What should the ISU do to resurrect Figure Skating in the US and Europe?

[Maofan7]

It has been argued by some that Figure Skating has been in decline in terms of popularity in the United States and Europe (although it remains extremely popular in Asia) compared to the 1980's and 1990's (although some disagree). In some parts of Europe, for example, it now receives very little TV coverage, with no coverage whatsoever of the Grand Prix. Is there a problem? If you think there is, what do you believe the ISU should do to turn things around in the United States and Europe?

Should the ISU make more of an effort to attract more sponsors to generate more money that can be invested back into the sport?

Should the ISU do more to attract greater TV coverage - coverage that will inspire the next generation to take up the sport, increase the fanbase, and encourage more entrepreneurs to stage competitions and shows?

Is the new CoP scoring system the problem? Should it be changed back to the old 6.0 system?

Has skating become too much of a technical/jumping competition? Has this damaged skating as a spectacle? Should more be done to encourage more artistry?

Should the age eligibility regulations be scrapped/relaxed to allow talented juniors in to senior competitions? Was one of the reasons why skating was so popular in the 1990's the fact that the likes of Michelle Kwan were allowed to skate in seniors at an early age?

Has skating declined because there are no longer the personalities with charisma/glamour that there used to be to attract audiences? Or do today's stars have just as much charisma and glamour as the old ones? Or do we even need skaters with charisma and glamour?

Does it even matter if Figure Skating is not as popular as it used to be?

Or is there even a problem to begin with?

[museksk8r]

Should the ISU make more of an effort to attract more sponsors to generate more money that can be invested back into the sport?

Should the ISU do more to attract greater TV coverage - coverage that will inspire the next generation to take up the sport, increase the fanbase, and encourage more entrepreneurs to stage competitions and shows?

That about sums it up!

[Maofan7]

That about sums it up!

I agree

I find it extremely frustrating that the only place we can watch the grand prix events and final in the United Kingdom these days is on You Tube!! And thank God for You Tube! Eurosport cover the Europeans and Worlds, but their coverage of Worlds last year was absolutely awful. For example, coverage of the ladies long program was reduced to just 40 minutes. They didn't even bother to show Mirai Nagasu's program and she had been leading after the short! How are you supposed to inspire a new generation of skaters with coverage like that?

[centerpt1]

1. Skate to music that is more current
2. Allow vocals in the short
3. It's difficult for sane viewers too grasp how falling 4x wins an event. Clean up the points system and judging to make it more viewer friendly. If you can't get a quad around and landed, you shouldn't be doing it or get credit for it.
4. Make costumes more contemporary
5. There needs to be an effort to market to ages 18-39
6. Fake doesn't sell any more. Don't try to make Susie Q or John Doe into 1960 idols. Let them be who they are.

[gkelly]

1. Skate to music that is more current

That's up to the skaters to choose current music.

2. Allow vocals in the short

That would require a rule change, i.e., something that the ISU could do and would have to do for this to happen.

From a marketing point of view it would probably help attract more viewers. From a fairness in competition point of view it would probably hurt. If it comes down to a choice between audience friendliness and fairness, for competition I'd choose fairness.

3. It's difficult for sane viewers too grasp how falling 4x wins an event. Clean up the points system and judging to make it more viewer friendly. If you can't get a quad around and landed, you shouldn't be doing it or get credit for it.

There's room for more tweaking of how quads (or any jumps) are scored. That would be something for the ISU to do. Something sane fans can do is focus on more than jumps landed or falls and not go insane on the rare occasions when skaters with multiple falls earn more points than skaters with fewer. It's not just a jumping contest or a staying upright contest.

4. Make costumes more contemporary

That's up to the skaters and their designers.

5. There needs to be an effort to market to ages 18-39

If the ISU hired you to market to this age group, how would you do so?

6. Fake doesn't sell any more. Don't try to make Susie Q or John Doe into 1960 idols. Let them be who they are.

That's up to the skaters (and their coaches, choreographers, designers, etc.). The ISU can't make skaters into anything.

It is true that many judges are older and have relatively conservative tastes and that many coaches and skaters try to appeal to those tastes, either by imagining what they think the judges would like to see or by actually asking for suggestions. And many judges may in fact give advice to use classical music or to look like 1960 idols.

So how could "the ISU" get the message out to the skaters that they don't have to be conservative or old-fashioned to win?

Maybe they could hold seminars for judges and for skaters and coaches/choreographers about how contemporary music and dance styles can showcase skating skills differently but as well as classical styles. Show some old programs by champions and by lower-ranked skaters that used different styles effectively. Get some innovative choreographers, both from the skating world and from the dance world to work with some skaters to show contemporary-style movement on ice that works well to showcase the technical elements and skating skills.

