What would it take to bring back professional figure skating competitions?

[gsk8]

Pro skating once featured the biggest stars in the sport—so what would a modern version need to succeed today?

Professional competitions like the World Professional Championships disappeared after 2000, as TV money dried up and fewer skaters chose to retire from amateur competition.

But with streaming, social media, and global fanbases, could a new version actually work today?

Scott Hamilton and others have pointed out that skating once had a clear cycle—champions would turn pro, build the sport’s popularity, and make room for the next generation. That system is largely gone.

So what would it take to bring something like that back?

• Would a streaming-first model (YouTube, etc.) make pro skating viable again?
• Would prize money and sponsorships be enough to convince skaters to go pro?
• Should active competitors be allowed to participate, or only retired skaters?
• Does the format need to change (head-to-head battles, team events, fan voting)?
• Could a global circuit succeed where the old TV model failed?
• Do we even need a pro circuit anymore—or has the sport moved on?

If pro skating came back tomorrow, which current or recent skaters would you want to see compete?

 

[ramurphy2005]

Does the format need to change (head-to-head battles, team events, fan voting)?

I don't think they ever had a fan voting pro-event, but there were team events that had head-to-head battles within them. Specifically, Ice Wars which was Team USA vs The World, and within those teams skaters faced off against one another, like Boitano and Browning.

There was another pro event that was a battle of the sexes, but I forget what they called it off the top of my head. I do remember that Rudy Galindo, and I'm pretty sure it was Caryn Kadavy, but I might be wrong about the female skater, having a spin battle, and it going a bit off the rails.

 

[4everchan]

perhaps with how professional tennis does team events like Laver Cup or Swimming world cups.

Two (or more) former famous skaters for instance, Browning, Boitano, Lambiel and Liza Tuk as team coaches are invited to pick a team of current great skaters or very recent retirees. . Each coach must pick one man one woman, a pairs and an ice dance team.

These skaters will have to skate a short and a free program but they don't know against whom they will skate.

For instance Browning picks Keegan Messing. Boitano picked Jason Brown. Lambiel picked Kévin Aymoz and Liza picks Selevko (Sasha).

There is a draw. Messing must do the SP against Aymoz. The winner takes a point. Brown skates against Selevko.
Then Messing skates the LP against Brown. Aymoz skaters the LP against Selevko.

Or even better, the winners of the SP face off, while the losers of the SP face off. Winners of the big LP wins 3 points, winner of the small LP wins 2 points.

ETC

At the end, of the event, the winning team is the one with most points. Repeat that thing 3 times during the season so that scores can be tallied up and then a big winner is named and you got a circuit. Coaches can sub skaters in and out at each event so it's not a huge toll on the skaters themselves, and you got fans talking about the impact of the coaches decisions, the performances, the race etc

Of course, there is a need for prize money.

Would I watch ? Perhaps It's not something that sounds very serious at times but then, some Laver cup matches were epic anyways... so why not ?

 

[gsk8]

I don't think they ever had a fan voting pro-event,

Right! Fan voting was listed as one of the possible proposals to see if it could be one of the factors to encourage pro skating again

 

[Skating47]

I would watch professional skating again. It would have to focus on mainly the artistic side of skating, limiting the number of jumping pases. Also , it could be team head to head or individual head to head. There would be prize money and medals or trophies. Jason Brown , Shoma Uno, Kaori S, and others would have to participate.

 

[ladyjane]

I would like a team event. Not too big teams, a bit like the World Team Trophy but with a more even division of singles versus couples (probably teams like the team event at the OG: one single woman, one single man, a pair and an ID couple) and not by country, but chosen by coaches. I wouldn't mind some voting by the audience (a bit of fan voting), but a professional jury as well. Only fan voting might perhaps steer the professionals in the wrong direction (like too many back flips, head bangers and disco).

I also liked the Battle of the Blades concept, where a hockey (the ice hockey version of course) player would team up with a (retired) figure skater and perform a programme. Not head to head, but every week a couple is eliminated (so to speak) and only head to head at the very end of a series of programmes

I don't know if there would be enough money though....

