2016 Team Challenge Cup - Gen Info/Pre-chat

[cheerknithanson]

FS fans always go mental during off-season. Any mention of a competition is like a mirage to us- we get excited because we're desperate here

Exactly! Like I'm resorting to watching American Ninja Warrior, America's Got Talent, Food Fighters, and Outrageous Acts of Science on TV. Plus some stuff on TLC and Discovery Life. And following baseball and hockey. Plus tons of YouTube binges and knitting.

 

[Ice Dance]

So happy that Spokane wants another event. Back during their second Nationals (Both were a success along with the Skate America event held there previously. At least two of those events broke ticket sales records), a lot of people were seriously discussing trying to hold Worlds in Spokane, and then--from what I heard--the promised state funding for nationals fell through and we've had nothing there since. It's a great site, IMO, because the community is small enough to really value having skating held there. Lots of articles and coverage in the local paper. It is a winter community that values winter sports. They brought in kids from local schools for the audience at Nationals, and locals come attend because of the quality advertising. It's close enough to Canada to draw audience members from over the border. Downtown & various restaurants are within easy walking distance of the arena, as are the downtown hotels. And in April the city should be free of three feet of snow!

 

[AprilS]

This sounds great! I always liked the idea of Japan Open, but wished for certain differences such as pairs, dance, and a Team Asia, and this new event seems to have all of those I am very excited.

So happy that Spokane wants another event. Back during their second Nationals (Both were a success along with the Skate America event held there previously. At least two of those events broke ticket sales records), a lot of people were seriously discussing trying to hold Worlds in Spokane, and then--from what I heard--the promised state funding for nationals fell through and we've had nothing there since. It's a great site, IMO, because the community is small enough to really value having skating held there. Lots of articles and coverage in the local paper. It is a winter community that values winter sports. They brought in kids from local schools for the audience at Nationals, and locals come attend because of the quality advertising. It's close enough to Canada to draw audience members from over the border. Downtown & various restaurants are within easy walking distance of the arena, as are the downtown hotels. And in April the city should be free of three feet of snow!

It's times like this I wish I had a car...

 

[paperhearts]

I'm all for this! I hope its also available on the ISU stream. Except...it will be harder for me to watch than WTT time-wise because I'm on the other side of the world. Ah, minor inconveniences. It's nice to see Team [Continents] instead of just a particular country. Something to look forward to 9 months later, I suppose.

 

[FSGMT]

What interests me is how the standings will be decided: summing points as in WTT? Because the format there has changed during the years, too: this year they considered SP and FS as two completely separated events, while in past editions they awarded points basing on the SP+FS as a whole. And then there is the Olympic Team Event format with the SP not counting in the final ranking at all... :scratch::scratch:

 

[Hyena]

One way they could address the concern about it including only the major figure skating countries is by requiring a certain number of countries to be represented. For example, maybe they could require teams to have ladies from a minimum of two different countries and then do the same for the men and pairs and dance combined.

 

[StitchMonkey]

One way they could address the concern about it including only the major figure skating countries is by requiring a certain number of countries to be represented. For example, maybe they could require teams to have ladies from a minimum of two different countries and then do the same for the men and pairs and dance combined.

I want to first say that, yes this should be a rule to have at least two countries. The problem is that might still not give as much diversity as we might light and requiring three countries would be problematic for team "North America" unless we expand who that includes. Maybe we could expand North America to include Oceanic countries (and please give me a better term if this is bad... i struggled to think of a good neutral term) like Australia, New Zealand the Philippians, etc. That way we could require three countries, which would at least mean one more country participating.

 

[msteach3]

This is great news! I was in Spokane for both events a few years back and it was extremely well run and the city was friendly, hospitable and enthusiastic. I'm going to Boston, but since it's a short 45 min flight for me to Spokane and the event is on the weekend, I just may go to this as well!

 

[CoyoteChris]

World team challange cup?

I am just here for awhile in Spokane between summer vacations and picked up the paper to see that Spokane is Putting in for the 2016 World team challenge cup April '16?????
Anyone know what other cities are putting in for it? The promoters, the same suspects that promoted SA 2002, and the two nats here, want us down to
cheer on the selection committee on Aug. 6th.

 

[Mathman]

Here is the thread we had about it a while back.

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?55744

At that time it seemed like a done deal. No other bidders were mentioned.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Thanks! I just got back from Oshkosh Wisconsin, a motorcycle trip to the Honda sport touring rally in Spearfish SD, Yellowstone and Glacier, the Quigley Buffalo rifle shoot, and the Polson MT . shoot. I will be on the road again on two more Bike trips before SA Milwaukee so if anyone hears anything interesting about the Nats after Min/St Paul or tickets for WTT, send me a PM. I have a smart phone now. Mrs P can also get ahold of me. As can Doris.
Never retire. You will loose all your free time.
Chris (not necessarily the Android expert) being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century

Here is the thread we had about it a while back.

