Explanation of the LAST SIX TO SKATE

[Joesitz (RIP)]

At US Nationals, the last six to skate in a competition is guided by the ABC network for LIVE coverage. It's an important grouping for any skater to be in that grouping since they will be seen nationally. ABC has already timed this. The Men's will be pretaped for a pseudo Live show. The Ladies, however is for real.

To qualify for the last six, a skater must finish in the top six of the SP. Otherwise the skater will be in the next to last six or in a group further down. Only in St. Louis will people see the whole thing.

A top skater who fails to gain a spot in the last six to skate will have a tape of their free skate shown during the LIVE telecast so you may see 7 Ladies. You will recall Sarah Hughese in 2003 Worlds, failed to make it to the last 6 but they showed her LP anyway as per tape.

So when you see the list of participants (20, I believe), you can understand how the skaters must feel to make that grouping. They will all feel pressue and good luck to all of them.

Joe

 

[R.D.]

The Men's will be pretaped for a pseudo Live show.

What do you mean by this? The event won't really be live but they'll say it is??

 

[Frau Muller]

Of greatest interest to me:

Is there any chance that Michele will fail to make that top-six group, after SPs? Will advertisers & ABC -- to whom USFSA is beholden -- allow that to happen? Will an excellent performer be unfairly placed in 7th or 8th spot, beneath a so-so Michele (if Michele delivers a performance that is less than those girls bumped to 7th & 8th)?

It will be very interesting to see.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

If you know more, pray tell.

In the past the Men's Free Skate was early afternoon and taped for presentation just before the Ladies Free Skate. ABC is not about to give all that LIVE air time for figure skating.

This year in St. Louis, The Men's Free begins at 1pm. Given all the fluff and stuff it will probably end at 2pm or 2:30 the latest. The Ladies Free begins at 6pm. So for the hours of 3 to 6 pm there will be nothing in the way of skating. It would not be in the best interest of ABC to keep the network busy with figure skating from lpm to 8pm.

ABC could show the Bolshoi Ballet tape of Spartacus in the interim but they wont. More than likely ABC will revert to NASCAR or Golf in the interim until 6pm.
And just before 6pm Ladies, I think they will show the tape of Men's filmed during their schedule time of 1pm.

Heather may be correct on time but LIVE is another matter especially for Men's Free.

As to the Short Programs on ESPN2, Ladies SP could well be LIVE but again MENs will not be. Free Dance begins in the Arena at 7:30 pm so I do not think it will be LIVE according to Heather's schedule.

Anyway enjoy the telecasts.

Joe

 

[KwanFan1212]

The Men's LPs have been shown live on ABC in the early afternoon for the last few years. Its only been the final flight of guys but its definitely been live skating for at least the east coast viewers. I have no clue where you are getting your information but I have no reason to believe that they aren't doing this again this year. :frown2:

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

SF1212 - I'm going by my ticket which reads Mens Free 1pm. Looking at heather's schedule I read 4pm. (???)

My ticket of Ladies Free is 6pm. Heather's schedule I read 8pm (???)

Something doesn't jive here.

If one reads Heather's schedule: the Mens Free through the end of the Ladies Free (4pm - 11pm) Will ABC allow 7 hours of this? For one thing there will be a dinner break and what will ABC do during that period?

BTW. I think in the past Men's Free looked LIVE and it was taped LIVE but shown at a time to be coordinated with the actual Ladies LIVE.

Joe

 

[chuckm]

Don't forget that your tickets are in Central Time, Joesitz, and Heather's schedule in Eastern time. The men's competition starts at 2 Eastern time.

There are 17 men---3 flights, and a flight of skaters takes almost an hour, with a zamboni break before the final flight.

The typical ABC/ESPN move is to recap the SPs of the top 6 men before the live broadcast.

Discrepancy solved.

 

[Piel]

I think Kwan's FS will be shown no matter where she places because it will be figure skating news and lots of people will be interested in seeing her skate. I don't think the general TV audience really cares baout the final six concept.........Joe had to explain it to some of us, LOL. Besides, I think they always leave a little wriggle room to show a skate of interest or excellence that might not have made the final six. Also, I think it may depend on the quality of the skating. If it's a splatfest who would you rather see splat Kwan in eighth place or Corwin in sixth? Let's face it there are folks who have been waiting for years to see Kwan play Zamboni at Nationals.

 

[nicole_l]

Most years the Nationals schedule on ABC is 4-6 for Mens/Pairs and 8-11 for Ladies/Dance.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Don't forget that your tickets are in Central Time, Joesitz, and Heather's schedule in Eastern time. The men's competition starts at 2 Eastern time.