 

[yfan1]

Money?

 

[dorispulaski]

Lovely photo of Weaver & Poje, btw

 

[4everchan]

BTW for those unaware, the ISU is building up popularity in the one of their other sport : short track. They changed their World Cup series so that now countries are competing as team as well as individual skaters going for the crystal globes. The teams have names : the Canadian Maples, for instance. Points are cumulated from event to event. Has it tremendously pushed the sport, also a niche sport I would say, (perhaps except in Korea, Canada and maybe Italy) ? I think it's fun. I have been to some of their events before and watched online the modified format. There is more team spirit among the skaters and the crowd gets into it. So that could maybe help... but to reproduce this, for figure skating , is not as easy. The World Team Trophy and other year-end events do not do it. They are seem as fluff events rather than real competitive events. If the ISU wants to bring up the status of figure skating, it has to be done with events that are preparatory for worlds not after them. So in that sense, perhaps we are no longer talking about bringing back the pro tour but mostly tweaking the GP circuit so that there is more to it. I'd be okay with a better season of competition rather than the status quo and some pro event later on, after the season is over.

 

[Magill]

TBH the whole skating universe moved on and changed since the 90s.
The best competitive skaters have much better ways to keep fan attention and interest than fluff events when they turn pro and they make better money than any pro competition could ever offer to them, and this without the need to be bothered with program rules they have no control of and twisted judging (any comp needs to have program rules and be judged, right?) And what's in it for them?
And without the currently still beloved greats, such pro comps will be just like some B-class shows, struggling to get audience, attention, and funding.

 

[ladyjane]

I wish figure skating was as popular as Short track speed skating in our country! We've got commercial long track skating teams (yes, these people can get a salary out of it), while the short track national team member get a minimum wage from the Federation. Figure skating and Synchronised skating both just have high costs for the participants. Sorry, rant over. It's perhaps wishful thinking here to even think about Pro competitions!

 

[gsk8]

TBH the whole skating universe moved on and changed since the 90s.
The best competitive skaters have much better ways to keep fan attention and interest than fluff events when they turn pro and they make better money than any pro competition could ever offer to them, and this without the need to be bothered with program rules they have no control of and twisted judging (any comp needs to have program rules and be judged, right?) And what's in it for them?
And without the currently still beloved greats, such pro comps will be just like some B-class shows, struggling to get audience, attention, and funding.

Yes, the decades of pro skating has moved on for reasons already mentioned.

The point is that old pro skating model wouldn’t work anymore—not that a new version couldn’t.

If it’s just judged programs like regular competitions, then yeah, it probably wouldn’t add much.

But if it gave skaters more control and used a different format (less rigid, maybe built for streaming), it might feel like something new instead of “B-class.”?

 

[frompolandwithlove]

As someone who didn't follow skating when pro competitions were happening, I can't imagine what they could offer to make me watch. The whole thing sounds like a popularity contest rather than actual competition. Add votes from the audience and it's basically just another talent show where the most liked skater wins. Add teams, then we have another world team event or Japan open - and like some said, those are fluff events. If it's just another competition, but with money, then what's the point? What's the added value for viewers? Usually skaters turn pro when they feel like they can't improve anymore, right? Or their body can't take any more beating. So if we send a message - hey, turn pro while you are in your best shape so you can compete for money instead of rankings - the outcome I imagine would be much much less interesting real competitions, because all the great skaters turn pro early. Of course I would watch my favorite retired skaters, but I don't know if they necesarily should compete with each other. I'd rather see more ice shows for older skaters instead of current crop. (That's why fantasy on ice is my favorite). I love all the young skaters, but they do exactly the same as in any other gala and I can watch them through the season, so i'm not really interested in paying to watch roughly the same thing in slightly different setting. And also - streaming for ice shows. Watching ice shows legally is almost impossible, at least where I live. In no way this helps making the sport popular.

