The future of figure skating - your vision

[icewhite]

Like the title says - what's your vision of figure skating? What would it look like if you could just decide? Would you change the scoring system, the costume rules, the available time... Would you go new ways of promotion or broadcasting... implant a completely new system where feds have less influence...?
Now this is not supposed to be about genetically enhanced skaters with wings, but if you did not think about the reality of sports politics too much, how would you like it?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Artistry and the ability to be more openly creative and get credit for it. Not just 9000 jumps a program and boredom (especially in singles).

 

[Mathman]

To tell the truth, I am pretty happy with figure skating just as it is. The scoring system is OK, the costumes are OK, program lengths are OK. The ISU is trying to promote the sport as best it can. while facing headwimds beyond its control. I do not think that the sport would be any better or any worse if the national federations had more power or less power vis-a-vis the central ISU authority.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

We don't have to consider reality right? OK, here goes my random wishlist, some more wild than others

-More rinks in under-served regions like Oceania, South East Asia, Africa, Central and South America. (By the way, I'd be interested to know how the running costs/carbon footprint of rinks compare to other specialised athletic facilities...)

-Widespread availability of good fitters and equipment options so that less skaters suffer from avoidable skate-induced injuries.

-Figure skating overtaking hockey as the preferred ice sport for young boys (bonus: corresponding increase in popularity of women's hockey)

-Patterns with keypoints back in the short/rhythm dance.

-World peace and clean sport like Mathman said.

-Lord of the Rings becoming the next skating warhorse.

-Footage of all major ISU competitions being available freely worldwide without the need for a VPN (a possible compromise: charge for livestreams but make replays free after a day's delay?)

 

[moonvine]

A woman skater can skate to 30 years old and beyond without folks making a big deal of it.

 

[Diana Delafield]

A woman skater can skate to 30 years old and beyond without folks making a big deal of it.

I like that one . I know you mean big-time competitively, but I'm still doing a hybrid of dance and basic pairs with a partner who's a former pairs competitor like me, and I haven't seen 30 in a very long time. Although I admit we still marry young in my family, I have an oldest grandkid who just turned 29 (and she and her husband skate together in adult competitions; we've been known to lend each other skating dresses when needed.) My partner and I don't draw crowds of amazed spectators at the rink we use. Not because of our ages, anyway . If I have any idols in skating these days, it's Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding.

 

[rabidline]

Since I love to see more skating to the music in singles, I would love it if in the free skate, 1-2 jump passes are reduced and bring in 1 more step sequence so we have 2 step sequences in the free. So skaters can still get advantage if they can do harder jumps and jump combos but also there are more skating. For me to watch. (Because this is about me of course /jk).

PS. Oh! also spins and steps being valued higher, and more equal in comparison to jumps. So spins and steps have more weight in the total base value compared to what we have currently.

 

[Mathematician]

Significantly more variety and creativity in music

No more Rach 2, let me see a skate to the 6th musical moment

 

[ladyjane]

-Footage of all major ISU competitions being available freely worldwide without the need for a VPN (a possible compromise: charge for livestreams but make replays free after a day's delay?)

This!

 

[gsk8]

Like the title says - what's your vision of figure skating? What would it look like if you could just decide? Would you change the scoring system, the costume rules, the available time... Would you go new ways of promotion or broadcasting... implant a completely new system where feds have less influence...?
Now this is not supposed to be about genetically enhanced skaters with wings, but if you did not think about the reality of sports politics too much, how would you like it?

Actually, we have a podcast coming in the future by Ted and Mark on "Rules through Time" and other topics about the possibility of using AI for elements.

If I have any idols in skating these days, it's Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding.

They are such great people! Remember the "1492" routine? Here is Frank lifting me while Anita shouts, "Use your core, use your core!"

Of course, this was nearly 25 years ago...

 

[el henry]

Actually, we have a podcast coming in the future by Ted and Mark on "Rules through Time" and other topics about the possibility of using AI for elements.


....

I am loving the fact that Ted and Mark are doing these podcasts, it will be great to hear their takes.

