Jump hype or soap opera: what can make the general public of the U.S. fall in love with figure skating again?

[Anna K.]

There was an awesome US comedy called Blades of Glory that equally condemned both jump hype and soap opera and made a verdict that stars of this clown sport should better seek redemption in teamwork... if such was realistically possible. I guess it means that there can be more suggestions than I mentioned in the title

Maybe all that is needed is the World Championships held in the US and gold medals won on the home soil?

I am not American, just a European who wonders how the US from the country that had the best developed pro skating industry evolved into a country where figure skating is a niche sport, so... You tell me!

 

[gmyers]

It’s amazing how much triple axel got into the public imagination with ito and Harding and how it lasted for decades or more to the extent that women’s event was “triple axel?”

 

[4everchan]

Jump hype ? It was done with Nathan who also was a charismatic and well-spoken athlete. If that wasn't enough, I doubt it will fly. There are a lot of factors that killed the industry of the sport in the US. Scandals, a scoring system that left some people cold (sorry to my American friends but it seems that some don't like numbers.... but prefer "order" and to me that is also seen with the refusal in the USA to go with the metric system, which is so much clearer to follow than the imperial system... (in Canada we are exposed to both so I vouch for the metric as much easier), but also economy, the fact that the amateur skaters can now make money so the pros lost a bit of their own niche etc... the price of everything.... there are so many factors... i am not sure drama is the key either... i think that the sport is niche in the US and will remain niche UNLESS they find a new Michelle Kwan. US fans were always all about the women nothing else.

 

[Cutting the ice]

After watching John Oliver's show (Last Week Tonight) this past Sunday where he focussed on the very disturbing trends in sports gambling in the USA, it appears gambling on outcomes is what necessary these days to get the "public" to actively watch a sport.

There is lots to gamble on for sure in figure skating right down to which judge will be most biased, but if that is what is necessary to increase viewership, perhaps we should be happy with the status quo. It is a sickeningly predatory tactic to make money from vulnerable, addicted individuals. Also, please no soap operas or engineered dramas. To me they ring false and can turn away more people than attract.

Focus more on getting an informed and engaged fan base. The observation that many of the pubic don't understand the sport, can't recognize a jump or how many times it has been rotated, it an important one. I recall from a few decades ago when watching televised figure skating that there would be 2 minute infomercials where a skater would demonstrate a jump or spin or move, and a commentator (usually a judge) would explain the move and how to know if it was done well. Do these still exist in network broadcasts? Sorry - don't have television anymore.

 

[Mathman]

I think that one reason why neither jump hype or soap opera on ice is big in the United States anymore is that, well, if you like soap operas there are soap operas -- why soap operas on ice? If you like to see people jumping, do you want them to be weighted down by heavy boots and to be further handicapped by taking off from a treacherous slick surface?

As for the movie Blades of Glory, I always tooked it as a spoof on auto racing. The centerpiece of the movie was the Iron Lotus, a pairs move which, if you did it wrong -- and everybody did it wrong -- the girl would end up decapitated. Sort of like formula one fans who like to see cars going round and round at 200 miles Ian hour in the hope that they might get to witness a fiery crash.

On a more serious note, though, I for one am not particularly dismayed at the prospect of figure skating becoming a niche sport. It is not necessary that everyone like what I like. I like the sport of kite flying. OK. You don't. OK.

To be blunt, I think that the answer to the question of "why"? is... no answer, really. Cultural drift. We are not our grandparents or our grandchildren. Back in the day -- way, way, way back -- skating on frozen ponds was a somewhat popular outdoor winter activity for many children. Not so much anymore (one reason being that there aren;t any frozen ponds any more, another that kids would rather play video games). The most popular game for boys a hunded years ago was marbles.

As for comparing North America to Europe, the sport used to be dominated by Alpine and Scandinavian countries. World War II put an end to that and opened the door for North Americans like Dick Button and Barbara Ann Scott to waltz in and win World and Olympic Championships -- not to mention the 1948 European Championship. Previously the ISU had not seen any need to prohibit North Americans from their premier event, no non-European was ever going to win anyway. Now, with Russia sidelined, attention has shifted to Japan and Korea. OK.

 

[midori green]

I doubt this is just a figure skating issue. Most sports come to the public awareness every four years during the Olympics. Skiing, bobsleigh/skeleton, luge, swimming, diving, gymnastics, speed skating, etc. People don't follow these sports in everyday life.

