US Nationals Exhibition Gala Broadcast | Page 2 | Golden Skate

US Nationals Exhibition Gala Broadcast

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
At the risk of alienating iluvtodd, I have to say I have stopped watching Disson shows. I dont like the lighting, camera editing from singer to skater and back, and the watered down programs that seem to be on small ice. BTW, at one time Barry Manilow music was played in parks in Australia at night to keep the young toughs from congrigating.....
While the skaters were understandably tired during the exhibition gala, it was still fun (espec for those of us who don't have ice network) to see all the top skaters simply...skate. And of course the jumps, spins and footwork were all dialed down but unlike a Disson show, they weren't all skating to music by the same artist, ie Barry Manilow or Jewel (yawn) and didn't have to participate in cheesy routines on the ice with their entire families, most of whom can't skate. The Disson shows are almost unwatchable...overly-sentimental, schmaltz-fests.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
At the risk of alienating iluvtodd, I have to say I have stopped watching Disson shows. I dont like the lighting, camera editing from singer to skater and back, and the watered down programs that seem to be on small ice. BTW, at one time Barry Manilow music was played in parks in Australia at night to keep the young toughs from congrigating.....

Chris, no offense taken. We have attended a number of the Disson shows when they come to the area, to support skating (especially if several faves are in the show). What bothers me the most, usually is the TV presentation of the shows (especially for whom gets "chacked," ridiculously repetitive ads). I definitely prefer the programs where there is recorded music since you'll get to see more of the skater that way. The company is called Disson Skating, so the emphasis should be on the skaters. I don't want to see them treated as afterthoughts. There are actually some musical guests I have liked (Bocelli, Celtic Woman, Rain - for the Beatles' Tribute, The Riverdance dancers), but I can do without the "teenybopper"/one hit wonder performers. If there's going to be a musical guest, let there be BALANCE, not just in the live show, but in the TV broadcast.
 

Eislauf

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 26, 2012
At the risk of alienating iluvtodd, I have to say I have stopped watching Disson shows. I dont like the lighting, camera editing from singer to skater and back, and the watered down programs that seem to be on small ice. BTW, at one time Barry Manilow music was played in parks in Australia at night to keep the young toughs from congrigating.....

Funny! I've heard that some rock clubs, when trying to close for the night, play Barry Manilow's "Copacabana" in order to hustle the crowds out faster! :biggrin:
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
We're sort of getting off the topic here but I had to share this. Some years ago I went to the Brian Boitano Christmas Special. It was taped at PacBell Park (where the SF Giants play) and Barry was the featured guest. They had constructed a skating rink in the outfield and our first disappointment was it was so far away from our seats that we had to content ourselves with just watching the Jumbotron. In addition to Brian skating they had Victor Petrenko and I honestly can't remember who else. It was HORRIBLE....at least when Barry sang. He was so off-key, off-tempo, etc. that he was causing problems with the skaters trying to do their programs. In fact, two of the programs were re-skated to recordings of the songs.

I agree with Coyote Chris about the Disson shows. If it's skating we should be watching the skaters - not the singers, no matter who they are.
 

KKonas

Medalist
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
FYI, just a couple of weeks ago, the company announced a name change to “Disson Sports & Entertainment”.
https://twitter.com/DissonSkating/status/292306996449914880

Yes, it's a matter of $$$$. Disson & Co are trying to marry skating with gymnastics, singers, etc., in order to enourage those interested in other sports or entertainment to their shows. Apparently skating alone just does not bring in the $$$$ as before, which is why we see less and less stops of Stars On Ice. Maybe the Olympic year will be different, but 10 US stops for SOI this year is really sad.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Yes, it's a matter of $$$$. Disson & Co are trying to marry skating with gymnastics, singers, etc., in order to enourage those interested in other sports or entertainment to their shows. Apparently skating alone just does not bring in the $$$$ as before, which is why we see less and less stops of Stars On Ice. Maybe the Olympic year will be different, but 10 US stops for SOI this year is really sad.