But ultimately, aside from developing a short dance theme based on currently popular dance rhythms, the ISU can't force skaters to be cutting edge any more than they can force them to be conservative.

On average, the ones who win will be the ones with the best technique, regardless of how appealing they are to a particular audience demographic.

And it may just be that the skaters who tend to develop the best technique tend to be the straight-arrow conservative hard workers. The free spirit and rebel personalities may have more audience appeal in terms of image, but they're less likely develop the skills to make it to the top.

[duane]

My opinion...make FS more about the jumps/jump difficulty than anything else. Many still don't consider FS a "real" sport, and the jumps are what makes it a sport--at least to the average viewer. I thought Evan winning olympic gold without a quad was more a setback to FS than a plus.

[centerpt1]

If the ISU hired you to market to this age group, how would you do so?

Riight now, the product is not marketable to that age group. That is why some "updates" are needed. I think it's possible to update to 2011 without losing quality.

[Yazmeen]

My opinion...make FS more about the jumps/jump difficulty than anything else. Many still don't consider FS a "real" sport, and the jumps are what makes it a sport--at least to the average viewer. I thought Evan winning olympic gold without a quad was more a setback to FS than a plus.

OMG, this is the one thing I DON'T want to see. It's figure SKATING, not a jump contest. The thought of the sport turning into expression-lacking jumpfests like Plushenko's 2006 Olympic freeskate would ruin what is so beautiful and unique about it.

[skatesindreams]

Yazmeen, you spoke for me!

[gkelly]

My opinion...make FS more about the jumps/jump difficulty than anything else. Many still don't consider FS a "real" sport, and the jumps are what makes it a sport--at least to the average viewer.

Riight now, the product is not marketable to that age group. That is why some "updates" are needed. I think it's possible to update to 2011 without losing quality.

I would really hate to take the figure skating out of "figure skating" in order to appeal to average viewers who don't understand figure skating.

I think any changes that make it impossible for a superior skater to defeat an inferior skater who did harder jumps would turn the sport purely into a jumping contest, as Duane recommends. That might be a legitimate sport that appeals to younger and male viewers more, but it would not be of interest to much of the existing fan base. Do you want to drive away the current demographic in hopes of attracting a resistant demographic who may be more valuable to TV advertisers but who would not likely show the same loyalty?

How would it be possible for the ISU to preserve the history of figure skating as a sport based on the control of edges on ice and also expand the existing fan base?

Are we thinking about the ISU purely as being in the business of packaging entertainment for average viewers? Or do they also need to preserve the traditions of the sport, encourage development of skaters before they reach marketable skill levels, and offer fair contests to the athletes at the international level?

How about holding an event called X-treme Ice Challenge? It could include disciplines such as:

X-Treme Ice Jumping: Put together a format in which solo skaters who are good jumpers can compete based on who lands the hardest jumps, with bonus points a la +GOE for good form and difficulty-adding enhancements. One of the elements could be a creative/acrobatic jump that could include backflips, aerial cartwheels, etc., single (or double?) jumps with splits at the top, etc. Another could be an unlimited jump combination.

X-Treme Ice Spinning: Find ways to reward speed, duration, and difficult positions outside the context of programs and well-balanced requirements. Reward extreme spinning skills including fastest scratch spin, longest spin (or spin with the most rotations) in a given position, etc.

X-Treme Ice Lifts and Throws (for pairs): Illegal elements such as detroiters and headbangers allowed in a "lift spin" category. Difficulty is primary

The format of these events can allow rests between elements, so that individual elements can be more difficult or more risky than the skaters would dare to put into a program.

X-Treme Edgework: Bring back creative/special figures!
Include an element something like the following:
Diagonal step sequence on one foot. Skaters are given a point on the ice where they're allowed to start the intro steps, and another point where they must commit to one foot and as soon as they put the other one down the element is over. Measure the amount of ice covered and/or the speed for an objective base mark. Then also give extra points for adding turns (e.g., 0.1 for every three turn; 0.2 for every bracket, counter, rocker, loop, or twizzle, some kind of bonus for including 4, 5, or 6 different kinds of turns and another bonus for a minimum number of turns in each direction). Not everyone will make it to the far corner before putting the other foot down -- should there be a bonus for continuing beyond the diagonal?
Maybe there could be another element that's a normal step sequence using both feet -- alternates between circular or serpentine, or skater's choice?


