Anyone thinking about leaving FS fandom?

[RoundedBackCamel]

I don’t usually post new threads, but I have been a huge figure skating fan for almost 50 years. It used to be fun. And I even enjoyed a bit of drama and intrigue, always about the feds and coaches and media, never about the skaters. But now it’s become too much, especially with social media. The fan wars, the cruelty toward skaters for disappointing fans—it just seems all so entitled to me. I couldn’t believe some of the things I read about Karen and Zhou yesterday. Even USA Today “journalist” Christine Brennan, who should know better, piled on. Someone who first reported evidence of allegations of abuse. And now a new skating Cold War seems to be re-emerging. I think this team event has been a horrible influence on the sport. It used to be about admiring skaters from all over the world, not just your own country. (I hated the USA! USA! chant for the stupid hockey game when I was a teen. It seems everyone just needs to grow up and get a grip. It’s no fun either when the results are a foregone conclusion. Nothing is fun about this anymore.

 

[4everchan]

I enjoy it .. sometimes i get fed up but love is love and it's eternal in my case ... journalists were bad in the 1990s too... i remember seeing a front page of a news paper in canada with Isabelle Brasseur on the ice with the title " THE FALL" when they finished in 3rd place in 1992. That's 30 years ago... people are people... And for what it's worth, the team event is awesome ! The skaters get to cheer on each other and have fun. Yes, some fans get into national wars, but that was always the case... and will always be the case. Social media makes it more intense but I believe one always has the option of selective reading as there are a lot of great posts as well on this forum. Some people are very informative and interesting to read : for instance @Andrea82 @gkelly and @dorispulaski to name only a few that come to mind right now.

 

[rollerblade]

Nah, just leave social media instead. Or be more aggressive in utilizing mutes/blocks on toxic social media.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Sometimes I do...there's definitely favourite skaters and non-favourite skaters and it can be hard if you're a big fan of one of the non-faves because any weakness they have is magnified and their strengths diminished.

But! I'm happy to say even the most unpopular skater still has more than 1 fan so you can generally find a friend.

The tendency of people to "bash" a skater when they have a poor performance is terrible because like...do these people honestly think the skater doesn't know they messed up? Or did it on purpose? They tried as hard as they possibly could (unless we later found out they went on a bender before their event, but this seems unlikely).

Karen was in tears after the FS, and I can't help thinking that perhaps she heard some of the stuff said about her and she knew that her FS probably didn't redeem her enough.

These skaters spend years and years dedicating themselves to this sport. Most of them I think are good people at heart. You don't have to love every skater, but you should respect them and their dedication.

 

[kan01]

Yes.

 

[Skater Boy]

I am scared to write anything because it is wrong. Freedom of speech is well a wonderful concept but often used and abused.. No matter what i say it is wrong or will be wrong for some. Skaters should have tough skin though being human and not go on fan pages or websites. It was devastating to hear the "abuse" or even how hard Chen and Sadovsky took their misfortune. To be honest, Chen's scores really weren't bad. Not great for the pewter world medallist or 4th but not bad at all. Okay Roman was a catastrophe. But he is at the olympics. Skating fans are passionate and can be ruthless. Sometimes it goes overboard. Sometimes we might just have to get out of the kitchen or get burned.

 

[Arbitrary]

Me.
But not related to the FS itself. More of the personal issues.

 

[lariko]

I agree with @anonymoose_au — fan fest for a skater, even unpopular one is a great refuge, and if you have at least one friend, it’s better than having no friends at all.

As for hatred online, all I can say is thankfully, there is a mute/ignore button. Use copiously. Skating is full of ups and downs, and you can’t tell in advance when a certain skater reaches the peak in their career. Having more than one favourite, particularly in junior division, developing empathy across the borders, and getting over disappointed hopes quickly is what works for me. Some fans are by their nature medal chasers, some are personality chasers, some really get attached to success… and figure skating is not a great sport for those who attach exclusively to success. As attractive as success is.

In the fandom, I respect the most the moments when I see someone change their opinion or give credit to the skaters they don’t normally follow. And not the begrudging ones, but like, all out excitement. Humans dissapoint too often to miss that. Or to experience it oneself and have no friends to share it with.