 

[chepe]

I think it would be exceedingly hard to organize pro competition circuit, but it's possible there is room for singular events. Like there are still non-official (not Tour or ITF) professional tennis exhibition matches and tournaments, even though the old pro tour has been dead for almost 60 years.
Use 6.0 judging, shorter programs and place some restrictions on amount of jumps to make it distinct and less restrictive, and allow show skaters to be competive with still actively competing skaters.

Of course there's the question of if skaters want to go through the trouble of new programs and costumes for sake of one or two competitions. But I suppose they could recycle their classic stuff?

 

[Magill]

And how much would you have to pay them to even consider?
If they are stars, they are millionaires and would not be bothered easily.
And if they are not stars, who would draw the audience to watch in sufficient numbers to pay the costs?

Pro tennis competitions invite a mix of current and former superstars and pay millions each just to show up.
Or they are for charity...

 

[gmyers]

Sometimes forms of entertainment just end

 

[Mathman]

I don't think they ever had a fan voting pro-event, but there were team events that had head-to-head battles within them. Specifically, Ice Wars which was Team USA vs The World, and within those teams skaters faced off against one another, like Boitano and Browning.

There was another pro event that was a battle of the sexes,...

Oh... dear... For me, these were the worst figure skating "competitions " ever. Michelle Kwan's last public performance (Dec., 2005) was phone in the vote. Michelle was so crippled up by this time that she could barely walk, let alonde skate. But she was Micheel Kwan, so the TV'on-line voters gave her the victory (over a pretty good effort by Sasha Cohen Romeo and Juliet) by a landslide. Similarly, Johnny Weir out-polled a far superior performance by Matt Savoie.

As for USA versus the world, the USA team ALWAYS won (imagine that!) no matter what. Except one time when Surya Bonaly and Phillippe Candeloro put on such an entertaining show that the "judges" just HAD to give it to the World team.

Battle of the sexes? Um.. reallly? One time the contest ended in a tie tie. At first the men went way ahead, then the ladies made a miraculous comeback. So there was a jump-off tie-breaker. Kristi Yamaguchi did an OK double Axel. Bian Boitao did an Ok triple Axel and won.

I agree 100% that prop skating needs a new focus to mount a comeback. But what?

 

[Mathman]

I also liked the Battle of the Blades concept, where a hockey (the ice hockey version of course) player would team up with a (retired) figure skater and perform a programme.

That was way cool, to me. The most interesting part was not the figure skaters but to see how well some of the hockey players did in exploring their "artistic" sides.

Alas, I think that Canada is the only country that loves their hockey players enough to make a go of it.

 

[chepe]

And how much would you have to pay them to even consider?
If they are stars, they are millionaires and would not be bothered easily.

How many figure skaters are millionaires? I'm sure there are some, but probably not a long list.
Obviously one would have to cough up appearence fees in addition to prize money, true. But I don't think the payments would be measured in millions...after all, the people envisioned skating here would be same who do ice shows. One could probably run a small competition (say, 8 skaters) as a part of an ice show.

 

[Magill]

How many figure skaters are millionaires? I'm sure there are some, but probably not a long list.
Obviously one would have to cough up appearence fees in addition to prize money, true. But I don't think the payments would be measured in millions...after all, the people envisioned skating here would be same who do ice shows. One could probably run a small competition (say, 8 skaters) as a part of an ice show.

There was such a show recently that included "battles" - a small competition, right. Was called The Ice. In Japan, the ice show paradise.
Guess what? Got cancelled last year. I am not following it in particular but I did not hear it was coming back this year.
Food for thought...

Who are the millionaires? The greatest stars.
Not many? Well, the list of superstars is usually short...

And FYI, most ice shows currently are staffed with active competitive skaters, with only few pro ones invited... OTOH, the best pro skaters who are real money magnets have their own ice shows which are most successful commercially and enjoy most of fan attention. I do not see them interested in subjecting themselves to any other "judging" than the paying public at the box office... why would they? What's in it for them?