Firing Ottavio Cinquanta | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Firing Ottavio Cinquanta

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Now without looking at the financials I can't be certain of this, but I would bet that the US television contracts provided the largest single revenue stream for the ISU.

This used to be the case, but I don't think it is any more. In the late 1990s the ISU's contract with United States ABC television was something like $20,000,000. Now it is next to nothing. At the 2009 World Champoionship in Los Angeles, IIRC, the ISU essentially had to give the US television rights away for free because there was so little interest, even though the event was in the United States and was the pre-Olympic Worlds.

The USFSA is in the same boat. Back in the day they received so much money from ABC television that they were able to pay Michelle Kwan upwards of $900,000 per year. (The details are on public record, if anyone wants to dig them out, because the USFSA is a non-profit corporation for tax purposes.) For this, Michelle was expected to show up for all the ABC shows -- Skate America, U.S. Nationals, and the three annual cheesefests.

Now, I believe that their contract with NBC does not pay anything in cash, but rather USFS must round up sponsors and the Association gets to keep some of the money -- something like that.
 
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Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
Hopefully Cinquanta will finally face enough pressure to go.

And as I suggested at the beginning of this thread, I think ISU Presidents need TERM LIMITS! :thumbsup:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Hopefully Cinquanta will finally face enough pressure to go.

And as I suggested at the beginning of this thread, I think ISU Presidents need TERM LIMITS! :thumbsup:

The ISU does have term limits. I think the new rule is no more than three terms for the top officials. This does not apply to Cinquanta because he was grandfathered in before the new term limits took affect. (He has served five four-year terms and has an extra two-yesar term to go.)
 

JayW

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
The ISU does have term limits. I think the new rule is no more than three terms for the top officials. This does not apply to Cinquanta because he was grandfathered in before the new term limits took affect. (He has served five four-year terms and has an extra two-yesar term to go.)

Depressing.
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
This used to be the case, but I don't think it is any more. In the late 1990s the ISU's contract with United States ABC television was something like $20,000,000. Now it is next to nothing. At the 2009 World Champoionship in Los Angeles, IIRC, the ISU essentially had to give the US television rights away for free because there was so little interest, even though the event was in the United States and was the pre-Olympic Worlds.

The USFSA is in the same boat. Back in the day they received so much money from ABC television that they were able to pay Michelle Kwan upwards of $900,000 per year. (The details are on public record, if anyone wants to dig them out, because the USFSA is a non-profit corporation for tax purposes.) For this, Michelle was expected to show up for all the ABC shows -- Skate America, U.S. Nationals, and the three annual cheesefests.

Now, I believe that their contract with NBC does not pay anything in cash, but rather USFS must round up sponsors and the Association gets to keep some of the money -- something like that.

I figured it would be something like that. How long before they start eliminating significant prize money for the winners and perhaps give impetus for a pro circuit again?
 

Anna K.

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Country
Latvia
^
Looks like Patrick Chan didn’t exaggerate with a message that he needed a dollar…
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
The ISU does have term limits. I think the new rule is no more than three terms for the top officials. This does not apply to Cinquanta because he was grandfathered in before the new term limits took affect. (He has served five four-year terms and has an extra two-yesar term to go.)

I see. Well obviously he shouldn't have been grandfathered in. But it still raises another issue - even if someone is still technically allowed to be ISU President, why do people keep electing him? Isn't 20 years enough for one man to be atop this organization? Is he like a mafia boss where everyone was too scared to vote for an alternative?
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Honestly, i think Ottavio Cinquanta should face an inquiry or should be severely penalised for his well organised destruction of this sport! Its almost criminal.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
But it still raises another issue - even if someone is still technically allowed to be ISU President, why do people keep electing him? Isn't 20 years enough for one man to be atop this organization? Is he like a mafia boss where everyone was too scared to vote for an alternative?

Yes, I think so. As far as I know he ran for re-election unopposed.

According to the ISU Constitution he was required to step down in 2014 because of age. But by a special vote of the Council the Constitution was set aside to allow him to serve two more years, until 2016, without an election being held.
 

caelum

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Anybody follows speed skating? I'm just wondering if he manages the speed skating side well. Maybe it's the speed skating faction within the ISU that keeps promoting him internally.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Anybody follows speed skating? I'm just wondering if he manages the speed skating side well. Maybe it's the speed skating faction within the ISU that keeps promoting him internally.

Im not sure if he does a better job with speed skating but its obvious that the isu has been trying to promote speed skating more than figure skating.
 

Anna K.

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Country
Latvia
Anybody follows speed skating? I'm just wondering if he manages the speed skating side well. Maybe it's the speed skating faction within the ISU that keeps promoting him internally.

Well, he proposed to axe about a half of the classical speed skating disciplines and focus on short track. It doesn't sound like a good management to me. In fact, I’m expecting him to be denied the Netherlands visa for life soon :laugh:

Thus far, it looks like he’s good only at organizing his own reelection :yes:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Anybody follows speed skating? I'm just wondering if he manages the speed skating side well. Maybe it's the speed skating faction within the ISU that keeps promoting him internally.

The speed skating side took control in 1980 with the election of Norway's Olaf Poulson. Poulson was instrumental in finagling Cinquanta's election in 1994, when Poulson retired. I think there is an even balance between the figure skating side and the speed skating side in the ISU general assembly. I believe that back in 1980 the argument was reversed -- the speed skaters felt like they were pushed off into the corner by the figure skaters, so they thought it was only fair that people from the speed skating side should be able to attain positions of influence, too.

One thing that I don't blame Cinquanta for is using money generated by figure skating to cover expenses and offer modest cash prizes to winners of speed skating events. The ISU has the responsibility of fielding programs in skating sports even if they do not make money by doing so. Synchronized skating, for instance, is not a big money-maker, plus it is rather expensive to hold a championship event because the teams have so many skaters. The costs of synchro come out of general operating expenses which in the past were largely underwritten by television money for figure skating and by dues paid by member federations. THat seems OK to me.
 

leafygreens

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
While I think Cinquanta is borderline-raving lunatic, this isn't the first time abolishing the short program has been brought up. I remember a few years ago Sasha Cohen and others were opining that it should be abolished.
 

Anna K.

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Country
Latvia
While I think Cinquanta is borderline-raving lunatic, this isn't the first time abolishing the short program has been brought up. I remember a few years ago Sasha Cohen and others were opining that it should be abolished.

Do you - or anybody - have a link? I confess I've been guilty of not paying much attention to what Sasha Cohen says :p

It would be interesting to read about it in the light of recent events though.
 

Manuel Pablo Arnao

Figure Skating Fan & Real Estate Agent in LA!
On the Ice
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
i'm so happy my thread became so popular.

I wrote before the short program debacle of his and that has to be the final nail in the coffin. someone, please, fire him!
 

Ven

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
While I think Cinquanta is borderline-raving lunatic, this isn't the first time abolishing the short program has been brought up. I remember a few years ago Sasha Cohen and others were opining that it should be abolished.

A (reportedly) lazy and inconsistent skater suggested competitions should be reduced to a single crap shoot?
 
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