Cardboard Audience, that's Different
- Thread starter Ladskater
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I don't like it. I find it disconcerting.
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Especially all the pets and the giant lizard
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They did have those for some football/rugby games here in Australia. It was only for a couple of games though.
I wonder about the video screens at the 3rd Stage of the Russian Cup, I posted something so maybe I'll end up on one, but they were somewhat distracting to me while I was watching the stream.
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That's the Geico Gecko. USFS took this idea from several pro sports, I know MLB for example had cardboard audience.
Skating has a reputation in some circles for being kitchy and the cardboard cutouts certainly don't help. Especially considering some of the costume and music choices on display. There was a feeling of tackiness that probably doesn't exist when you see them in other sports.
If skating were more popular in the US and people were actually watching I would bet there would be a number of unfortunate meme jokes from the SPs
If skating were more popular in the US and people were actually watching I would bet there would be a number of unfortunate meme jokes from the SPs
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You're preaching to the choir here. With my history in skating, I know, and sorry but it would feel way more tacky in Baseball than skating.
Now, if you ask the skaters competing at SKAM they are all loving it and were posting about them, I don't blame them because it's very lonely and weird out there without an audience at a venue like Orleans.
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Yeah right, the USFS would never invest in something like that. And it really wouldn't work so great for an event like SKAM anyway.
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I suppose it would be a large undertaking and costly, but the cardboard people are just silly
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It is a bit, but isn't some of the money that people have paid to have one go to charity? If so, it's a worthy cause at least!
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I found them quite creepy at first, but then I saw Alexa Scimeca-Knierim has cut outs of her Mum, Chris and Brandon's dog lmao in the front row which I guess must be a little bit of familiarity/reassurance if they can't be there in person! And I guess when you're skating with your speed it gives the impression of an audience which must be nicer than staring out to empty seats.
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The cardboard cutouts are a bit weird but I believe they are for charity. And, many skaters families put their faces and the skater's pets' faces on the cutouts. I think it is probably nice for the skaters to see a picture of their family and it reminds them that their families are watching.
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Yes, it is a worthy cause *in support of skaters* !!!
Proceeds from the cut-outs are going to the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund.
In 2019-20, $550,000 was awarded to over 165 skaters via USFS Memorial Fund donations.
USFS Memorial Fund means a lot to many well-known skaters (and to less-known skaters too).
As just one recent example:
Within the last few weeks, Madi Hubbell gave an online yoga class for the benefit of USFS Memorial Fund. (She is a certified yoga instructor.)
She spoke quite emotionally about USFS Memorial Fund being an important resource to her own career and about being thrilled that her class was a way for her to give back.
In case anyone does not "get" the reference, USFS Memorial Fund originally was started in memory of the entire USFS team who tragically perished in the 1961 plane crash on their way to compete at Worlds.
Yes, the important thing to me is that the skaters are enjoying the cut-outs.
The reaction from skaters clearly has been favorable -- as you and others already have said.
The skaters seem appreciative that the cut-outs represent not only their families/pets, but also fans (and their pets).
Ithe Geico Gecko! Seeing Snowplow Sam is appropriate for this competition. I'm looking to see if I recognize any of the spectators in the cutouts!
I believe a number of skaters even would recognize the faces of some fans on cut-outs.
Some of the fans who purchased cut-outs are longtime members of Friends of Figure Skating and have been attending competitions literally for decades.
ETA:
That said, I think that the skaters appreciate the fan support, whether individual fan faces are familiar to them or not.
(iluvtodd, I know that you yourself have attended a zillion competitions, and I bet that you indeed would recognize some fans on the cut-outs. I am a relative newcomer to USFS competitions, and even I recognize some of the fans.)
For everyone on the planet, this pandemic is "weird" in countless ways.
For me, the cut-outs are a way to make a little lemonade out of the weird lemons of the pandemic.
A little lemonade for the skaters, first and foremost.
And secondarily for their families (who are not allowed to attend), and for fans.
ETA:
As for the cut-outs of pets, Bradie said, "The more dogs, the merrier!"
And Mariah agreed.
Starting at approx. 6:49 in this USFS video:
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I actually don't mind the cut-outs. I don't mind the canned applause either.
We're living in strange times, and I give credit to the organizers for at least trying to normalize the competition and show the competitors some fan love, especially given what few options they have.
Without them, this would look like a dress rehearsal.
On the topic of different aspects of the competition, there is one thing I like, and one I don't.
We're living in strange times, and I give credit to the organizers for at least trying to normalize the competition and show the competitors some fan love, especially given what few options they have.
Without them, this would look like a dress rehearsal.
On the topic of different aspects of the competition, there is one thing I like, and one I don't.
- I like the skaters being alone in the Kiss-and-Cry, the focus squarely on them, and not on coaches, choreographers, etc.
- I don't like the masks the skaters have to wear in the Kiss-and-Cry. If they're isolated and distant from others, simply awaiting their scores, what's the point of them having to wear a mask while they gasp for breath? I'm not anti-mask, but this looks like it is for show and not for substance.