There are 17 men---3 flights, and a flight of skaters takes almost an hour, with a zamboni break before the final flight.

The typical ABC/ESPN move is to recap the SPs of the top 6 men before the live broadcast.

Discrepancy solved.

chuckm - You are correct! I thought of the time difference after I clicked reply but I had to take a hair cut so I just left it.

Your estimates of the 'flights' will be useful in calculating the timing. So it will be 4pm Eastern time before the last group of 6 men to skate. That is what Heather has for a LIVE showing. at 4pm (EST). That should be completed by 5pm (EST)

I presume between 5 pm and 7pm (EST) , A medal ceremony may be shown to cover the additional timing. ABC will give a run down of Pairs and the live audience will be go off to dinner.

Back at the arena the Ladies begin at 6pm (7pm EST). Since Heather's schedule shows them beginning at 8pm., ABC will have plenty of time for fluff or whatever to fill in that hour. (Maybe a medal ceremony of Dance and Pairs.)

I've never known ABC to show the complete Ladies event before. If this takes place, I think it will be a first.

Joe

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Most years the Nationals schedule on ABC is 4-6 for Mens/Pairs and 8-11 for Ladies/Dance.

But do you actually see ALL the lady contestants skate? It is 3 hours.

Piel - Your point about Kwan is well taken. Your dismissal of the general public's interest in figure skating is probably why the sport is heading downhill.

Joe

 

[mememe]

But do you actually see ALL the lady contestants skate? It is 3 hours.

Piel - Your point about Kwan is well taken. Your dismissal of the general public's interest in figure skating is probably why the sport is heading downhill.

Joe

In the past, the first hour or two of the Saturday evening show was spent showing taped pairs and/or dance SPs or LPs (or FDs), various features and flulff pieces and some taped ladies SPs (they'd usually show the "lower" ladies SPs on their Friday broadcast and save the "big-name" ladies for Saturday afternoon and evening -- if I'm recalling correctly). Whether they'd shown them or not before, they often do show two or three of the "top" ladies' SP on tape during that time.

Regardless of that, the "live ladies" competition has never been more than the final group, as far as I recall. They MAY have taped some of the earlier ones and thrown them in right before the warmup of the final group of ladies, or perhaps shown a couple of the next-to-last group live, but I don't remember much of that. I recall mostly it simply being the last group of ladies live.

 

[Tonichelle]

Let's face it there are folks who have been waiting for years to see Kwan play Zamboni at Nationals.

It certainly would be something NEW to see :sheesh: Though I agree if she basically just wiped out on everything they might not keep her in top 6, but she would get shown....

 

[Piel]

Piel - Your point about Kwan is well taken. Your dismissal of the general public's interest in figure skating is probably why the sport is heading downhill.

Joe

Joe, do you know my Mother? Last night she blamed my interest in WVU football as the reason the Sugar Bowl was shown instead of her usual programs....if only I had such power .

 

[gkelly]

In 1997 ABC showed the final two groups of ladies' long programs. I don't know if this had been planned all along or was decided after Nicole Bobek (who ended up having the second best long program of the night) placed 6th in the short program and drew to skate in the middle of the penultimate group.

(There were 20 ladies in the event after Sydne Vogel withdrew before the competition started. Under standard seeding rules, that meant 5 skaters in each group -- that was before the current made-for-ABC exceptions for US Nationals to ensure that the last group includes 6 skaters and now that the first to third ranked skaters after the short skate at the end of the group. Bobek was still in contention for a medal from sixth place, which she did end up earning -- there had also been an example just a week or two earlier in the men's event at Europeans of the sixth-place skater after the short winning gold.)

In 1998, with more interest in skating because it was an Olympic year, they showed the final two groups of both men and ladies.

I would not expect that many programs this year even if it is an Olympic year. If we do get that many, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[childfreegirl]

It certainly would be something NEW to see :sheesh: Though I agree if she basically just wiped out on everything they might not keep her in top 6, but she would get shown....

Yeah, it may well make national headlines: Kwan splats at Nationals. Record is not broken.

I'm definately looking forward to next week.

 

[R.D.]

I'd really be surprised if that happens. The errors Kwan tends to make are singling/doubling/popping jumps rather than falling on them (from what I've seen).

P.S. Are you guys just trying to tempt the "skate gods" with all this negativity?

 

[Piel]

P.S. Are you guys just trying to tempt the "skate gods" with all this negativity?

Too busy rounding up chickens to mess with the skate gods.

 

[R.D.]

Too busy rounding up chickens to mess with the skate gods.

:scratch:

 

[Piel]

:scratch:

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