Life after Kwan?

[SeaniBu]

How will the Majority of spectators survive.

Will her "Diva" status will always Stand?

Now will the community loose a fan base or will the world expand?

There is a LOT of new talent, as well as the overlooked by the "media majority." Who can stand beside MK.

I hope this wasn't out already - see edit reason.:indiff:

 

[hockeyfan228]

Unless she is injured irreparably, I don't think we've reached Life After Kwan. I think she will continue to be a headliner for Champions on Ice until the next Olympic champion is crowned, and she might possibly do audience-judged cheezefests. For those who work for her corporate sponsors, especially in Marketing, I could imagine they'd see her at special events.

I suspect that by 2008, the USFS will try to have her do color commentary and post-skate interviews and to make guest appearances at rinks as an ambassador, and possibly to skate at major benefits or to do the introductions.

In the best of all possible worlds for me, all of the recently retired or on-the-fence skaters will give up the idea of skating in Vancouver and will participate in a rejuvinated pro circuit.

 

[Ileana]

I don't think her time is over yet. I can see her going at it for a few more years.

 

[R.D.]

I think we need to wait for an official retirement plan from kwan before speculation begins. However, life will go on- Many of her fans will go with her but I think skating will survive without her. If she goes pro she could very well host her own successful show. She's still well known and will continue to be successful.

 

[flying camel]

We still have Kimmie!

 

[SK8LUVR]

Kimmie is No Michele Kwan!

 

[nymkfan51]

Certainly life and skating will go on without Michelle ... times moves on as they say.
I do, however, believe that we will not see the likes of what she has given us for a very long time, if ever. Michelle was never really the best at jumps or spins, etc. ... but there was a magic to her when she took the ice that I have not seen from anyone else. I realize this is just my opinion (so as not to annoy anyone else), but clearly she has had an effect on audiences that few others have.
The sport is also going in different directions now, so it's hard to know how this will affect future skaters. I just feel that Michelle has made a clear and distinct place for herself in figure skating history, and no additional medals will ever change that. I would love for her to compete another year, but if not, I just hope we get to see her skate in some compacity besides COI. And I would love for her to remain involved with the sport for many years to come. There wouldn't be a better ambassador for skating, IMO.

 

[#1Kerryfan]

Like everythin, life will go on.

 

[MKFSfan]

I agree with Red Dog-until we get official notice that Michelle is retiring from skating alltogether, it's kind of hard to speculate life without Kwan. I believe that even when Michelle retires from eligible skating, she will be fixated in skating in some way, whether it's to replace Peggy as a commentator, or help revive pro-skating (as much as I would love this, I think it's doubtful). And I would think she would tour with COI for as long as she can.

This is coming from a huge Michelle fan...I know life will go on without Michelle. There will be other stars, but I doubt we'll see another star like Michelle. She has longetivity on her side, she was at the top of her sport for over a decade. That's pretty unusual and now with COP, will be even more rare. SO, in my opinon Michelle is a legend and will be remembered 50 years from now!

 

[attyfan]

I think it is dangerous to focus on Michelle while skating is in such a state of flux. What I mean is that Oly eligible skating will go on, but it might be televised less frequently (especially in the US), not (necessarily) because Michelle's retirement will reduce spectators, but because audiences might not like the CoP making skaters do programs that are so similar to each other. Similarly, pro skating will go on, and I don't think that Michelle can revive it by herself, but if she goes pro -- and Irina and Evgeni both go pro -- then a renewal of the classic rivalries "Yags v. Plush" and "MK v. IS" could help it a lot.

 

[Mathman]

Interest in figure skating seems to be on the decline everywhere and by every measure. In the U.S. the sport has all but vanished from major network television. Sasha complains in her latest interview that figure skating audiences are so small that she wants to go into movies instead.

If Michelle retires from competition, I think this decline will accelerate. Then Michelle fans (like me) will say, "See? Without Michelle, skating is kaput."

Indeed, I think Michelle -- bailing like crazy -- has done a yeoman's job of keeping the figure skating boat afloat for the last few years.

However, I think there are spare times ahead, with or without Michelle and whether or not some new skater eventually comes along to capture our attention.

The winter Olympics are fading away, fast being taken over by youth sports like snowboarding. The competition for the entertainment dollar is becoming more and more fierce. The big sporting events, like the Super Bowl and March Madness, are huge, because what we really, really like is large fellows talking trash to each other . (I blame Muhammed Ali, the first modern trash-talker -- and still The Greatest -- not counting guys like Achilles and Beowulf.)

Well, nothing is forever. I don't think we will ever see another athlete who touched our hearts the way Michelle has.

Mathman

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Of course there will be life after Kwan... the question is: what will be the quality of life after Kwan? The future looks bleak...

 

[MKFSfan]

I thought this article was appropriate in this thread! It's Worlds time, and yet we get this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/columns/story?id=2379710

 

[Mathman]

Thanks for the link, MKFSfan. That was a poignant article. What will they write about, indeed?

 

[R.D.]

interesting article. The attention is always on her no matter what- so true.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Great article! Thanks for the link...