Combining what posters have said before, in my vision, Ted and Mark are commentating on senior GP events and Worlds, and the streaming is free, live and has replays. Available in all countries.

A gal can dream.

 

[Mathman]

They are such great people! Remember the "1492" routine? Here is Frank lifting me while Anita shouts, "Use your core, use your core!"

 

[lariko]

Like the title says - what's your vision of figure skating? What would it look like if you could just decide? Would you change the scoring system, the costume rules, the available time... Would you go new ways of promotion or broadcasting... implant a completely new system where feds have less influence...?
Now this is not supposed to be about genetically enhanced skaters with wings, but if you did not think about the reality of sports politics too much, how would you like it?

Rewind back a few years to make sure TES determines the standings with PCS serving as secondary criteria to refine it.

Train AI to score GOE and PCS as much as possible (ice coverage, UR, edges, speed, height, span etc)

Make costuming optional and promote safe, comfortable athletic attire for women that they can actually wash

Add jumping tournament as the international competition taking place every second year alternating with teams

Add teams event in JGP/GPF the same way it was done in Junior Olympics (i.e. not dependent on country)

Increase BV of the 4A and quads in pair elements

Replace dance and pairs with a mixed duos discipline open to any combination of partners with elements of each sport represented

Increase the prestige of Junior titles

Do not ban anyone from participating in junior competitions based on politics ever and raise minimum Junior to 15 years

Increase rates of testing for banned substances

Medicals prior to competition to ensure higher safety/wellbeing of the athletes

Stop performances after 3 falls with a WD from Junior level onward

Scoring the same between men and women

Abolish EU and 4CC, and instead promote Challengers that take place in as many countries as possible with its own final for top 12
scorers in the second half of the season.

Country maximums to only be preserved for Worlds

Further raise technical minimums for Worlds to encourage higher participation in Challengers to qualify

Pull out of Olympics and focus on popularizing competitive season as a whole that culminates in Worlds

Allow easier arbitration for scoring disputes

Put all competitions on YouTube

Every ISU nation is obliged to provide their Nationals archived stream no later than 30 days after the completion of the competitions

 

[gsk8]

Rewind back a few years to make sure TES determines the standings with PCS serving as secondary criteria to refine it.

Some great ideas in here but.....

"Pull out of Olympics and focus on popularizing competitive season as a whole that culminates in Worlds?"

 

[icewhite]

Rewind back a few years to make sure TES determines the standings with PCS serving as secondary criteria to refine it.

Train AI to score GOE and PCS as much as possible (ice coverage, UR, edges, speed, height, span etc)

Make costuming optional and promote safe, comfortable athletic attire for women that they can actually wash

Add jumping tournament as the international competition taking place every second year alternating with teams

Add teams event in JGP/GPF the same way it was done in Junior Olympics (i.e. not dependent on country)

Increase BV of the 4A and quads in pair elements

Replace dance and pairs with a mixed duos discipline open to any combination of partners with elements of each sport represented

Increase the prestige of Junior titles

Do not ban anyone from participating in junior competitions based on politics ever and raise minimum Junior to 15 years

Increase rates of testing for banned substances

Medicals prior to competition to ensure higher safety/wellbeing of the athletes

Stop performances after 3 falls with a WD from Junior level onward

Scoring the same between men and women

Abolish EU and 4CC, and instead promote Challengers that take place in as many countries as possible with its own final for top 12
scorers in the second half of the season.

Country maximums to only be preserved for Worlds

Further raise technical minimums for Worlds to encourage higher participation in Challengers to qualify

Pull out of Olympics and focus on popularizing competitive season as a whole that culminates in Worlds

Allow easier arbitration for scoring disputes

Put all competitions on YouTube

Every ISU nation is obliged to provide their Nationals archived stream no later than 30 days after the completion of the competitions

Well I don't agree with everything, but I love your ambitious approach!

 

[lariko]

Well I don't agree with everything, but I love your ambitious approach!

What can I say except, But I'm a scorpion.

