On the plus side, the team event encourages countries to have well rounded skating programs that focus on all four disciplines, not just one or two (Japan, I'm looking at you).
On the minus side, I am expecting the ISU to botch this event rather badly. I imagine a scenario where there are several countries tying for the fourth/fifth spots in the final, and the commentators have to explain the arcane tie-breaking rules to the public.
The whole set-up takes us back to the days of ordinals and skaters no longer "controlling their own destiny." Country W beats Country X because Country Y makes it to the final five over Country Z. (Not that I can think of a better way to organize the team event, I admit.)
I also don't like that the two segments are equally weighted. Shouldn't the short count half as much as the free?
I worry, too, about the brouhaha that will erupt if a favourite for an individual medal injuries him/herself in the team event and is taken out of contention in the individual event.
As for seeing the same programs in the team and individual events, don't gymnasts perform the same routines for their various events? If this isn't a problem for gymnastics viewership, why should it be a problem for figure skating?
On the minus side, I am expecting the ISU to botch this event rather badly. I imagine a scenario where there are several countries tying for the fourth/fifth spots in the final, and the commentators have to explain the arcane tie-breaking rules to the public.
The whole set-up takes us back to the days of ordinals and skaters no longer "controlling their own destiny." Country W beats Country X because Country Y makes it to the final five over Country Z. (Not that I can think of a better way to organize the team event, I admit.)
I also don't like that the two segments are equally weighted. Shouldn't the short count half as much as the free?
I worry, too, about the brouhaha that will erupt if a favourite for an individual medal injuries him/herself in the team event and is taken out of contention in the individual event.
As for seeing the same programs in the team and individual events, don't gymnasts perform the same routines for their various events? If this isn't a problem for gymnastics viewership, why should it be a problem for figure skating?