there are 11 from Japan, "which includes Asada's sponsors - Sato Pharmaceutical and Sumitomo Life, the two companies are planning to retire, then Asada, also quit sponsorship."

Mao must be under serious pressure to continue, they need her money. I personally think she will be better off without them unless they change the system (if chinese source is correct).
 

minze

Medalist
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Hello, is there anybody here from Japan? I would like to ask a question. There is a poster said something about Mao and the sponsors of ISU. So I just want to make it clear. Here is the post:

I dont trust that article.

First Mao has an agent that negotiates her endorsments and contracts for her. If JSF is getting 95% what are the agents getting?
Yes, some of the JSF sponsors are there because of Mao, but she also has personal sponsors
I do think her federation takes a big cut of her money maybe 50% but not 95%. Remember it was said before that they cover a lot of her training cost, so that is probably why they take such a big cut.

However, I will say they need Mao more than Mao needing them
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
I dont trust that article.

First Mao has an agent that negotiates her endorsments and contracts for her. If JSF is getting 95% what are the agents getting?
Yes, some of the JSF sponsors are there because of Mao, but she also has personal sponsors
I do think her federation takes a big cut of her money maybe 50% but not 95%. Remember it was said before that they cover a lot of her training cost, so that is probably why they take such a big cut.

However, I will say they need Mao more than Mao needing them
:agree: JSF is not really greedy. They spent so much money supporting skaters and promoting the sports. Yuzuru's training definitely cost them a fortune. They even recruit the former Japanese skaters back during summer time to help coaching younger generation. All those expenses, plane tickets, hotel and boarding are very expensive but they are willingly to pay. At lease we saw how they spend the money. Japanese people are very duty-bound consciousness in general. Dai, Mao or Yuzuru are no different.
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
:agree: JSF is not really greedy. They spent so much money supporting skaters and promoting the sports. Yuzuru's training definitely cost them a fortune. They even recruit the former Japanese skaters back during summer time to help coaching younger generation. All those expenses, plane tickets, hotel and boarding are very expensive but they are willingly to pay. At lease we saw how they spend the money. Japanese people are very duty-bound consciousness in general. Dai, Mao or Yuzuru are no different.

I hope you are right, because even 50% seems ALOT, afterall Mao is the one working long hours everyday to earn what she does, and to think that they are getting more then this would be totally crazy, I bet Mao's training and management does not cost half of her earnings she gets from sponsorships alone, heck not even 10 % of it, so where does the rest of the money go to, that the JSF gets?
but hearing she has an agent that negotiates on her behalf is quite relieving, especially after reading these reports.

now I finally understand why Murakami was so eager to retire, it's a bit crazy to think about it, but it seems like the skaters can keep all their money from their sponsors when they are retired, so in fact they would earn more as retired skaters. I personally think that the contracts with the JSF really encourages the skaters to retire early.
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
I hope you are right, because even 50% seems ALOT, afterall Mao is the one working long hours everyday to earn what she does, and to think that they are getting more then this would be totally crazy, I bet Mao's training and management does not cost half of her earnings she gets from sponsorships alone, heck not even 10 % of it, so where does the rest of the money go to, that the JSF gets?
but hearing she has an agent that negotiates on her behalf is quite relieving, especially after reading these reports.

If you think about the news, it was too absurd. I'm not saying that the reporter pull the information out of thin air but Asian reporters tend to exaggerate the sources to degrade their nearby countries. It happens not just about sports but also politic, economic and cultural too.

When Yuzuru donated the Olympic prize money to the charity, if the 90% cut is real the amount of money might not be big enough to generate the news. Japanese reporters are very famous for digging up the dirty laundry if you ask me.
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
If you think about the news, it was too absurd. I'm not saying that the reporter pull the information out of thin air but Asian reporters tend to exaggerate the sources to degrade their nearby countries. It happens not just about sports but also politic, economic and cultural too.

When Yuzuru donated the Olympic prize money to the charity, if the 90% cut is real the amount of money might not be big enough to generate the news. Japanese reporters are very famous for digging up the dirty laundry if you ask me.

