USFS has broken my heart

[moonvine]

These are the new levels/benefits for FOFS per USFS.

Friends of Figure Skating | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

This is the email I sent them:

"To Whom It May Concern,

I'm very distressed about the update to levels and benefits of FOFS.

It looks like the lowest tier has doubled (in price).

It would appear that one cannot go to the FOFS breakfast if one does not have a $1,000 benefit level. This is not within my ability to do.

It would appear that there is no FOFS breakfast at Skate America.

It would appear that there is no more behind the scenes tour at any level.

It would appear that there is no calendar at any level.

So for twice what I used to pay, basically I get a tax deduction, which I have no use for, 4 news letters, advance event ticket purchase (which I've never used as I can't afford it) and 8 editions of the magazine.

I'm terribly disappointed by this.

I hope you reconsider.

Thanks,

Kelley"

If this will affect you, or if it won't and you don't want me to cry real tears, please consider shooting them an email.

 

[el henry]

Very short sighted. VERY short sighted.

Never been to an FOFS event, but heard good things. It doesn't make sense, like the reverse of good will.

 

[moonvine]

Very short sighted. VERY short sighted.

Never been to an FOFS event, but heard good things. It doesn't make sense, like the reverse of good will.

Brent was lovely, but he is gone. Last year they had a breakfast with a panel of former skaters discussing why we should not crowd them or touch them inappropriately. Rachel Flatt told a story about how she was at an event and got surrounded by people crowding her and someone - her choreographer? Coach? had to physically clear the way for her to get away. We were all horrified. I mean I think these are good things for people to be aware of. I'm not sure people who pony up for FOFS are the target audience for that conversation.
I was warned that no skaters continuing in the off season would be in attendance. Mark Sadusky and two other male skaters were there (juniors?) and I thanked them profusely for attending. Also told Mark we all adored his jacket.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

You would be very surprised what people who paid to be there and have a membership and whatnot try to get away with. Not saying all are bad apples but it does happen.

 

[TallyT]

Now that's a novel (aka very very bad) promotion...

 

[streams4dreams]

Sorry to hear about this. It all looks rather disappointing, starting with the benefits being presented as a pixelated image, it just looks so unprofessional

 

[moonvine]

You would be very surprised what people who paid to be there and have a membership and whatnot try to get away with. Not saying all are bad apples but it does happen.

That's horrible. But if they do that I'm not sure telling them not to is going to stop them.

I do have to say USAG (USA Gymnastics) tries to make everything fun for everyone, whether you have the cheapest or most expensive seat.

 

[katymay]

That's horrible. But if they do that I'm not sure telling them not to is going to stop them.

I do have to say USAG (USA Gymnastics) tries to make everything fun for everyone, whether you have the cheapest or most expensive seat.

They really do! I used to take my kids to the big meets when they were close by-so much fun.
Figure skating has always been a bit more elitist, and now more so. We went to Skate America in Vegas, and my now grown children said they had never seen so many grouchy old people in one place. lol. When I asked if they wanted to go to another skating event there was a chorus of NO's!

 

[cheerknithanson]

They really do! I used to take my kids to the big meets when they were close by-so much fun.
Figure skating has always been a bit more elitist, and now more so. We went to Skate America in Vegas, and my now grown children said they had never seen so many grouchy old people in one place. lol. When I asked if they wanted to go to another skating event there was a chorus of NO's!

Where are there so many grouchy old people there? It not just for old people to watch.

 

[moonvine]

Where are there so many grouchy old people there? It not just for old people to watch.

It is not just for old people to watch, but the viewership is definitely aging.

 

[Carol1]

They really do! I used to take my kids to the big meets when they were close by-so much fun.
Figure skating has always been a bit more elitist, and now more so. We went to Skate America in Vegas, and my now grown children said they had never seen so many grouchy old people in one place. lol. When I asked if they wanted to go to another skating event there was a chorus of NO's!

As a grouchy old person who regularly attends skating events, I cannot say I completely disagree with this assessment. However, I am always polite and well-behaved and have never engaged in confrontational behavior except when someone spilled hot chocolate on my brand new Talbot's duster (which was indeed at the Vegas Skate America--hopefully your adult children were not involved).

That being said, I am not paying thousands of dollars to attend a breakfast involving lukewarm scrambled eggs and the slight possibility of hobnobbing with Todd Eldredge. USFS can exploit other, richer--if not grouchier--old people for those "perks."

 

[Seven Sisters]

It is not just for old people to watch, but the viewership is definitely aging.

And that is because skating seems hellbent on making it as difficult as possible to discover its wonders online, which is where the younger folks all hang out.

