World Team Trophy: Teams and Entries

[feraina]

"Team USA: Lysacek, Abbott, Flatt, Zhang, Denney/Barrett, Belbin/Agosto"

I also read over at FSU that Weir and Brubaker/McLaughlin were asked but declined.

Wow, that's so awesome for Caroline Zhang! I thought her season was over! It's another opportunity for her to show that 4CC wasn't a fluke. Plus her family can use the extra income, as they're not particularly well off.

 

[Wrlmy]

D/B over M/B, and B/A over D/W? Hardly a surprise, but interesting.
I wonder why Weir and M/B declined the offer, especially Johnny, since he would be doing a show in Korea, and the winning team, which team usa has a very good chance at, would be earning around $20,000 per skater. But who's covering all the travel expenses?

I think and hope Yuna doesn't go to this. She already has a busy schedule during her short stay in Korea, including Festa, and she shouldn't be wasting her time where she's not even allowed to compete. Not sure what's the situatation for S/S.

 

[Mathman]

But who's covering all the travel expenses?

The Japanese Skating Federation.

The JSF (or its corporate sponsors) pays for travel, food and lodging for all the competitors, judges, etc., plus two "team leaders" from each team (coaches, Federation officials, etc.)

 

[Wrlmy]

The Japanese Skating Federation.

The JSF (or its corporate sponsors) pays for travel, food and lodging for all the competitors, judges, etc., plus two "team leaders" from each team (coaches, Federation officials, etc.)

Whoa, would any other federation be willing to host this event in the future? Huge prize money, at least the sum of it, and all the travel expenses of 50+ skaters and judges, etc.? The JSF better draw huge rating.

 

[feraina]

I think and hope Yuna doesn't go to this. She already has a busy schedule during her short stay in Korea, including Festa, and she shouldn't be wasting her time where she's not even allowed to compete. Not sure what's the situatation for S/S.

She will be paid $10K just for skating once in the exhibition, and Tokyo is a short hop from Korea. As she will be in that region around that time anyway, I don't see why she wouldn't/shouldn't go. And actually I'm very surprised that Johnny doesn't want to do it, as he would stand to win a lot of prize money, and it's well know that his family could really need the extra help. Maybe he already has prior commitment back in the US for that weekend. Perhaps we'll hear more about this in his next journal entry!

And I think skating is *very* big in East Asia. I'm sure tickets will sell out in Japan, with some traveling from Korea and China to watch. That is clearly where the commercial opportunities are figure skating. ISU and JSF will make a handsome profit out of this, despite giving out big prize money and hosting all the teams.

 

[Mathman]

Whoa, would any other federation be willing to host this event in the future? Huge prize money, at least the sum of it, and all the travel expenses of 50+ skaters and judges, etc.? The JSF better draw huge rating.

I agree. This may be the first and last of this series. Or maybe it will be in Japan every year, or at least until Mao Asada and Miki Ando retire.

For some reason I have in the back of my mind the idea that it was supposed to be held every other year. I think it would be hard to find any other country that could guarantee a big enough audience and televsion coverage to make it pay.

 

[Dipyramidal]

go japanese team. love them.

 

[Wrlmy]

She will be paid $10K just for skating once in the exhibition, and Tokyo is a short hop from Korea. As she will be in that region around that time anyway, I don't see why she wouldn't/shouldn't go. And actually I'm very surprised that Johnny doesn't want to do it, as he would stand to win a lot of prize money, and it's well know that his family could really need the extra help. Maybe he already has prior commitment back in the US for that weekend. Perhaps we'll hear more about this in his next journal entry!

And I think skating is *very* big in East Asia. I'm sure tickets will sell out in Japan, with some traveling from Korea and China to watch. That is clearly where the commercial opportunities are figure skating. ISU and JSF will make a handsome profit out of this, despite giving out big prize money and hosting all the teams.

Johnny, if he was actually offered a spot on the team, should've accepted. He was talking about financial struggle not so long ago, so I don't understand why he would decline such opportunity, which reinforces my doubt that USFSA made him an offer in the first place.

Yuna probably would be able to find more profit opportunities by staying in Korea if her sole purpose of going to WTT was monetary. But I don't think money is big of an issue for her, and she would want to committ her time to school, photoshoots for her so many endorsement deals, Festa, etc. I just think she would feel awkward being an outsider at WTT, being a young competitor herself. Yes, I'm just bitter she wouldn't get to skate Danse Macabre.

 

[tilak]

Johnny, if he was actually offered a spot on the team, should've accepted. He was talking about financial struggle not so long ago, so I don't understand why he would decline such opportunity, which reinforces my doubt that USFSA made him an offer in the first place.

