2011/2012 Grand Prix Athlete Selection

[Frau Muller]

Could somebody please explain how Zhang/Zhang (who went AWOL last season) got two events but Sui/Han -- who won the sr G-P bronze medal last season, for cryin' out loud! -- got only one assignment. Punishment for their talent...or their age?

[B.Cooper]

Can someone direct me to where, and more importantly....why.... the ISU decided to reduce the number of entries? IMO, this further reduces the interest level of the sport by limiting the number of entrants in the fall international series (both SGP and JGP). As much as the sport is struggling for recognition around most of the world, with the exception of Asia, why in the world did the ISU decide to make the sport even more "exclusive"....by limiting numbers.

I started thinking about this while watching Wimbledon last week (and even today, with the upsets in the ladies events)....that you have the chance of an relative unknown squeaking thru and that increases the interest level across the board. Kind of like the Cinderella teams that make it thru to the round of 16 or even to the final during March Madness. You draw in the smaller viewing markets. Oh, yeah, I forgot...skating isn't really televised. So, all of this is a moot argument! ;-)

But, back to my original question...maybe Sylvia knows the answer....why DID the ISU drop the number of entrants per event?

[julieann]

Could somebody please explain how Zhang/Zhang (who went AWOL last season) got two events but Sui/Han -- who won the sr G-P bronze medal last season, for cryin' out loud! -- got only one assignment. Punishment for their talent...or their age?

Why do you think the Zhangs should be penalized because they were injured? They are still 18th in the world rankings even with missing a whole season.

I doubt S/H are being punished for being talented, otherwise the top teams wouldn't be competing.

[Sylvia]

Can someone direct me to where, and more importantly....why.... the ISU decided to reduce the number of entries?

See this 5/26 Kyodo News article translated from Japanese: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...2&postcount=67

The ISU executive explained that, saying "It is the aim to improve the quality of the event by getting the top players to participate to a lot of event". As for each event, reducing the participation frame which was 12 Men and Ladies for each in this season to 10, it suppresses the unevenness of the competitive ability.

ETA this 5/23 post: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...9&postcount=25

This is what I heard about the coming GP rules changes.

1. Only 1-12 Worlds finishers are guaranted events (1-6 may do 3 if they want).
2. Wording for Junior Worlds medalists, JGPF medalists, 1-24 SB and 1-24 WS is different now. Last year they were guaranteed min 1 event. Now it says they'll get 1 event provided there are open spots.

3. 1-6 WC finishers may do 3 events. 2 best results will count for the Final. By June 1 they are supposed to inform the ISU if they plan to do 3 or 2 events. If somebody opted for 3, and got 3 but will decide later to withdraw (even for serious medical reasons, as everybody withdraws for medical reasons) from the 3rd event, there will be prize money deduction for the previous 2 events. On the contrary-doing 3 events will add bonus to the prize money.

4. Host countries can still eneter anybody for home events, regardless of the ratings, SB, etc.

All this is in line with the ISU policy that Senior GP is not a development program but a commercial series for top skaters to attract TV. They were really disappointed last year when really weak skaters were invited as substitutes.

(I bolded the sentence above.)

[euterpe]

I think it's rather funny that the ISU emphasis is on TV ratings when in many countries, there is little or NO skating shown on TV, let alone GP events. The TV audience for skating is shrinking year by year because the networks assign time slots according to what advertisers are willing to support. Advertisers want to target their sports $$ to what the 25-35 male crowd wants to watch, and that is certainly not figure skating.

Most hard core skating fans watch the GP events on the internet.

[Tesla]

Most hard core skating fans watch the GP events on the internet.

Because they have no choice. The GP isn't shown on a channel that most people can watch. I have DISH, so I don't get Universal Sports.

[RD]

Because they have no choice. The GP isn't shown on a channel that most people can watch. I have DISH, so I don't get Universal Sports.

Hmm...wasn't most of last year's GP shown on NBC- a "channel that most people can watch"? Of course it doesn't rate that highly, given that it airs opposite football, but at least they bother to show it.

[reese]

Hmm...wasn't most of last year's GP shown on NBC- a "channel that most people can watch"? Of course it doesn't rate that highly, given that it airs opposite football, but at least they bother to show it.