Those of you who have been skating fans for a while, I ask you. Did you get introduced to competitive skating while attending a live competition? No, you did not. You first saw it on TV, where it was readily available, and free.

 

[moonvine]

As a grouchy old person who regularly attends skating events, I cannot say I completely disagree with this assessment. However, I am always polite and well-behaved and have never engaged in confrontational behavior except when someone spilled hot chocolate on my brand new Talbot's duster (which was indeed at the Vegas Skate America--hopefully your adult children were not involved).

That being said, I am not paying thousands of dollars to attend a breakfast involving lukewarm scrambled eggs and the slight possibility of hobnobbing with Todd Eldredge. USFS can exploit other, richer--if not grouchier--old people for those "perks."

As a non grouchy late middle aged person I was crying real tears. I have had such amazing times at FOFS breakfasts. I'm interested to know how many people will even be at a FOFS breakfast that costs $1,000. That just seems crazy to me.

 

[moonvine]

And that is because skating seems hellbent on making it as difficult as possible to discover its wonders online, which is where the younger folks all hang out.

I'd replace "skating" with "USFS".

 

[moonvine]

Where are there so many grouchy old people there? It not just for old people to watch.

US Nationals takes place over the course of a week after school has started. I mean I guess they can't help that, the season is what it is. One can watch the entire gymnastics championships or even Olympic trials over a weekend. I see many many children at gymnastics events. And virtually none, other than some of the competitors, at figure skating competitions.
When we find a new fan, generally someone who has seen figure skating for the first time at the most recent Olympics, that is a UNICORN and we treat them appropriately (by we I mean the people who are in attendance at the event).

Of course this is anecdotal and just what I have observed. If USFS had any sense (which they absolutely do not) they would be commissioning studies to see what they can do about the decline in popularity of skating.

I have heard from other people that Nationals used to sell out. It doesn't anymore. 2024 Olympic gymnastics trials, on the other hand, are almost completely sold out and I believe tickets went on sale last week.

 

[el henry]

Can all of these be attributed solely to marketing, however?

You could not drag me (or any of the persons in their 20s related to me) kicking, and screaming to a gymnastics event. They would need to have Jason Brown, Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce give me a personal tour of the venue to even get me to the arena. (are they held in arenas?) So no marketing and no amount of fun will interest me in a sport I don't find interesting.

What USFS is doing is destroying the good will of the fans who are already interested. Truly unbelievable.

 

[Seven Sisters]

What USFS is doing is destroying the good will of the fans who are already interested. Truly unbelievable.

AND making it unnecessarily difficult for young people who might become fans to discover the sport.

 

[4everchan]

Can all of these be attributed solely to marketing, however?

You could not drag me (or any of the persons in their 20s related to me) kicking, and screaming to a gymnastics event. They would need to have Jason Brown, Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce give me a personal tour of the venue to even get me to the arena. (are they held in arenas?) So no marketing and no amount of fun will interest me in a sport I don't find interesting.

What USFS is doing is destroying the good will of the fans who are already interested. Truly unbelievable.

Yes and no.
Of course, no amount of marketing will bring people who have no interest in skating or even sports in general, to the rink.

However, there are people who just are not yet fans and can become fans... just like it's been mentioned on this thread : I started watching skating at the 88 Olympics as a child because it was everywhere on TV... and the "battle of the Brians and Carmens" was a big TV fluff piece... which then led me to watch all these pro shows when they were available on TV... So every time there was skating on TV, and there was a lot, I would just tune in and watch. I didn't even need to consult a schedule or anything. It was there and that's how I got interested.
I have almost never skated other than in my backyard as my dad was making a natural ice for us every winter...

So presence online, presence in the medias can indeed entice new fans.

Totally agree with destroying the good will of current fans. The number of events not-streamed this summer in the USA would have pissed me off if I relied on those for skating. I simply streamed other events available from other countries but as we tend to get intrigued by our own skaters, USFS is very short-sighted here in not making it mandatory that all events are streamed. Skate Canada has a "transparency" policy and that's one of the factors in making sure that everything is available online.

 

[cheerknithanson]

The way that they stream also does not help terribly much...any word about replays? I think accessibility of watching online could certainly help with the viewership.

Though the features of the battles of whoever and the fluff pieces can go...it gives it a fake feeling to me.

 

[el henry]

Good points about availability. None of us are born fans. Wide World of Sports for me.

I agree that USFS, or ISU, or *someone* needs to figure out how to make the sport available to online watchers, and they need to figure that out yesterday.

If they were using this outrageous pricing structure to make skating available, maybe, maybe, it would be worthwhile.

Kudos to Skate Canada for streaming ACI for free