^ 2010 Four Continents is scheduled for Korea, 25-31 January. This is less than two weeks before the start of the Olympics (February 12). I doubt if many of the Olympics-bound skaters would want to participate. The time frame is even too tight for federations who might want to use Four Continents as a skate-off for an Olympic spot.
I wonder if Yu-na Kim will be "forced" to skate to buld up the audience. It won't be so bad for the ladies, because they don't skate in the Olympics until near the end.
2010 U.S. Nationals will be in Spokane. By the way, I just noticed that they have attracted a naming sponsor. This will be the AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Spokane set all-time attendance records for 2007 Nationals as well as for 2002 Skate America. The organizing committee has reported advance ticket sales at a record pace, but that might just be hype.
Although the locals are supportive, I doubt if the mid-week events will draw enough of a crowd to pay their way. But you still have to hold novice and junior competitions, in addition to less popular events like compulsory dance, whether you lose money or not. That's the job of the USFSA, and presumably they pay for it out of their general operating budget generated by dues payed by clubs and individual members, etc. (?)