I am also skeptical whether Johnny was actually offered a spot on the team. It doesn't make any sense that he would turn down such an opportunity. :scratch:.........:frown2:

 

[gold12345]

I am also skeptical whether Johnny was actually offered a spot on the team. It doesn't make any sense that he would turn down such an opportunity. :scratch:.........:frown2:

Yeah, I don't know. Maybe he's just not in competition shape? Unlike the rest of the skaters, Johnny's season ended in January. I have no idea exactly how long it takes to prepare for a competition at this level, but if he hasn't been doing run throughs of his programs (and he claims his costumes are in the trash, so I highly doubt he had been doing them), he may not feel prepared to compete in an event like this. This isn't just a random exhibition.

 

[Trewyn]

^ Yeah exactly, he might already be working on his new Olympic programs. He might have lost the competition mindset for this season's programs.

 

[tilak]

But Johnny was the first alternate for Worlds in case one of the men withdrew. He had to be in shape and ready to go to Worlds.

 

[feraina]

Johnny, if he was actually offered a spot on the team, should've accepted. He was talking about financial struggle not so long ago, so I don't understand why he would decline such opportunity, which reinforces my doubt that USFSA made him an offer in the first place.

Although he has mentioned in public that he wants to reduce traveling as well...

 

[tilak]

Although he has mentioned in public that he wants to reduce traveling as well...

It would not be much more traveling considering he will be at the Festa on Ice in Korea the following week. After that he plans to go to Moscow for a few days.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The Japanese Skating Federation.

The JSF (or its corporate sponsors) pays for travel, food and lodging for all the competitors, judges, etc., plus two "team leaders" from each team (coaches, Federation officials, etc.)

Very nice of Japan Fed for this. Can you imagine, Campbells or Marschalls getting more than 2 international skaters into their comps?

 

[feraina]

Very nice of Japan Fed for this. Can you imagine, Campbells or Marschalls getting more than 2 international skaters into their comps?

How much did Campbells or Marshall's offer in prize money? Besides, back then there were ample opportunity to earn some $$$ through tours and cheesefests. Not so anymore... Also, ISU threatened sanctions if skaters ranked top 2 within a qualified nation who also placed in the top 10 refused to go. Johnny would've been required to go had USFSA sent him to World's and he placed top 10 (which he almost surely would have).

Caroline confirmed she is indeed going. She said she was told last Sunday, which would be right after World's. Probably the team is getting announced late because some skaters are taking time to make up their minds.

I like the idea of a team competition. It encourages countries to be well-rounded in all disciplines. And maybe one day there will be a team competition at the Olympics, much as in gymnastics. Personally, I get as much, if not more, kick out of team gymnastics events as I do the individual events. Yay!

 

[Andalusia]

Caroline confirmed she is indeed going. She said she was told last Sunday, which would be right after World's. Probably the team is getting announced late because some skaters are taking time to make up their minds.

Yay, we haven't seen the last of Caroline this season! I hope she shows up at the WTT with improved technique - perhaps seeing (so much seeing! lol) Yu-Na fly across the ice when doing her 3-3s will add a little spring and distance to Caroline's jumps, too. Even if she shows up with at least the same kind of jumps and technique as she had at JW, I'd be satisfied. I hope we never see a return of the kind of 'jump state' Caroline was in at the beginning of the season.

When I'm done with the musical and choreographic choices I have in mind for Caroline next season (I'm so excited!), perhaps you can relay them to her for serious consideration.

 

[feraina]

When I'm done with the musical and choreographic choices I have in mind for Caroline next season (I'm so excited!), perhaps you can relay them to her for serious consideration.

If I relayed everyone's suggestions, including my own, the list will probably be too long to be useful.

 

[Mathman]

Very nice of Japan Fed for this. Can you imagine, Campbells or Marschalls getting more than 2 international skaters into their comps?

Why sure, Joe. You missed some great competitions back then. In 2004 alone the Campbells' cheesefest had Arakawa, Ando and Slutskaya on the ladies side, and Joubert, Sandhu and Honda for the men.

The spring Marshall's featured four international ladies, Arakawa, Ando, Skutskaya and Suguri, compared to three Americans, Cohen, Kwan and Kirk.

For the men, Plushenko and Joubert competed in the spring Marshall's and in the Winter Marshall's it was Plushenko, Joubert and Griazev, along with three American men, Lysacek, Weir and Jahnke.

How much did Campbells or Marshall's offer in prize money?

$50,000 for first place for each of the men and ladies, then it went down from there for second, third, etc. (plus something under the table for Michelle Kwan, I firmly believe. )

This was the same amount you could earn for winning the World Championship back then. (Now the World Championship has been scaled back to $45,000.)

 

[Mathman]

If I relayed everyone's suggestions, including my own, the list will probably be too long to be useful.

LP: The Henri Bunch concerto for piano trio and percussion, performed by the Ahn Trio. (But I already sent that to Brian Orser for Yu-na Kim, so they will have to fight it out.)

SP: Robert Frost reading "The road not taken" (no music.) I sent that to Lori Nichol for Michelle Kwan, but for some reason she went with Rachmaninov instead.