 

[ladyjane]

This happens in all fandoms I'm afraid. I'm a big fan of a certain TV-series that has existed for the longest time (since 1963), and the sourness, negativeness, cruelty towards certain actors, storywriters, etc. among so-called fans is just as harsh. Granted, it's not along National lines but there've been some really bad vibes among the fandom. I pick my forums and social media (definitely not twitter) very carefully.

I was surprised at first to see the exact same thing in FS but then I realised this is probably the nature of the beast, in this case fandom. And the only thing I could advise any skater is either not to be too active on Social Media because the experience can be harrowing or to just ignore the hater posts (which isn't easy especially when you're young) and enjoy the positive and compassionate ones.

 

[Lzbee]

Yeah I know the feeling. I can get rid of social media but when official media coverage is doing the same thing, I can't help but get angry. Honestly, the journalists have disappointed me far more than any skater ever has.

 

[Draculus]

information hygiene is a must.
We are used to the idea 'do not eat everything' but nowadays 'do not read' may be of no less significance.

 

[dorispulaski]

Yes, from time to time I have become depressed about the state of skating and skating fandom. But then some skaters I have followed for years, or others that I never cared about before will put on a performance I adore, and I am interested again.

Yes, be careful with Twitter and indeed any unmoderated social media. Follow the skaters themselves on Instagram. Follow rockerskating and other knowledgeable folks on twitter.

Some people relish the rabid side of fandom. Some become so emotionally wrapped up in fandom that they become almost like Eminem's Stan

If you like the sport but hate this kind of stuff, may I recommend visiting fan fests for your favorite skaters? It is easy to find friends there! Be sure to post so others know you are there!

Nastiness and over involvement in fandom has been around forever, but at least figure skating fans have never routinely rioted, turned over cars or burned things when their favorites won (or lost).

15 Crazy Riot Celebration Videos

Sports fans are some of the most passionate people on the planet. Screaming, dancing, dressing up and arguing to support their favorite teams, fans aren't shy when it comes to repping their colors...

bleacherreport.com

And there is nothing new about this. Even football riots have not reached the level of murder and insurrection that chariot-racing fandom in the Byzantine empire did.

Blue versus Green: Rocking the Byzantine Empire

www.smithsonianmag.com

Looking back over 50 years, skating fandom has been a huge plus in my life. I have made friends, both in real life and virtually, and learned about and gone to places I would never have thought about otherwise.

So I wish you the best. If you feel like stepping away, you know what is best for yourself. But after a bit, consider coming back, after the frenzy and nationalism of the Olympic season is over. Things are better then!

 

[cake]

I avoid social media. Here I got sick of the competition threads after day two, but I will just stay out of them for a while. It usually gets better again after the Olympics.

 

[ffloweer]

I am from Argentina, where football it's the most popular sport, in a way that transverses everyday life like you wouldn't expect. Imagine that when the my NT plays the World Cup, the country paralizes. Kids are let go from school to watch the match, or they would miss school. And I love football too... But it also means that when things go south (for your team, for the NT), the way people deals with the players, with the team, with each other, can be veeery dehumanizing. Like what happens here but up to eleven! And it does affect the way you enjoy and relate to the sport, because it's everywhere! But there are things I do to make myself happier and not crazy (also with figure skating): mostly curating what I see on SM and on TV. People are mean, and fall to stupid analysis (like the emotional o psychological diagnosis of players? Do not do that!), so putting a stop to that helps a lot. I love sports analysis that actually focus on the sports! I go and stay there. Interact with the content I like to see, in healthy ways! Sport should be fun for expectators. And if I get mad, because of course I sometimes get mad or sad, not post it to social media, especially to where athletes can see. I just scream at home, or discuss it offline. Not everything has to be public, come on!
And something that (personally) bothers me is: even when I think of myself as a figure skating fan, I don't like thinking of this as a fandom. I don't know if I can articulate why, but it makes me feel uncomfortable to relate to athletes the same way people behave with idols (I don't wanna do it with idols!).
I hope you don't renounce to something that makes you happy just for this. Let's try to make an enviroment in wich we can all enjoy this sport!