In keeping with the theme of the article, has anyone noticed less board traffic & snarking since Michelle left Italy (of course Evan obsessions aside... ) If the skating die-hards aren't raving like the crazy people we are, then what about the general / casual public? Its not reasonable to say that without Michelle skating will die, but what type of future are we looking at? I

'd love to see a resurrgance in pro skating but my fear with that has to do with the headliners have all skated so much longer on the comptitive level, than those that came before that I wonder if a pro career, outside of the annual holiday special, holds any appeal, espcially since most seem to have other interests they want to pursue...

What the heck will this sport look like in five years? Who will capture our imagination or will skating become the modern curling?

 

[R.D.]

not really...it seems as active as ever...and on FSU they're still getting 600+ hits during Worlds events...

 

[Mathman]

Still...articles like this raise the question, what do we really like, figure skating or Michelle Kwan?

Here "we" means the people who watch skating events on TV and who attend competitions and shows like COI. To what extent is this sport personality driven?

TV advertising types tell us that when Tiger Woods plays on Sunday, the television audience for a golf tournament is four times what it is when Tiger is not in the hunt. In other words, there are three times as many people who like Tiger Woods as there are who like golf.

 

[R.D.]

Good question. But here's something interesting- the ratings for Nats held fairly steady in 06 when Kwan wasn't there than in 05 when she won her 9th title. Maybe it might be different since it was an Olympic year but football was on as well, so that's where most of the viewers were anyway. Interesting since next year the Nats are scheduled for the off-week between the conference champs and the SB.

 

[Doggygirl]

In keeping with the theme of the article, has anyone noticed less board traffic & snarking since Michelle left Italy (of course Evan obsessions aside... ) If the skating die-hards aren't raving like the crazy people we are, then what about the general / casual public? Its not reasonable to say that without Michelle skating will die, but what type of future are we looking at? I

Coming out of lurkdom because I have always loved this board, I've made many e-friends here, and I care about "die hard FS fan" level of information sharing on the internet.

I find this thread very interesting. I think a few points might be "lumped together" that might deserve separate treatment. The article linked above addresses the well deserved media "spot light" that has been Michelle Kwan. It seems to muse (in a "sky is falling" sort of way) about who the heck journalists will write about in the future, etc. In addition to media (news) issues, there are commercial issues with low tickets sales at shows and events (see cancelled COI stops, etc). There are major issues with declining TV viewership and subsequent coverage (primarily all cable now). I think these issues fall into a broad category of figure skating "general / casual" fandom and commercial broad based marketing. And they are legitimate points in terms of the commercial future of the sport.

However, I believe FS will continue to have a "die hard" fan base (often mentioned, rarely defined), regardless of the ups and downs of the commercial side of things, and regardless of which specific skaters are at the beginning or twilight stages of their competitive careers. Kwanford Wife noted that GS board traffic has been down since Michelle withdrew from the Olys. From my own general observations, I would agree that GS board traffic semms to be lower than I would have expected for a peak Oly competition and subsequent Worlds.

I do not agree that demand from "die hard FS fans" for general (non-skater specific) internet discussion boards is in decline. In fact, I believe that as TV has become more fractured (more channels fighting for X many viewers), and our culture and times move on, the internet has become a far MORE important resource for "die hard fans" of FS, as well as other niche sports and interests. That's just the way the world is moving.

I hope that the owner, moderators and membership of Goldenskate will consider the future of Goldenskate, and how to keep the board thriving. (and let the USFSA, Tom Collins, Speedy, etc. worry about how to keep the commercial end of the sport thriving).

As just one example, there were 51 members + guests logged into Goldenskate tonight at around 9PM CST for the finale of the Men's LP. At that same time, there were 630 members + guests logged into FSU. Last I checked there were 922 posts and 32,351 views in the main Men's LP discussion thread in the "World's" section of FSU. At that same time, there were 33 posts and 356 views in the Men's LP thread in the World's section of Goldenskate. Observations during the Olymics, and for Worlds events this week have been similar. Observations between these events (when no events are taking place live) have reflected only slightly less dramatic differences. I also am aware that many, if not most of us are members of both forums. I suppose this is my very long winded way of saying I DON'T think die hard fandom is down (Kwan related or not) as there is seemingly lively internet traffic in other places.

What do GS members want THIS small niche of FS fandom to be??

I became an active member on this board "back when" because I love figure skating, and I discovered internet discussion boards for sharing fun, etc. (yes, I was late to the party!) Goldenskate was the board I found that was comfortable, welcoming, and not an individual fan board. I stopped posting prior to the Oly's for reasons you can find in the "Feedback Section." It's no big deal - it was just my feedback, and this (and that) thread is just my opinion. Most people come and go from discussion boards without giving any feedback at all. (just like most customers in ANY business). I miss many friends I've made here, and I do care about the future of this board.

I posted this because I get a sense that some members think GS has little future due to the casual fan / commercial concerns. I don't think the die hard fans are stopping their fandom, and they are obviously seeking internet resources. It just doesn't appear that Goldenskate is being chosen right now. So... those who care will either try to figure out why these stats are the way they are, and what GS really wants to be, and how to move in new directions ....or.... blame the down trends on Kwan and/or the declining "casual" FS fan base, and/or the USFSA/TV/Media/ISU/NJS, or whatever.

I would sure love to see GS revitalize.

Hello to my friends and thanks for listening! I hope you are all enjoying the World Championships as much as I am. Boring Post Oly World Championships????? NOT!!!!

DG