How much interest can Alysa Liu revive in figure skating in the US? | Page 29 | Golden Skate

How much interest can Alysa Liu revive in figure skating in the US?

Remilia said:
Alysa alone can only do so much to increase the popularity of the sport :shrug: most people will have moved on by next week. And most of the interest is on Alysa herself and her unique personality, not the actual sport.I guarantee you, 99% of the people who followed her on insta will not be tuning into comps or buying tickets. And on that note, it will be very hard for the sport to gain popularity in the USA until the music right issue is sorted. What's the point of Peacock streaming comps when they only stay up for a few days? Not to mention videos being posted on yt only to then be deleted after amassing millions of views :palmf:

USFS also, just in general, needs to do a better job at promoting the sport and making sure casuals know when competitions will be airing on tv. Honestly, I think it would help a lot if there was a channel/streaming service dedicated to figure skating, like tennis channel, but I don't think there are enough competitions in a year for that.

All that said, regardless of whether Alysa revives the sport in the USA, she herself should be set for life with all the sponsorships and social media followers she'll have gained from this.
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The sport has to be seen to be appreciated, followed, create new fans. TV coverage is NOT all over the place. You have to WANT to find skating coverage and become a sleuth to be successful. That wasn't the case in the heyday of skating coverage = popularity. Wide World of Sports of ABC, ESPN focus etc - we're all being deprived because they aren't what they used to be. Change in ownership/leadership etc and sometimes by people who don't give a rip about sports but only focus on the numbers and the profits. Freaking capitalism isn't the gold at the end of the rainbow after all but reveals the selfish nature of people. Bah humbug. Miss you Dick Button and also Peggy Fleming. He caught everything, she gave attention to the artistry. Speaking of.... the jumps. The focus of the jumps. Now everyone has to devote the majority of their time becoming gymnasts at the expense of what makes your heart soar when you see Michelle Kwan and Lyra Angelica together.
 
I think that many more people are aware of figure skating now because of Alysa and the high profile appearances she's been making. Whoever is managing her is doing a great job. Will it last? Only time will tell and to project otherwise is kind of pointless. Wait and see.
 
NanaPat said:
Stars on Ice ticket sales would be a good initial indication of whether interest in Alysa is going to translate into support for figure skating as a whole.
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Stars on Ice is (nearly?) over, and Alysa has done her magic. There was a noticeable difference between interest and attention in the US and in Canada. Reports also seem to indicate that show attendees are enthusiastic about all the skaters, which is a good sign.

The next test will be when the Grand Prix assignments come out. I expect Alysa will be at Skate America, and hope Ilia will be as well. Will we see a surge in ticket sales for SA when the participants are announced? I certainly hope so! If USFS is smart, they will do two waves of publicity for SA: one when the skaters are announced and one when sales for the individual sessions go on sale.
 
Anna K. said:
The Marketplace: "Figure skating is having its biggest moment in decades. Will it last?"

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Yep. I came here to post the same article. As usual, the approach is, 'Wow, there's increased interest in figure skating... Oh boy! Will it last?' Instead of having good leadership prepared to capitalize on renewed interest post-Olympics, and leadership that knows how to promote the sport and all of the skaters, not just the top stars.

For sure, Alysa has a lot to do with the recent renewed interest, but other skaters have sparked the appeal, as well. Of course, Alysa, due to her edgy style, talent, and personality has hit the Zeitgeist cultural icon jackpot. But, at this stage, we do not even know if she will return next season. Same for Ilia. We know Yuma is taking a break and Kaori is retired. The huge interest in Alysa is mainly going to benefit her, IMO. For current interest in the sport to last, other measures must be taken, including understanding what the sport is about; and understanding how to explain what makes it special to new viewers. In addition, effectively resolve the music rights issue by reaching out to music artists and advocating for their support and mutually beneficial collabs. Relaunch a sustainable pro tour which will benefit retired athletes, as well as eligible skaters in ISU competition.

Also, it's important to develop a better, fan-friendly, effectively curated presence on YouTube, with efforts to educate fans about all aspects of the sport's history, and about the stories and personalities of many different skaters. There are a ton of storylines of great, lasting, and inspirational interest. The sport, as presently set up, is vastly ineffective in promoting the athletes and the sport. Opportunities for athlete growth are extremely limited. Figure skating requires better leadership first of all, and creative attention to challenges, as well as finding bold and new ways to promote and sustain interest. The 'every four years, maybe (a few of us) can cash-in' mentality needs to change.
 
Sometimes it's all about personality. Adam Rippon did not win gold, but he got a lot of press and attention in 2018. But he retired. Alysa is a breath of fresh air in skating. She doesn't really care about the medals, she just wants to skate her best and hope that it makes the audience happy. She's not afraid to be unabashedly herself. She genuinely likes the other skaters. She loves being out on the ice. She wants people to come and see her all the other skaters. She's outgoing, fun, occasionally dropping word bombs that no other skater would dare to drop. She brought thousands of people into the arenas for SOI. And people who never saw skating live before discovered Jason and Amber and Isabeau and all the other great skaters on that tour. But to keep the momentum going, there has to be more broadcast access so that people stay interested. Alysa can't do it on her own and neither can the other skaters. NBC grudgingly covers skating only because it tends to be the marquee event in the winter Olympics. I don't know if they are perceptive enough to realize what has happened. A lot will depend on them. If they are smart, they'll show more competitions and more ice shows. We'll see. Alysa opened the door. The gold medal made it extra special. Winning gold in Women's skating is what this country wants. She did it. And it's been a long time since any American skater did.
 
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