 

[lariko]

Some great ideas in here but.....

"Pull out of Olympics and focus on popularizing competitive season as a whole that culminates in Worlds?"

Yeah, I feel that Olympics are actually harmful to the popularity of the sport. Yes, there is some discovery that happens there, but imo the emphasis should be on frequent events and each season to increase the ability to invest into it. That's why team sports and pro leagues thrive. It is also more in tune with our now developed binge culture. We need to be able to binge on FS, versus endlessly hearing about a once in 4 years event where people don't perform their best, politics reign and a chance of rematch is low.

After watching Russians last year, I am starting to become even more convinced that repeat matches and rematches, plus the increased variety of event formats is what makes things binge-worthy.

In FS it means GP, Challengers and Worlds; plus utilizing team component more aggressively. AND, College league equivalent, Juniors, need to get off the ground (Ted did a lot, let's help Ted).

Teams and colors would help, representation and relatability would help, relaxing artificial restrictions would help, versus the artificial country divides and hard caps that were dictated by politics of sport is a proxy of wars. Sports that put entertainment first thrive. Let the athletes entertain, let them make money on the season, not the shows.

And safety, safety, safety has to come first. In attire, in medicals, in openness to replacements and sitting out traumas. It shouldn't be Okay to get on ice on painkillers, because it shouldn't be NECESSARY to remain a valuable player.

To be relevant in modern time, FS needs to keep abreast with changing world, and it is always trying to stir back to the 70s if not 50s.

 

[noskates]

What would I wish for? More emphasis on the beauty of skating and less on the jumps. I honestly think it's more difficult to present a beautiful, smooth program than to go out and just jump with a few steps in between. Many skaters are very athletic and I'm not minimizing the difficulty of throwing a quad, etc. I just think it's MORE difficult to be smooth, interpret the music, and present a balanced program of beauty and athleticism.

 

[Minz]

I think that AI judging, at least for TES, could actually be pretty cool and beneficial IF implemented properly.

I’m not so sure about PCS, since there is a subjectivity and feeling to that which I’m not sure if a robot could understand, but I do think that for TES, it could actually do a lot for judging.

It could make for consistent and accurate scoring, GOE based on the actual criteria and not what the judges see from one viewing angle, and because an AI can interpret a lot faster than a human all of this could probably still happen within the time restraints set by TV schedules.

Again, it HAS to be done properly, and it still wouldn’t obviously be perfect, but I think that it might be able to help.

 

[gkelly]

And safety, safety, safety has to come first. In attire, in medicals, in openness to replacements and sitting out traumas. It shouldn't be Okay to get on ice on painkillers, because it shouldn't be NECESSARY to remain a valuable player.

"openness to replacements" implies a team sport, where several different players can fulfill the same function for the team. I know you discussed teams elsewhere in your post.

But Singles skating is an individual sport. (And pairs and ice dance are team sports in which one partner cannot be easily replaced by another.)
Skaters skate for themselves before they skate for their country or their team.

As long as an individual skater is aiming for their own results, whether to be named World Champion or for the pride of e.g., a top-10 finish, or to qualify themselves for a more important competition, they're not going to voluntarily withdraw and be replaced if they believe they are capable of competing. As long as skaters work individually with their coaches, the coach may advocate for the skater's health but not for opportunities for a different skater they are not coaching.

Are you thinking that individual results will no longer be built into the structure of the sport?
ALL skaters should ALWAYS represent a team and care more about the good of the team than about their own personal results (as can be the case for athletes in sports where one team faces off against another team as the basic structure of all competitions)? Those sports also have team coaches who determine which athletes to start or substitute in which positions.

Are you thinking to totally restructure the sport in that direction? How would it work?

What kinds of teams would these be, if not national federations?

How would individual skaters qualify to join/be hired for a team?

How would the teams be structured? How many competitors in each discipline? How would competitions be structured?

Would the idea of singles, pairs, and ice dance disciplines be totally thrown out the window and competitions would consist of multiple skaters of the same team, or of different teams, on the ice at the same time?