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?55744

At that time it seemed like a done deal. No other bidders were mentioned.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Welcome to the future Chris!! Always exciting for me to read about your adventures. Enjoy your journeys and be sure to share some stories when you return.

 

[ice coverage]

Mini-update (the plot thickens re Spokane):

In post #10 of this thread, I had copied and pasted information from the primesport.com website (which handles lots of major sports events and seems to be reputable).
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...at-and-dates&p=1195668&viewfull=1#post1195668

The primesport page at the time had a listing for the Team Challenge Cup, with Spokane named as the location.

The update is that the primesport page has been taken down. Whatever that means.

The news article in the OP said that Spokane was one of three finalists being considered as a host city, with the selection to be announced in September.
So it had been strange to see that primesport already had given Spokane as the location, as if it were a done deal.

Maybe USFS really has not made the selection at all.
Or maybe USFS secretly already had decided on Spokane but did not want to make an official announcement -- and primesport had jumped the gun???

 

[ice coverage]

I am just here for awhile in Spokane between summer vacations and picked up the paper to see that Spokane is Putting in for the 2016 World team challenge cup April '16?????
Anyone know what other cities are putting in for it? The promoters, the same suspects that promoted SA 2002, and the two nats here, want us down to
cheer on the selection committee on Aug. 6th.

Here is the thread we had about it a while back.

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?55744

At that time it seemed like a done deal. No other bidders were mentioned.

Hello, Chris!

FWIW:

The article in the OP in the old thread was from the Spokesman in Spokane. It said that Spokane was one of the three finalists for the new event -- but did not say which cities were the other two finalists.

Meanwhile, a ticketing website once had named Spokane as the location of Team Challenge Cup, as if Spokane were a done deal.
But I have just seen that the ticketing website has taken down that page.
I have added a post to the old thread accordingly.
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...at-and-dates&p=1200778&viewfull=1#post1200778

 

[Mathman]

Threads merged.

 

[CoyoteChris]

(Sittting outside drinking margarettas this evening in the heat watching fires...seems I am an orphan again this weekend)
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/CoyoteChris303/Fire/evening 1 small_zpsmdni6r11.jpg

I wonder if I should ask Toby and Barb what changed their minds about promoting a figure skating event again...last they told me after Spokane 2010 where the state cheated them out of $100,000 was, "Never again"

 

[CoyoteChris]

Thank you for your kind words! You have inspired me to make a photobucket page of some things I did with my friends from Oct to July...and so much more to do before I get a break after nationals...and maybe WTC! A new puppy, one lap of Washington State on the bike, a shoot again in Polson MT, the Reno Air Races, SA Milwaukee...MSP. Don't ever go to your reward without saying, "Man, I had a BALL! " One of my buds is 80 now and his journey is about done....he is like me....grab all the love and enjoyment you can out of life and go out happy and proud ....!!!
http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/CoyoteChris303/library/OctJuly?sort=3&page=1

Welcome to the future Chris!! Always exciting for me to read about your adventures. Enjoy your journeys and be sure to share some stories when you return.

 

[CoyoteChris]

If we get it, I hope you can make it....there is a brand new big hotel next to the convention center and there is serious talk of a mini "arena" next to the main one. Spokane seems to be getting lots of major events with lots of people that come...like volleyball tournements, for instance. The convention center expanded and they could once again put in practice ice there.

This is great news! I was in Spokane for both events a few years back and it was extremely well run and the city was friendly, hospitable and enthusiastic. I'm going to Boston, but since it's a short 45 min flight for me to Spokane and the event is on the weekend, I just may go to this as well!

 

[Mathman]

(Sittting outside drinking margarettas this evening in the heat watching fires...seems I am an orphan again this weekend)
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/CoyoteChris303/Fire/evening 1 small_zpsmdni6r11.jpg

I wonder if I should ask Toby and Barb what changed their minds about promoting a figure skating event again...last they told me after Spokane 2010 where the state cheated them out of $100,000 was, "Never again"

Here are Barb's own words.

Never say, never again. For Toby’s 40th birthday, twelve years ago, we ran the Portland Marathon. It was difficult! It was on our bucket list, so we thankfully checked it off, and said “never again.” Now we have friends who are Ironmen and women, and to them, the idea of running a marathon is a walk in the park. So when a couple of our young Ironman friends shamed us into running the Maui Marathon this past year, we had trepidation, but it was fun! It reminded us to never shut out the possibility that your perspective can change.

http://spokanecda.com/featured/what-we-know-toby-steward-barb-beddor/

 

[SunDae]

If they want this event to have fans in seats, the only hope for North America is a tiny arena in a Small but convenient enough town. Otherwise, Japan should always host.