Little interest in Skate America

[fourclover]

Is it because of the economy? The stockmarket is tanking. I'm sure few people have the resources to make it to the actual event. I thought Skate America was supposed to be the most competitive for the Ladies and yet... SO QUIET..

 

[Mathman]

It will be interesting to see if the local people in Everett, Washington, will turn out in sufficient numbers to make the event a financial success.

This might also give a hint as to the prospects for 2010 U.S. nationals in Spokane. The way the event was arrangred for television means that not so many people will be traveling to see it, so again it will be up to the locals to make sure the skaters are not performing to an empty house.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

For Everett, I am anxious to read the TV ratings for the event.

For LA, it is a city(?) and a glimpse of Southern California which may draw a crowd.for tourism as well. And no sloshing around in snow for a change. NBC should make this a high rated TV special so that they can get big bucks from their sponsors' ads in Vancouver.

The Olys will go on as it has since NBC took over. I don't think they will tinker with who gets the prime time showing.

2010 Spokane is a wait and see. If there is enough expendable income going around, maybe the divided Senior Division will work. But is there a network that wants it after the Olys??? Then again, maybe it will revert to the normal schedules. Who knows?

 

[eliza88]

It says on the 2008 Skate America site that they are close to breaking the all-time Skate America attendence record!!

I am chomping at the bit for this thing to get started...checking daily for injury updates and HOPING there are none! I can't wait to be there! If I have computer access I will try to give some kind of updates...

eliza88

 

[dorispulaski]

This has got to be one of the best ice dance fields for a Grand Prix event ever!!!



This is even better that Worlds in some ways, since S&B and S&G probably won't both get to go to Worlds. The only team in this group that I'm not crazy about at one level or another is Fraser/Lukanin.

1 Kristin FRASER / Igor LUKANIN AZE 1
2 Allie HANN-McCURDY / Michael CORENO CAN 2
3 Pernelle CARRON / Mathieu JOST FRA 3
4 Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER FRA 3
5 Sinead KERR / John KERR GBR 4
6 Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS LTU 5
7 Ekaterina RUBLEVA / Ivan SHEFER RUS 6
8 Tanith BELBIN / Benjamin AGOSTO USA 7
9 Emily SAMUELSON / Evan BATES USA 7
10 Jane SUMMERSETT / Todd GILLES USA 7

 

[lcd]

Hosting in small markets where there's little/no competition seems the sweet spot for skating events, especially in this economy.

I think ticket prices for LA Worlds are absurd... when I asked about individual event, as opposed to all-event tickets, over the summer, the 'sales agent' got all snooty and suggested there might not be any tickets left! Right... in this economy.... and in a "town" with so many entertainment options like LA? Puleeze...

And I agree with DorisP... quite a few very strong fields... dance and ladies especially IMO, so will be very exciting (though won't be there in person...)

 

[Tonichelle]

Wish I could go, but it's just not feesable for this college student

then there's worlds... I agree the ticket prices are WAY TOO HIGH. I refuse to even consider going. The one thing that Worlds has going for it is it's in an area that has a lot of family friendly fun as well as adult fun so you get a whole lot of everybody that oculd be willing to go. downside is no one can afford the tickets.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Some fans are already booked through Group Sales. They are basically paid. I do not think any money will be returned, so they will SA and Worlds.

I skipped SA because it's a big travel trip. Since I have IceNetwork, it wont be a total loss, and Doris is correct, the dance discipline will be something else as will the Ladies, the Men, and the Pairs. Truly the best SA as far as I know.

Cleveland and LA Worlds, I will be with the same Group as ususal. Can not cancel but the Market is dinging me moneywise.

Hope all you LIVE viewers are ok.

 

[Binthere]

Assuming one already sunk their $ into tickets, I guess people going will have to find ways to save here/there... more walking to the arena, fewer taxis. More smuggling in sandwiches... fewer $5 arena drinks. Should be hilarious, I mean interesting. If I turn my lunch cooler bag into my purse do you think the security guys will bust me?

 

[Jhar55]

Smuggle? Now we all know no one would smuggle in food, drinks, snacks into the arena
Best place to hide thing is at the bottom of your bag under alll your stuff. Once I hid mine in a klennex package and yes left few in the package or if your jacket has enough pockets. Guess if your blanket is folded and some now come with little strap ties would be a good place don't think they will have you unroll it.
But heck with the arena food so expensive you do what you have to.
Maybe some others should give hints as to where you hide um I mean don't hide your food / drinks / snacks. :agree:

 

[jp1andonly]

just bought tickets today...Am from Canada, so the exchange was a little lower than I would have like because of the economics, but will still spend a bit on my weekend

Is it because of the economy? The stockmarket is tanking. I'm sure few people have the resources to make it to the actual event. I thought Skate America was supposed to be the most competitive for the Ladies and yet... SO QUIET..

 

[sillylionlove]

I agree. Could not go to Skate America this year due to the cost. Same for the worlds, although I would love, but the price it just outrageous. I am hoping that Skate America will not be on the west coast next year and I can save my money and go next year....since 2009 Skate America will be during the Olympic year.

 

[Dodhiyel]

Quiet? Yes.....

Ice Network makes the visuals available only if you can pay online, which means putting a credit card number online, which I do not do, because I do not believe any assurances by anyone of online security. This means I shall not be able to see any of it. Perhaps USFS will find this new institution highly remunerative, but I think the lack of televised or free online streaming of major skating events will make a large part of the public lose interest in how things turn out. Figure Skating started out as just for the favored few, and perhaps it is coming full circle.