 

[yume]

I don’t usually post new threads, but I have been a huge figure skating fan for almost 50 years. It used to be fun. And I even enjoyed a bit of drama and intrigue, always about the feds and coaches and media, never about the skaters. But now it’s become too much, especially with social media. The fan wars, the cruelty toward skaters for disappointing fans—it just seems all so entitled to me. I couldn’t believe some of the things I read about Karen and Zhou yesterday. Even USA Today “journalist” Christine Brennan, who should know better, piled on. Someone who first reported evidence of allegations of abuse. And now a new skating Cold War seems to be re-emerging. I think this team event has been a horrible influence on the sport. It used to be about admiring skaters from all over the world, not just your own country. (I hated the USA! USA! chant for the stupid hockey game when I was a teen. It seems everyone just needs to grow up and get a grip. It’s no fun either when the results are a foregone conclusion. Nothing is fun about this anymore.

Well, FS Forums are pretty bearable. The worst is definitely twitter. People let their evil side take the lead there. I think most of these people not only think that what they are doing is normal when it's about unpopular skaters/coaches, but also that they are apparently better humans.

 

[TontoK]

No. I love the sport far more than I do any individual skater.

Ridiculous drama is created when people become so enamored of particular athletes that it skews their perspectives. I'm always amazed at fools who take to the internet to disparage or defend skaters. The fact is that none of these skaters know you, they'll never know you, and while they are polite and professional - they're not laying awake at night worrying about your opinions.

As much as I enjoy their skating, today's stars will fade. Federation fortunes will shift. There's always someone new clawing their way to the top or breaking new ground technically and artistically, and that is inspiring. Enjoy the skaters, I certainly do. But society will improve and you'll be a better person if you focus your energies on your family, or building rewarding new personal relationships, or feeding the hungry, or etc etc.

Squabbling with strangers on twitter or other social media is degrading.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

My motto during the Olympics: This too shall pass.
And if it gets too much, I just go to the fan fests or the small/local competition threads (yes, those are still going on) for some good vibes as some posters have already suggested above.

 

[purplecat]

I was so sad and mad to hear that Beverly (Zhu Yi) had to face criticism from the Chinese social media. I can't imagine being an athlete or any person that is in the spotlight in today's day and age. The social media world is so cruel and no one is immune from mean comments. I am not leaving the fandom though - if all of us who aren't mean/trollish, etc. left then the only fans left would be the awful ones. You know how they say it takes hundreds of positive comments to negate one negative one. We need to drown out the negative. That doesn't mean we can't be critical, but be careful with your words and posts. Don't denigrate the skaters. They are just people trying the best they can. I think many of us think it's just us little fans posting on forums/twitter, etc. and don't think about it getting back to the skaters, but many skaters do read it and/or hear about it. I agree that fan fests can be a safe space to talk about your faves and not read the horrible things said about one's favorite.

 

[Icey]

Yes, I'm 81 LOL.

 

[Ladskater]

I don’t usually post new threads, but I have been a huge figure skating fan for almost 50 years. It used to be fun. And I even enjoyed a bit of drama and intrigue, always about the feds and coaches and media, never about the skaters. But now it’s become too much, especially with social media. The fan wars, the cruelty toward skaters for disappointing fans—it just seems all so entitled to me. I couldn’t believe some of the things I read about Karen and Zhou yesterday. Even USA Today “journalist” Christine Brennan, who should know better, piled on. Someone who first reported evidence of allegations of abuse. And now a new skating Cold War seems to be re-emerging. I think this team event has been a horrible influence on the sport. It used to be about admiring skaters from all over the world, not just your own country. (I hated the USA! USA! chant for the stupid hockey game when I was a teen. It seems everyone just needs to grow up and get a grip. It’s no fun either when the results are a foregone conclusion. Nothing is fun about this anymore.

I try not to pay too much attention to the social media and gossip that happens at any FS event. I even avoid responding to some Golden Skate topics if they sound too critical. I'm not a huge fan of the team event, it seems like extra pressure on the skaters especially like in the case of team Canada with Keegan Messing MIA (missing in action). A couple of the skaters have to skate in all the events although coach Carol Lane said they're looking at the team event as an extra practice session. As a Canuck fan we do get tired of hearing the chant USA, USA at every event but it's just part of the hype. I don't know if you saw it or not but recently there was an NHL game in Toronto between the Leafs and a USA team and the Anthem singers mike went off so the Canadian fans finished singing the US national anthem for her...pretty good I'd say.