ISU plans more GP events

[Finnice]

Today, the Finnish Figure Skating federation announced that Finlandia Trophy will be moved from Valtti Areena, Vantaa, to Barona Areena, Tapiola (Espoo). Ms. Susanna Rahkamo, the president of FFSA, told also that they aim toi get Grand Prix status to Finlandia Trophy. When asked if it means that some of teh current countries would lose their GP, Ms. Rahkamo answered that ISU and Mr. Cinquanta are planning to add one or two GP events, and they offer to possiblity to Finland and (South) Korea.

Ms. Rahkamo also said that there might be a possibility that Finland and France would host the GP event in every second year.

I´ll let you know if I hear more from

[RomyNL]

I wish Finland good luck with getting their own GP event, but I hate the idea of not having the Trophee Bompard every year, the voidiest GP event of the season...
Sorry, Paris in November beats Espoo in November hands down! :-(

[Kati]

That would be wonderful! My fingers are crossed!

[Zemgirl]

I wish Finland good luck with getting their own GP event, but I hate the idea of not having the Trophee Bompard every year, the voidiest GP event of the season...
Sorry, Paris in November beats Espoo in November hands down! :-(

I think TEB should be held in October, like it was in the Olympic season. Preferably during the same dates as the Salon du Chocolat, again like in 2009. That was fabulous, and Paris is much nicer in October. Whereas no harm will be done if Skate America/Skate Canada were held in November.

I do kind like the idea of turning Finlandia into a GP in addition to the existing ones.

[Ziggy]

I really hope that instead of alternating the GP event between Finlandia and France, we will get Finlandia Trophy as an extra event.

If there's another one in South Korea, even better.

This season the reduction of available spots, together with some skaters being able to take 3 spots meant the available spaces really were in short supply.

[Carolla5501]

Oh... I hope we get TEB. Playing with a trip to Paris and if they EVER announce the dates I might try for that weekend instead of my current May.

I agree that this year it was the same skaters over and over and over... a little boring IMHO. Either add more skaters, more events or limit skaters to two events.

[berthesghost]

Given that the current 6 events struggled to stay afloat, only the isu would consider adding more. they're like the gang who couldn't shoot straight! It's no surprise bercy is looking to opt out every other year, teb's been near empty for years now.

[Carolla5501]

Given that the current 6 events struggled to stay afloat, only the isu would consider adding more. they're like the gang who couldn't shoot straight! It's no surprise bercy is looking to opt out every other year, teb's been near empty for years now.

Umm... I was there for the 2009 TEB and for women's the place was pretty full..

All they need is Yuna!


So 'for years' means two?

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Oh, no, I'm willing to sacrifice Skate America or Skate Canada, but not TEB!
Still, it sounds like my opportunity to visit Finland. Where's Espoo and is it nice?

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Given that the current 6 events struggled to stay afloat, only the isu would consider adding more. they're like the gang who couldn't shoot straight! It's no surprise bercy is looking to opt out every other year, teb's been near empty for years now.

If anything, TEB's attendance improves every year. This year, like last year too, the tribunes were pretty much full.

[Carolla5501]

I can't say anything about attendance at the others, but it seemed to me that Skate America was very poorly attended this year. If other's are doing better then maybe we should be on the "cutting room floor" .....
I would hate for that to happen, but sometimes you have to face the hard facts.

Now SA does have a network TV contract so that may make up for "butts in the seats" The ISU is not real "forthcoming" on these type of things

[SkaterDon]

TEB attendance looked very good this year and the reason was that unsold tickets went on sale several weeks before the event at 1/2 price according to MarieM.

Maybe the decision to make fewer and fewer fans pay more for events isn't working.

[care bear]

Oh, no, I'm willing to sacrifice Skate America or Skate Canada, but not TEB!
Still, it sounds like my opportunity to visit Finland. Where's Espoo and is it nice?

It is near Helsinki, may be 30 minutes by the bus.

[IceIceBaby]

When will the ISU make the decision?

[Pikachuusb]

Finnice, thank you for the info

[peibeck]

It seems odd to me that after several years of slashing the amount of competitors and judges as a way of cost savings, now they suddenly want to add two events?

I guess converting an already existing (and popular) "B" event into a GP would not add that much expense or perhaps even save some money (although it would limit the amount of skaters, so less could attend it as a GP than have been competing at Finlandia). I guess a lucrative TV contract for Korea would pay for the costs of adding an event there.

[Asli]

Ms. Rahkamo also said that there might be a possibility that Finland and France would host the GP event in every second year.

I hope Finlandia Trophy becomes a GP event. As for Finland and France hosting every other year, I don't think the sponsors of TEB would even allow that option. They would just spend their money on another sports event that takes place every year. What company wants to be remembered every other year?

[julieann]

It seems odd to me that after several years of slashing the amount of competitors and judges as a way of cost savings, now they suddenly want to add two events?

To lose a "B" which is the only way for senior skaters to make up points or get experience if they aren't getting grand prix events; doesn't make sense to me. Just add more skaters back in to the ones you already have.

[Zemgirl]

To lose a "B" which is the only way for senior skaters to make up points or get experience if they aren't getting grand prix events; doesn't make sense to me. Just add more skaters back in to the ones you already have.

Adding more skaters to existing events puts the financial burden on the host federations, who may not be up to it. If the Finnish federation can afford to host a GP, why not? I don't see it as a big problem for lower-ranked skaters - it's not like there's a lack of senior Bs in Europe throughout the fall season. What would be good is the addition one or two senior B competitions in Asia and NA.

[Frau Muller]

I think that the idea is to move the GP events out of places like Paris where it plays to near-empty arenas. From the looks of the recent Euro and ca-1995/96 Worlds, figure skating can pack the arenas in Finland than it is in France.

I LOVE the ideas of Finland and South Korea getting GP events!