TV would only show the top few in each of these events. They wouldn't lend themselves to live broadcasts, until there's enough of a structure established that there could be an equivalent of a Grand Prix Final event that only includes the very best in the world.

No music, no second mark/component scores. Because the scoring would be much more objective, average viewers who understand or trust the scoring of sports like diving, gymnastics, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc. would be able to understand this according to similar rubrics.

Skaters would be encouraged to wear sporty-looking athletic gear. If sponsor logos are allowed, that could help the funding.

I'd like to see something like this in addition to the traditional well-balanced program with music events, not instead. I'd be OK with it replacing the short program, or not.

If you had highly accomplished skaters competing in both the X-Treme events and the Well-Balanced events, would some of them have more of an X Games aesthetic to their skating that they could also bring into their programs? But it wouldn't be required.

A young woman could go to the X-Skating event in a unitard or tights, shorts and t-shirt, with logos, and show off her athletic skills. Then she could take those athletic skills into the context of a program to techno music in the same outfit or to Tchaikovsky in a pretty dress with her hair in a bun -- her choice. If we still have short programs, she could do both the same season.

I suspect that there would still be different demographics in the audiences for the two branches of the sport. But I think that some skating purists and diehard fans would like the X-Treme version because it focuses on technique, and because it's another opportunity to see skating. And I think that the average viewers who start out uneducated about skating technique but just enjoy the athleticism and understand obvious things like rotation in the air and falling down would, if they become fans of X-Skating, come to learn enough about less obvious aspects of technique that would help their understanding of the Well-Balanced Skating results.

[Triple Butz]

I don't necessarily blame the ISU for the lack of popularity, I blame the individual federations. I think the US, in particular, needs to start allowing its skaters to express themselves openly and be more in the public eye. We had a real character in Johnny Weir, someone who turned heads and brought in new viewers from different demographics. Going back to the 90's we had lots of skaters who had really strong personalities that people could relate to. Elvis Stojko, the tough guy. Todd Elderedge, the understated hero. Surya Bonaly, the rebellious amazon. Tonya Harding, trailer trash on skates. Nancy Kerrigan, cold as ice with a fake b!tchy smile. The list goes on and on. What we have now are nice, but cookie-cutter princess skaters. The only thing we can say about Rachael Flatt is that she does well in school. Good for her, but it doesn't make viewers excited.

On top of that, it would help if the US skaters would start doing better in competition. And why isn't the US pushing more skaters into pairs?? I can think of so many singles skaters that didn't ever make it to worlds who could have possibly become world medalist pair skaters.

I also think that not capitalizing on the success of ice dance in recent years has been a HUGE mistake on the part of the USFSA. We had two teams competiting for MEDALS and possible gold in 09 and 10 and the US just kept focusing on Evan and the girls.

European men are still in the mix, but they need a ladies champion who can actually do all of the triples through the lutz.

[SamuraiK]

5. There needs to be an effort to market to ages 18-39

This!!!

I dont want to get in trouble with most of the lovely members here who have been following skating for a long time and know more about it than I but FS needs new blood and new generations to get attratcted, specially in US and Canada, then the sponsors and TV coverage will follow naturally.

The suggestion of allowing vocals at least in SP sounds great and dont see much hurt in the "essence" of figure skating and if you ask me I prefer to get to hear the original versions of the current music instead of their muzak covers..

[alchemy void]

Going back to the 90's we had lots of skaters who had really strong personalities that people could relate to. Elvis Stojko, the tough guy. Todd Elderedge, the understated hero

Todd Eldredge has a personality??

[Proustable]

Largely nothing.

[WayCon]

One common complaint I hear from the average viewer is that all the routines look alike. I think the ISU should be assigning points to a much larger number of jumps and spins and moves, and then say, "Choose 3 from column A and 2 from column B and 3 from column C." If the skaters and choreographers had a much larger number of maneuvers to select from, the programs would become more varied and expressive and interesting. Then the skaters could be more themselves, and people would naturally want to watch.

Another problem is the visual appearance of skating on the TV screen or monitor. The viewer sees a flat expanse of white and a little skater puttering in the middle somewhere. I think the ISU should work with video people and computer programmers to enhance the skating images in a way to make them more 3 dimensional, so the viewer will get more of a sense of the speed. I'm sure we have all gone to an event with non-skater friend--they were amazed to see someone hurtling and rotating through space. Wow! Let's get that wow onto the TV screen.