Just ten stops? That is sad indeed. On those grounds, I understand why Disson gives such face time to the singers, much as I dislike that. I have tried not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Sometimes weeks go by with those shows the only ones available on TV. They're not even on cable, so they're easily accessible to me. A bird in the hand, as they say, is worth two in the bush.

(Man, I must be mentally depleted from all the cold weather. Two animal metaphors in one paragraph.)

If I really want to be a purist about skating, I'll go hunting around on YouTube and watch videos of Janet Lynn. Otherwise, at least our favorite sport turns up from time to time where we can get a glimpse of it.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Actually, I forgot that watching a show live is way different than the garbage we see on TV.....I love Celtic Woman....If I saw them live at a skate, I could watch them or the skate. I have seen them live three times (I am the guy in the audience yelling, "Hayley, I want to have your baby!" (just to embarras my wife, of course) While I enjoyed Stars on Ice when SH ran it (we got seats on the ice to get the full experience) and loved Champions on Ice, once I saw a competition, I was hooked and the shows lost their luster and audience...now the comps are loosing their audiences.....tear falls...:cry:
Chris, no offense taken. We have attended a number of the Disson shows when they come to the area, to support skating (especially if several faves are in the show). What bothers me the most, usually is the TV presentation of the shows (especially for whom gets "chacked," ridiculously repetitive ads). I definitely prefer the programs where there is recorded music since you'll get to see more of the skater that way. The company is called Disson Skating, so the emphasis should be on the skaters. I don't want to see them treated as afterthoughts. There are actually some musical guests I have liked (Bocelli, Celtic Woman, Rain - for the Beatles' Tribute, The Riverdance dancers), but I can do without the "teenybopper"/one hit wonder performers. If there's going to be a musical guest, let there be BALANCE, not just in the live show, but in the TV broadcast.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
Actually, there are only 6 (!) stops on the US SOI tour this season (2 of them have already taken place - Lake Placid, NY & Hershey, PA).

If Disson Skating is changing its name, I think that bodes even worse for skating - we'll continue to see less & less of the skaters!

A little off topic, but what did you guys think of Kurt's "Gotta Skate" shows - live/on TV?
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
It's so hard to find skating shows because I don't tend to know the TV schedule beforehand...I think I saw one and enjoyed it. I love anything with Kurt, of course.

Chris, I never saw a Champions on Ice show, but sometime around 2002, they published a book, and the group photos from each year of the show were mouthwatering. I can't imagine how it must have felt to be in the live audience and see champion after champion show up on the ice right in front of one's eyes. I gather Michelle was a huge headliner each year, even the year Sarah Hughes won the Olympics. Here's the Amazon link for the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Champions-Ice...0071037&sr=8-3&keywords=champions+on+ice+book
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Thanks! With your link I just ordered a used copy $4.46 delivered to my door) Champions on Ice that I saw were much like competition....the skates looked like competitive skates, and the lights were left on, and there was little fluff. First live event I saw, I learned three things (yes I know I have said this before but its still true.)
1. I was desparately in love with Angelika Krylova
2. Man, these folks are alot smaller than they look on TV (you should see me next to Katia G.)
3. There was nothing small about their artisty and athletic abilities.

I really miss Champions on ice. If you can believe this, in the 1990s when I first went, I got the last seat in the house....


QUOTE=Olympia;708343]It's so hard to find skating shows because I don't tend to know the TV schedule beforehand...I think I saw one and enjoyed it. I love anything with Kurt, of course.

Chris, I never saw a Champions on Ice show, but sometime around 2002, they published a book, and the group photos from each year of the show were mouthwatering. I can't imagine how it must have felt to be in the live audience and see champion after champion show up on the ice right in front of one's eyes. I gather Michelle was a huge headliner each year, even the year Sarah Hughes won the Olympics. Here's the Amazon link for the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Champions-Ice...0071037&sr=8-3&keywords=champions+on+ice+book[/QUOTE]
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
So glad you could get the book. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I still enjoy looking through it; it's very informative, and the photos alone, especially the group ones of the entire cast, are worth the price of the book (especially since you got it for less than five bucks). The performance photos and the candids are wonderful as well. It's a large-format hardcover book (at least, mine was; maybe they later did a paperback version), and I think the text is by Christine Brennan, so you know it is well written by someone who has familiarity with skating. Let us know what you think of it.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
It's so hard to find skating shows because I don't tend to know the TV schedule beforehand...I think I saw one and enjoyed it. QUOTE]

This site usually is pretty up to date with TV Broadcast schedules http://www.heatherw.com/mk/sch.htm I believe she's in the NY/NJ/PA area and your local affiliates might not air on the same schedule. But if you look, you might then be able to google for a local schedule.