I agree that it's just a cultural shift. We can stream whatever we want, we aren't subject to watching what NBC decides to broadcast like before cable and in the early days of cable. We don't see Olympians as national heros. Changing scoring, hyping athletes, choosing "popular" music...none of that will really make a difference, in my opinion. Most Olympic sports are niche sports with a niche audience. More people watch when their friends and family let them know what's going on.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I doubt this is just a figure skating issue. Most sports come to the public awareness every four years during the Olympics. Skiing, bobsleigh/skeleton, luge, swimming, diving, gymnastics, speed skating, etc. People don't follow these sports in everyday life.

I agree that it's just a cultural shift. We can stream whatever we want, we aren't subject to watching what NBC decides to broadcast like before cable and in the early days of cable. We don't see Olympians as national heros. Changing scoring, hyping athletes, choosing "popular" music...none of that will really make a difference, in my opinion. Most Olympic sports are niche sports with a niche audience. More people watch when their friends and family let them know what's going on.

I don't know how to add links to two articles from today's CBC news website, but they were both about sports either wanting to grow more interest or struggling to maintain the public popularity they used to have. One is about an all-male synchro team in Newfoundland, Boys on Blades, and the other is about roller derby.

 

[4everchan]

Focus more on getting an informed and engaged fan base. The observation that many of the pubic don't understand the sport, can't recognize a jump or how many times it has been rotated, it an important one. I recall from a few decades ago when watching televised figure skating that there would be 2 minute infomercials where a skater would demonstrate a jump or spin or move, and a commentator (usually a judge) would explain the move and how to know if it was done well. Do these still exist in network broadcasts? Sorry - don't have television anymore.

that's exactly what got me hooked on the sport.. .saw a broadcast... the commentators were explaining all different jumps with their own mechanics... as a kid, i was mimicking the entries (my lutz was best LOL) in the playroom and got completely addicted to figure skating because i could recognize the moves.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Except for the years around the "whack" in 1994, I think figure skating has always been a niche sport in the USA. Sure, it's popular at the Olympics, but at other times it's practically a stepchild next to other American sports.

Why? A few more reasons added to what others have written. There's no active scoring like in American football, baseball, hockey etc. Also it's also an art form and judged and when people and fans obsess about costumes and music and stuffies being thrown on the ice afterwards it just loses something (a lot) as an athletic and competitive sport to the average person. Another reason is that for a long time the networks treated it frivolously, not showing the events live or even same day coverage but weeks later, presenting it as entertainment, not as a sport. Heck the announcers like Uncle Dick until fairly recently wore a tuxedo in their broadcasts. What other sport does that?
I'm not sure how to engage more fans to like and follow skating. It is what it is and those that like it will seek it out.

 

[Mathman]

Heck the announcers like Uncle Dick until fairly recently wore a tuxedo in their broadcasts. What other sport does that?

So true. You'll never catch the Monday Night Football announcers dressed like that. teahttps://hips.hearstapps.com/esq.h-c...day-night-football-abc-sports.jpg?resize=1200:

One is about an all-male synchro team in Newfoundland, Boys on Blades, and the other is about roller derby.

An interesting pairing, Boys on Blades and Girls on Wheels.

 

[el henry]

I think Uncle Dick wearing tuxedos brought more people to skating, not less.

If I want to see manly men doing manly things and flexing their muscles and everyone wearing jerseys, I'll sit in front of my TV all day every Sunday and sing "Fly Eagles Fly". Which I do Figure skating can't compete with that no matter how "sport sport sporting" it tries to be.

But what makes figure skating unique? the blades, the choreo, the presentation, the music, the jumps and the spins all together ... why in the world should that be toned down? Let figure skating be figure skating.

 

[4everchan]

I think Uncle Dick wearing tuxedos brought more people to skating, not less.

If I want to see manly men doing manly things and flexing their muscles and everyone wearing jerseys, I'll sit in front of my TV all day every Sunday and sing "Fly Eagles Fly". Which I do Figure skating can't compete with that no matter how "sport sport sporting" it tries to be.

But what makes figure skating unique? the blades, the choreo, the presentation, the music, the jumps and the spins all together ... why in the world should that be toned down? Let figure skating be figure skating.

Come on. Figure skaters are good looking.. and if I were to watch sports for bodies only, I'd go for divers

 

[dianahaler]

It's an interesting question. I've never skated, but I have always loved watching figure skating. Having said that, I think it has always been a niche sport in the US. Is that a problem? I don't know.

 

[dianahaler]

Nothing will. US general public is proudly flying the flag of unsophisticated values and tastes under glorious leadership. Figure skating doesn't fit in the roughnecks' life.