[gkelly]

One common complaint I hear from the average viewer is that all the routines look alike. I think the ISU should be assigning points to a much larger number of jumps and spins and moves, and then say, "Choose 3 from column A and 2 from column B and 3 from column C." If the skaters and choreographers had a much larger number of maneuvers to select from, the programs would become more varied and expressive and interesting. Then the skaters could be more themselves, and people would naturally want to watch.

Yes -- I've been advocating something like this since the beginning of the IJS.

Another problem is the visual appearance of skating on the TV screen or monitor. The viewer sees a flat expanse of white and a little skater puttering in the middle somewhere. I think the ISU should work with video people and computer programmers to enhance the skating images in a way to make them more 3 dimensional, so the viewer will get more of a sense of the speed. I'm sure we have all gone to an event with non-skater friend--they were amazed to see someone hurtling and rotating through space. Wow! Let's get that wow onto the TV screen.

Could be cool, if and when it becomes technically feasible to show whole programs in a way that enhances rather than distracts from appreciating the sense of speed and power.

[Made4Dancin]

Eh I don't think it's the ISU's problem. My abiding memory of when figure skating was all the rage was that it was specials on all the time, not amateur competitions.

Back then it was always on TV. It wasn't about SOI or COI coming to your town, it was about seeing the skaters week after week. But those shows definitely benefited from the TV exposure. And it was specials like Michelle Kwan skating to Mulan music. Not skaters splitting screen time with some country music group. That's why I stopped watched for a long time. I didn't feel like watching a program and then all of a sudden looking at Kenny G. Brian Boitano's specials are still like that and that's all there is left.

If I was a TV producer, or someone in skating who has TV connections, I would have a new type of professional competition. Reality TV style where the skaters do a new program every week and the viewers at home vote on their favorite and then someone goes home. They had the idea with Thin Ice and then messed it up by making it pair's skating. Ice Wars was also too short, and a team thing. This would have to be a DWTS type season. 15 weeks would be a lot of skaters for people to choose their favorites. I would have suggested bringing the old professional championships back but I assume someone owns it who has no intention of doing that.

Besides that, people like Johnny Weir should have their own specials. He's on Logo now. I don't see why he can't put together some kind of filmed performance piece that has a story or something and have them air it. Some hour long special with a cast of his skating friends. Or just performances around a theme like being different. But even he seems to have the attitude that there's no money in figure skating in the US. I personally don't think the new generation have tried. But that's just me.

If the people who are already popular keep figure skating in the public eye then their fans will start tuning in to competitions and get to know the next generation. And maybe the competitions should be on at night, instead of weekend afternoons when everyone is at the mall/movies. It's mostly taped anyway.

p.s. The one thing the USFSA did do wrong was they backed the wrong horse. They could love their gold medalist all they wanted, but the problem is they would have been really happy if Johnny had disappeared and that was a fatal mistake. There was a huge opportunity to promote both of them after the Olympics. But by trying to shove Evan down everyone's throats they fumbled. In fact they should have promoted figure skating not American figure skating. My favorite skaters were always and still are from outside the US. Actually, Lambiel and Arakawa were the ones to get the most at home votes on Thin Ice. JS

[Triple Butz]

Todd Eldredge has a personality??

It may have been a lame personality (IMO) but you could always count on him to portray the under-appreciated hero to a soundtrack from the latest action or fantasy movie

[julieann]

1. Skate to music that is more current
2. Allow vocals in the short
3. It's difficult for sane viewers too grasp how falling 4x wins an event. Clean up the points system and judging to make it more viewer friendly. If you can't get a quad around and landed, you shouldn't be doing it or get credit for it.
4. Make costumes more contemporary
5. There needs to be an effort to market to ages 18-39
6. Fake doesn't sell any more. Don't try to make Susie Q or John Doe into 1960 idols. Let them be who they are.

Skaters can skate to any music they want and with all the music software there is out there if skaters want to be different they can be, they just have to try. Same with costumes which for me haven't been a problem.

Skating for sure is not on TV enough, it used to be on TV every weekend it doesn't even need to be live. Get commentators who know what they are talking about not just using the same buss-words, really educate the audience without interfering with the music too much. It's a fine line but it can be done.

The scores should be tweaked every year if something needs to be changed but just because a lay person doesn't understand something doesn't mean it needs to be changed. They need to learn the rules. I would never watch football and ask why a team who had 4 interception won over a team who had only 3. Maybe its because they scored more points?

People need to stop comparing other skaters, it is really getting old and the sport is not big enough. Not every new pairs team is the next Gordeeva and Grinkov or the next lady is Michelle Kwan.

But for me TV exposure is #1, you can never beat more public exposure.

[Sasha'sSpins]

I'm old school-I don't like vocals in competitive skating. :/