I hope you are right about everything, it's just because there hasn't been any reports about Mao's income, and when there is no information about it, it's easier to believe the first thing you hear about this subject.
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
I hope you are right about everything, it's just because there hasn't been any reports about Mao's income, and when there is no information about it, it's easier to believe the first thing you hear about this subject.
I read from another thread around here that Mao keep all her financial information in the closure. Not just Mao but also most of Japanese skaters keeps their that ways too. One of my Japanese friend who come from a prominent family told me a long time ago that part of the reason is due to avoid the risk of extortion. Might be one of Mao's reason too.
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I read from another thread around here that Mao keep all her financial information in the closure. Not just Mao but also most of Japanese skaters keeps their that ways too. One of my Japanese friend who come from a prominent family told me a long time ago that part of the reason is due to avoid the risk of extortion. Might be one of Mao's reason too.

could you specify what you mean with extortion? it's not the first time I have heard that Mao keeps her income private, but never quite understood the reason behind it
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
could you specify what you mean with extortion? it's not the first time I have heard that Mao keeps her income private, but never quite understood the reason behind it
First of all, many of Japanese cultures are different from western even with other Asian cultures. They tends to keep all aspects of their lives private. Remember Mao's mother, she didn't allow Mao to let anyone knew about her illness. About extortion, as I said, it might be part of the reason, also that just my guessing. One of my best friends from University is Japanese. Her family owns one of the big chains department stores not just in Japan but also in some other Asian countries as well. She tried to kept her identity secret. She told me the reason was to gave her parents some peace of mind. Family members can get abducted to use as a bargaining chips very easily. Extortion for lump sum of money plays a big part in most of the abductions. The same as it happens very frequently with family members of Football Players (in Europe and Latin America).
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
First of all, many of Japanese cultures are different from western even with other Asian cultures. They tends to keep all aspects of their lives private. Remember Mao's mother, she didn't allow Mao to let anyone knew about her illness. About extortion, as I said, it might be part of the reason, also that just my guessing. One of my best friends from University is Japanese. Her family owns one of the big chains department stores not just in Japan but also in some other Asian countries as well. She tried to kept her identity secret. She told me the reason was to gave her parents some peace of mind. Family members can get abducted to use as a bargaining chips very easily. Extortion for lump sum of money plays a big part in most of the abductions. The same as it happens very frequently with family members of Football Players (in Europe and Latin America).

That makes perfect sense, and I totally understand this mindset if that is the reason for keeping her income secret, in the end it is a private matter and it doesn't concern anyone how much she earns. There is little to gain and more to loose by exposing it for the reasons you mentioned, and Mao does seem very private in general. The fact that her mother was so deadly sick for so long without anyone knowing or having the slightest idea , not even her coach, shows how private she is. There were also many different occasions when it really stuck me how private she was and how little we actually knew about her outside competitive life, like when she lost a lot of weight after her mothers death there was not a sound of explanation, but we could all see was how she physically changed. When I think back at those times it's quite admirable how she found the strength to continue compete, and recover on her own.
 

cruzceleste

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Certanly extorsion could be a reason. Another could be simple. Nobody should care about how much Mao earns.

I will guess a manager mades 10%-20% of all the deals, so I don´t think JSF is getting a lot, or any money from Mao. It certanly could be a reason of popularity and tickets sells. Mao is the most popular figure skater in Japan, and maybe tickets will be less fast to sell. But as Bernie Ecclestone would say if F1 survived the death of Senna and the retirment of Schumacher (twice) certanly figure skating in Japan will be fine if Mao decide to retire, at least on the moeny side.

On the other hand don´t know if Kanako can keep the 3 positions for the ladies of Japan in worlds.
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
That makes perfect sense, and I totally understand this mindset if that is the reason for keeping her income secret, in the end it is a private matter and it doesn't concern anyone how much she earns. There is little to gain and more to loose by exposing it for the reasons you mentioned, and Mao does seem very private in general. The fact that her mother was so deadly sick for so long without anyone knowing or having the slightest idea , not even her coach, shows how private she is. There were also many different occasions when it really stuck me how private she was and how little we actually knew about her outside competitive life, like when she lost a lot of weight after her mothers death there was not a sound of explanation, but we could all see was how she physically changed. When I think back at those times it's quite admirable how she found the strength to continue compete, and recover on her own.
Exactly. That's why today I'm so glad to see her enjoy her meal during the broadcast. She is too skinny.
 
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