I mostly agree with your opinion. But until a couple years ago, I would have said that Americans had an "unsophisticated" view of women's gymnastics as well. After the strong stance that Simone Biles has taken re mental health issues - plus the vibrant and diverse US Olympic -gold-medal-winning team, I think that gymnastics is better known and appreciated in the US.

 

[taikwan]

Just my opinion...but. jump after jump etc etc is like doing hurdles. We loved skating in some major part due to the the beauty of the artistry. We all know that here but the powers that be don't so as they and other jock sports people keep wanting more dangers, more risk, more chance of injury to add to what they think is the "necessary excitement" for a sport to be a sport it becomes.....and it really does...monotonous. Every routine looks just like the one you just watched. And how many rotations are enough for people anyway?? I could watch Michelle Kwan (and did) and never ever was I bored. That goes for Toller Cranston too.

 

[dianahaler]

Just my opinion...but. jump after jump etc etc is like doing hurdles. We loved skating in some major part due to the the beauty of the artistry. We all know that here but the powers that be don't so as they and other jock sports people keep wanting more dangers, more risk, more chance of injury to add to what they think is the "necessary excitement" for a sport to be a sport it becomes.....and it really does...monotonous. Every routine looks just like the one you just watched. And how many rotations are enough for people anyway?? I could watch Michelle Kwan (and did) and never ever was I bored. That goes for Toller Cranston too.

I agree. Michelle was so wonderful. Nicole Bobek was amazing, when she was on.

 

[taikwan]

Re gymnastics and the difference Simone has made.....remembering......she had a season, an Olympics where AMERICANS condemned her for "wimping out" and who thought she should give back every medal she won. Yeah, that did happen. They may think they're educated but those who criticized her were totally clueless. We are so lucky she decided to return. I wouldn't have. I am a former gymnastics judge, coach, choreographer and judged at a relatively high level - an international meet, Big 10 championships and one of the floor exercises I choregraphed won a major championship. I've attended every gymnastics Olympic Trials since 2000. We were lucky to live in the time of Simone but there is (and probably always will be) so much ignorance in the audience and this same standard applies to skating. The audience couldn't tell you what jump requires takeoff from which leg or even one jump from another yet they pick pick pick skaters apart. So..I wouldn't rely on their expertise and thirst for more dangerous jumps with more rotations. That's a losing battle. Bring back the beauty!

 

[dianahaler]

Re gymnastics and the difference Simone has made.....remembering......she had a season, an Olympics where AMERICANS condemned her for "wimping out" and who thought she should give back every medal she won. Yeah, that did happen. They may think they're educated but those who criticized her were totally clueless. We are so lucky she decided to return. I wouldn't have. I am a former gymnastics judge, coach, choreographer and judged at a relatively high level - an international meet, Big 10 championships and one of the floor exercises I choregraphed won a major championship. I've attended every gymnastics Olympic Trials since 2000. We were lucky to live in the time of Simone but there is (and probably always will be) so much ignorance in the audience and this same standard applies to skating. The audience couldn't tell you what jump requires takeoff from which leg or even one jump from another yet they pick pick pick skaters apart. So..I wouldn't rely on their expertise and thirst for more dangerous jumps with more rotations. That's a losing battle. Bring back the beauty!

Yes

 

[dianahaler]

Re gymnastics and the difference Simone has made.....remembering......she had a season, an Olympics where AMERICANS condemned her for "wimping out" and who thought she should give back every medal she won. Yeah, that did happen. They may think they're educated but those who criticized her were totally clueless. We are so lucky she decided to return. I wouldn't have. I am a former gymnastics judge, coach, choreographer and judged at a relatively high level - an international meet, Big 10 championships and one of the floor exercises I choregraphed won a major championship. I've attended every gymnastics Olympic Trials since 2000. We were lucky to live in the time of Simone but there is (and probably always will be) so much ignorance in the audience and this same standard applies to skating. The audience couldn't tell you what jump requires takeoff from which leg or even one jump from another yet they pick pick pick skaters apart. So..I wouldn't rely on their expertise and thirst for more dangerous jumps with more rotations. That's a losing battle. Bring back the beauty!

Simone was so strong to defy the critics and return to the Olympics.

 

[TallyT]

Ari Z has some err, interesting ideas... including boutiques, multi-team events involving people who either don't skate anymore or the ISU can't afford, penalising venues for low turnout (thus ensuring no venues even apply to hold events), and bringing back his red carpet proposal for his Awards...

Ari Zakarian: “Ilia Malinin is the first skater to arrive at competitions not in sportswear but in an elegant style — he wears dress shoes and a coat.”

Interview with sports agent Ari Zakarian.

fs-gossips.com

Oh well, at least I got a good laugh or two.