The ISU entries/results site for Skate America does not even list the state yet. It just says "Everett, USA". I hope that will be corrected, but I am losing faith more and more in both ISU and USFS. I should like at least to be able to gain access to the results online, although I shall never get to see the actual skating, so I hope they come through on that front.

This is the end of an era. Rarifying the availability of a sport does not popularize it; quite the contrary; it shrinks it.

 

[Tesla]

Quiet? Yes.....

Ice Network makes the visuals available only if you can pay online, which means putting a credit card number online, which I do not do, because I do not believe any assurances by anyone of online security. This means I shall not be able to see any of it. Perhaps USFS will find this new institution highly remunerative, but I think the lack of televised or free online streaming of major skating events will make a large part of the public lose interest in how things turn out. Figure Skating started out as just for the favored few, and perhaps it is coming full circle.

The ISU entries/results site for Skate America does not even list the state yet. It just says "Everett, USA". I hope that will be corrected, but I am losing faith more and more in both ISU and USFS. I should like at least to be able to gain access to the results online, although I shall never get to see the actual skating, so I hope they come through on that front.

This is the end of an era. Rarifying the availability of a sport does not popularize it; quite the contrary; it shrinks it.

I agree! I don't have nor do I want to shell out $30 to watch figure skating online. I'd much prefer to watch free streaming video even if there are a ton of ads. I hate this having to pay to watch a sport you like. You don't see that for any other sport. At least not one as well known as figure skating.

 

[Tonichelle]

NFL and NHL both have pay per view networks on TV for the diehards, this is no different.

 

[skatergirlaj]

NFL and NHL both have pay per view networks on TV for the diehards, this is no different.

Yes it is quite different.NFL and NHL make games available on regular TV for FREE,it's not all pay per view.
In these hard economic times where people are struggling to make ends meet and people are loosing their homes, it is ludicrous for USFS/Ice Network to expect skate fans to shell out $30 to watch skating instead of buying a meal or two or putting gas in their cars or buy clothes for their kids,I could buy 7 shirt/pant outfits for my kids for $30...They have just made skating a luxury item.And in these times for most people..luxury items...get cut. I am not going to pay to watch skating online or pay for a 'special' channel with no commentary,yes commentary is annoying but atleast we got to see the event. I believe it a bad business move on the part of USFS,I remember when they were discussing it at Governing Council back in 2005,I thought it was a bad idea then and I still do.They will not gain business or make money they will loose money and fans.Out of sight,out of mind.Some people may for awhile try to find the results online but will probably give up in the long run.And it's totally wrong not to show anything but American events...come 'on! Some of the most important skating events don't happen here,they happen over seas.That's where most of the excitement of the sport is.That's what the mature figure skating fan wants to see,all of it not just Americans. It's a bad idea and sorry I'm not giving them my money.

 

[Blades of Passion]

It says on the 2008 Skate America site that they are close to breaking the all-time Skate America attendence record!!

They actually did end up breaking it.

I have no idea how that happened. During Kwan's height, wouldn't Skate America have been sold out or very close to it???

 

[Skatehappy]

Ticket Sales Set New Record

Everett's newspaper reports that 29,477 tickets were sold. This is a new record, breaking the previous record of 28,664 set in Spokane in 2002.

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20...kate.America.in.Everett.everything.fans.hoped

 

[Mathman]

Here is a different perspective from the same newspaper. Event organizers often come up with creative ways to count ticket sales and attendance.

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/olympics/2008/10/26/did_everett_set_attendance_record_probab

During Kwan's height, wouldn't Skate America have been sold out or very close to it???

I couldn't find any attendance figures, but Michelle won Skate America 1n 1995 (the first year it was part of the Grand Prix) 96, 97, 99, 2000, 01 and 02. The 02 SA was the one in Spokane that set the all-time record.

From 1995 to 2001, three of the Skate America's were in Detroit and three were in Colorado Springs. The Detroit ones were very well attended, I believe. They were held in Cobo Hall -- a facility with huge capacity., so it would have been a pretty big gate even if there were a lot of empty seats.

 

[jyshin]

I watched the replay of lady's finals of SA on SBS and noticed the camera captured a hanging flag from the audience with a cartoonish animal smiling in it (looked like a red wolf..dah). It said in Korean "The Wild Dogs are Here." Later, I found out over the internet that Yuna's fans have been calling themselves the Wild Dogs pronounced in Korean "Seung-Nyang-E".

Then, I started to think to myself that the 2008 GPF in Korea might break some sort of ticket sales record.
My only experience going to a sports event in Korea was at the baseball games and I never had so much fun sitting in audience cheering for the players. There is a unique crowd culture that is just amazing to be in especially when it is channeled towards positive direction... It is creative, organized, embracing, Ah... no shyness or what-so-ever by calling themselves with crazy nicknames ...

This morning, I read in the news paper that the TV rating of the SA replay surpassed the rating of the Korean Series (equivalent to the Worlds Series in US). If people here are watching figure skating more than the final match of baseball game, BTW which is facing its Golden Age after the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics... I can only imagine that the GPF will have a heck of an audience.

In the past years, there was no one to share my interest in figure skating in Korea. Now the story is totally different. It is astonishing to experience what Yuna has done for the sports in her own country.