I think Skate America was (ladiezzz and maybe men's?) on NBC last year. That was it. No other GPs, no ice dance and pairs, no GPF, no World Championships.

They did show the Nationals LPs of the top skaters.

[sk9tingfan]

Because they have no choice. The GP isn't shown on a channel that most people can watch. I have DISH, so I don't get Universal Sports.

Supposedly DISH will be getting access to Universal Sports in certain markets. Here is the link that indicates where it is and/or going

[RD]

I think Skate America was (ladiezzz and maybe men's?) on NBC last year. That was it. No other GPs, no ice dance and pairs, no GPF, no World Championships.

But they definitely showed other GPs (with the exception of China) and the GPF. I have the recordings.

They did not show Worlds, though.

[reese]

But they definitely showed other GPs (with the exception of China) and the GPF. I have the recordings.

They did not show Worlds, though.

NBC did? Wow I have no memory of that. I thought it was Universal.

[RD]

NBC did? Wow I have no memory of that. I thought it was Universal.

Universal Sports had coverage as well. NBC showed the top singles in each event on Sunday afternoon.

[lavenderblue]

NBC's broadcasts are extremely selective, though -- they'll skip one or two disciplines entirely, and a few skaters in the ones they do show. IIRC, they skipped dance and pairs(?) in last year's Skate Canada broadcast, for example.

[Frau Muller]

Why do you think the Zhangs should be penalized because they were injured? .....

The Zhangs don't have the momentum but Sui/Han do. And Zhangs have been slipping backwards for a while. It's not as if they became injured while at the top of their game.

ISU seems to be becoming more a producer of pro events than an 'amateur' sports body. Blending with Scott Hamilton's SOI productions. Evan is this season's Sasha: brought back into the game to prop-up ratings. I'm sure that the NBC cameras will be following him through the back hallways of the arena, like they did with Sasha at 2010 Nationals. Plush too; I'm sure that he'll nab that 3rd spot for a Russian man in Cup of Russia & that he's back to bolster insterest in Sochi 2014. It's all so obviously commercial. But if the 'vets' EARN their medals and spots in the G-P finals fair-and-square, then all power to them.

Edited to add: Lavenderblue (above) is right: NBC is highly selective in its SkAmerica coverage. I have no doubt that this yr's competition will be "All About the Evan"! [Especially with Scott in the booth...eeek!] If we're lucky, they'll show some of Meryl & Charlie...they SHOULD be planning their telecasts around the current #1s (Meryl/Charlie) & not the comeback kid.

[VALuvsMKwan]

Ya think? I can see Kostner in front of Czisny, but not sure about Lepisto ...

And not necessarily even Kostner - will good Caro or Bambi Caro show up?

I realize the same can be said about Czisny, but I have faith in Jason and Yuka's abilities to steady her.

[Jarrett]

I think the assignments are good for Mirai. Barring any injury setbacks hopefully Frank can have her peaking (not best of the season but solid with no major flaws) at the right time for these two weeks then the GPF if she makes it.

[euterpe]

UniversalSports is what showed events other than Skate America. And US is a CABLE network, not a TV network, and carried only by specific cable companies and therefore not available to the general public. Supposedly US will be covered by DirecTV (what I have), although I haven't noticed it in the most recent channel listings.

I have paid to watch skating on the US webcast, though, but that is internet and not cable OR TV.

[chipso1]

Well, if the NFL lock-out really does happen, we could be seeing a lot more GP coverage on NBC this season...

not that I'm hoping for that or anything

[chipso1]

UniversalSports is what showed events other than Skate America. And US is a CABLE network, not a TV network, and carried only by specific cable companies and therefore not available to the general public. Supposedly US will be covered by DirecTV (what I have), although I haven't noticed it in the most recent channel listings.

I have paid to watch skating on the US webcast, though, but that is internet and not cable OR TV.

NBC also showed 2 hours of each event (recap coverage for a few disciplines) except for CoC last season.

[Jarrett]

NBC also showed 2 hours of each event (recap coverage for a few disciplines) except for CoC last season.

Also while Universal Sports is a channel on cable many people get it "over-the-air" with a digital tuner. I would check into it if you live in the U.S. I know I watched it last year.