As for Disson TV broadcasts, I still say they should use picture in a picture to show the singer in one corner with the skating being the majority of the screen. They probably have contractual obligations to air the singer for a particular portion of the broadcast since the singer is so prominently advertised as a headliner.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
It's so hard to find skating shows because I don't tend to know the TV schedule beforehand...I think I saw one and enjoyed it. QUOTE]

This site usually is pretty up to date with TV Broadcast schedules http://www.heatherw.com/mk/sch.htm I believe she's in the NY/NJ/PA area and your local affiliates might not air on the same schedule. But if you look, you might then be able to google for a local schedule.

As for Disson TV broadcasts, I still say they should use picture in a picture to show the singer in one corner with the skating being the majority of the screen. They probably have contractual obligations to air the singer for a particular portion of the broadcast since the singer is so prominently advertised as a headliner.

Thanks, Heyang. I used to print out Heather's schedule every year, and I've gotten out of the habit because so many of the programs are unreachable with my cable provider. I'll have to go back to her.

I love your idea of the inset picture. I'm sure the contract specifies a certain amount of the coverage of the singer, but an inset photo, or better yet a split screen like that innovative Steve McQueen version of The Thomas Crown Affair, would be so wonderful.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Good idea, heyang. Perhaps iluvtodd can pass that idea along. I dont know much about marketing...I dont even play an ad man on TV, but I suspect that having Celtic Woman on a skating show is partly about marketing Celtic Woman, which is all well and fine.
I dont even know who pays who to appear. But I do know us old people hate cuts....we dont have three second attention spans.....I would rather see skating live or CW live....
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
Good idea, heyang. Perhaps iluvtodd can pass that idea along. I dont know much about marketing...I dont even play an ad man on TV, but I suspect that having Celtic Woman on a skating show is partly about marketing Celtic Woman, which is all well and fine.
I dont even know who pays who to appear. But I do know us old people hate cuts....we dont have three second attention spans.....I would rather see skating live or CW live....

Just for the record, I have emailed Steve Disson a number of times re: how his shows are aired, with the suggestion of the split screen (and I'm certainly not the only one who has suggested that). Sadly, my comments re: the split screen idea have fallen on deaf ears. :cry: OTOH, when I feel a Disson show has been reasonably decent (balanced, talented musical guest, but with ample exposure of the skaters), I let him know that too.

A few years ago, "Country on Ice" took place in Philly. Gretchen Wilson was the musical performer. Not being a country music devotee, I was totally unfamiliar with her. We went to the show on the strength of the skating cast (Kurt, Todd, Mike, Irina, Punsalan & Swallow ...). What bothered me about the local promotion of the show was that the newspaper print ads showed a big picture of Gretchen Wilson, with little or no mention of the skating cast (if there were pictures, the skaters weren't identified in them). I emailed Steve Disson about this, saying that there are potentially two audiences here, and that we & our friends were attending the show on the strength of the skating cast. He replied to me saying I had a good point there - to make sure the skaters were promoted as well. The TV ads after that showed the skaters for brief moments (although I was still annoyed that they weren't all identified). At the actual live show (which we really enjoyed), you could tell whom the country music fans were (from their country garb & cowboy.cowgirl hats) apart from the skating fans. Their were country music fans who had no idea who Kurt & Todd were. So, our party of several people quickly "educated" them on their skating achievements. Then these fans started cheering for them as well each time they skated. All this said, when the show was aired on TV, there were more spots about Gretchen Wilson than focus on the skaters - in the fluff pieces/interviews, etc. I'm still hoping & praying for that "balance" again.
 
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