- Joined
- Jan 17, 2014
This is the “chicken or the egg” question and I don’t know the answer. Would bringing international stars help popularity? I really don’t know, because I truly believe that most Americans in the market for SOI would not be any more impressed by bringing in Yuzu than bringing in Vincent. And I say this as someone who would much, much much rather see Yuzu.
I saw international stars in what I swore was Champions on Ice, but now have no idea, in the 80s. Torvill & Dean were the headliners. But T&D were already famous in the US, on national news, and not just for a few seconds, to the extent that I am sorry to say Alina, Yuzu, Tessa & Scott and Aljona & Bruno on their best day combined do not have one tenth the recognition.
I think the recognition comes first, but that is just IMHO.
I might agree with you that Hamilton, Rippon and Eldredge attract more crowds in the US than Evgenia, Alina, Kaetlyn or Yuzuru. You don't target devoted FS fans, but casual people who want to see with their own eyes skaters they already know from mainstream media. And because Rippon has been trying to make lots of noise on media recently, he may bring some casual crowds who want to see a "celebrity" they just saw on TV. Those people don't give rat's a** about Zagitova, Miyahara or Savchenko. Most Americans don't give rat's a** about people whose names they cannot pronounce. That's the sad nature of it. Medvedeva? Who is "Djejeva"?
So while agreeing with you I am also venting my frustration over this reality.