This Is the Insane Amount of Money It Takes to Become an Olympic Figure Skater

[berthesghost]

Ok, I’m not up on my Johnny news. What happened to his nyc apt? Did he sell it after the divorce?

 

[Justathoughtabl]

Johnny never had an apartment in NYC. (That "news" report that he was buying a condo was false.) He rented an apartment in NJ. I believe he lives in Delaware now. At one point he said he was living with his parents because he had been renting an apartment in Delaware and couldn't justify paying the rent because he's only home a few nights a year. (And I guess his parents take care of his dog when he's away.) Not sure where he's living now. He also mentioned on his podcast that he's been looking at real estate. He mentioned at one point that he'd like to find a compound-type place so he can set his parents up in a nice house and have a house for himself. I don't know if he was serious about that, but I thought it was very sweet. I think he's very close with his family.

 

[MacMadame]

I believe in the US the rate is usually quoted for a 20 minute lesson

That varies too. In the SF Bay Area, I was always quoted for 30minutes. Not sure why as sessions tend to be 45-50 minutes so 20 minutes makes more sense.

So I'm not sure why you think her resume as an athlete is really relevant to her ability to train hockey players or competitive skaters.

What I'm not sure about is why people are insisting that Mirai should have done some other job. It's her life. If she wants to be an Ice Girl, that's her decision.

All the arguments about whether or not she *could* have been a power skating coach for professional hockey players are completely irrelevant unless she gives an interview where she says she wanted to do that particular but was turned down when she inquired.

 

[Tinami Amori]

... still counting "other people's money".... and all are "North Americans"... "Back in USSR!..... you don't know how lucky you are, boy..."

 

[Japanfan]

At one point he said he was living with his parents because he had been renting an apartment in Delaware and couldn't justify paying the rent because he's only home a few nights a year. (And I guess his parents take care of his dog when he's away.)

If he's only home a few nights a year, the dog would not longer really be his I would think.

 

[Justathoughtabl]

If he's only home a few nights a year, the dog would not longer really be his I would think.

That's up to him and his family to determine.

 

[Skittl1321]

In my area, lessons are nearly always 30 minutes. But even high school kids charge $50-60/hour for lessons.

(midwest- mall rink)

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

Even junior coaches around here (Greater Vancouver area) charge a minimum of $40 per hour. The higher level senior club coaches range from $60 to $90 per hour. I think Joanne McLeod is $90 per hour. I believe in the US the rate is usually quoted for a 20 minute lesson and from what I have seen seems to range from $35 to $60 ($105 to $180 per hour) at the bigger centers. I believe Frank Carrol is $180 per hour.

Google is my friend. I just found this list of rates:
https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/0093/4780/PRO_STAFF_BIOS_12.20.17.pdf

I was wrong. Frank Carrol is $50 per 20 minutes.

Most level 3 coaches I know here charge 40-44$/hour, having skaters at Challenge... Level 2 (whatever the new name is) charge around 28$/hour...

 

[mag]

Most level 3 coaches I know here charge 40-44$/hour, having skaters at Challenge... Level 2 (whatever the new name is) charge around 28$/hour...

I suppose they all charge based on the market they are in. I could see coaches on the coasts where the cost of living is higher charging more.

 

[Tyranid]

It’s true in nearly every sport. Coaching fees, travel expenses, and physical therapy and athletic conditioning to keep the body operating at elite levels add up. But figure skating is among the priciest, with costs running more than $35,000 a year and as much as $50,000 annually by some estimates.

If you're "successful", you'll cover the costs of 35-50 grand. Many would say that Elena Radionova is not "successful", yet she made like over $320,000 on just competitions alone, not counting shows, commercials, sponsors, etc.

It may be expensive, but it's far from insane.

edit: I know, I know, shes from Russia and it may be cheaper. But come on NA, you guys are way richer!

 

[MacMadame]

Also it's not fair to compare Canadian $ with US $. You have to do the conversion to see what the real difference is.

 

[Japanfan]

If you're "successful", you'll cover the costs of 35-50 grand. Many would say that Elena Radionova is not "successful", yet she made like over $320,000 on just competitions alone, not counting shows, commercials, sponsors, etc.

Your average child or adult in FS is not elite and not earning big bucks doing competitions. For a child to become a Radionova, someone has to pay for his/her skating until the child gets to the point of receiving funding.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I suppose they all charge based on the market they are in. I could see coaches on the coasts where the cost of living is higher charging more.

Yes, totally...

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

Also it's not fair to compare Canadian $ with US $. You have to do the conversion to see what the real difference is.

The difference would be even bigger...

 

[Justathoughtabl]

Speaking of skaters/money/homes, here's a new article about Johnny Weir's dream home. He wants a house in rural Pennsylvania (where he's originally from) with a lot of land so he can build a house for his parents as well.

https://www.realtor.com/news/celebr...mer_Realtor.com_Image_sf86091186&sf86091186=1

 

[Tinami Amori]

Speaking of skaters/money/homes, here's a new article about Johnny Weir's dream home. He wants a house in rural Pennsylvania (where he's originally from) with a lot of land so he can build a house for his parents as well.

https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/johnny-weir-home-search/?cid=soc_fy18_TW_Editorial_FY18_Consumer_Realtor.com_Image_sf86091186&sf86091186=1

I just love Johnny.... he wants to live in a mini-Palace of Versailles ... go boy!

Apartment living is not my thing. Condos are not my thing. I hate listening to other people coming and going, their sound systems, and their kids screaming.

I live under a lot of pressure on a daily basis, and to go home and have that annoyance of neighbors is not for me. I need to be able to completely unwind.

 

[mag]

Wow, Johnny thinks he has a lot of pressure ... good to see his lack of self awareness hasn’t left him.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Wow, Johnny thinks he has a lot of pressure ... good to see his lack of self awareness hasn’t left him.

"a lot of pressure" is subjective...

 

[Justathoughtabl]

Wow, Johnny thinks he has a lot of pressure ... good to see his lack of self awareness hasn’t left him.

Unless we have cameras on his life, who are we to say whether he has pressure or not? I know that anything posted here about Johnny becomes fodder for mockery. Perhaps that's how people here deal with the pressure in their lives (we all have it).

I live in a condo. I could also sometimes do without noise through the walls or having to socialize in the elevator when I'm walking the dog at 6 am with an unwashed face. I get what he means.

 

[kwanfan1818]

PJ Kwong's latest @skatingpj podcast is an interview with Alexandra Paul. Paul said she started to skate through Canskate with her sisters, but that she was the only one to continue after it was time to have their own coach(es). She said that the group lessons they had until then were more fun for her sisters.

She also said that she just wanted to be on the ice, and while that might indicate seriousness and the mental attitude and commitment to be an elite skater, the number of professional ballet dancers from North America I've read and heard, especially the men, who were not committed to ballet when they started, but then something clicked after they had done it for a few years, is great.

So group lessons at elite levels might keep more kids in longer until that "click" happens, as well as keeping it more affordable.

 

[Tinami Amori]

He wants a house in rural Pennsylvania ......

Your post caught my eye again, and somehow this time i read "Transylvania"..

 

[Golden1]

As a German I always wondered how our ice dancers Kavita and Joti finance their career. I mean living and training in the US must be really, really expensive and I don't think you can work while trying to reach the top of this sport. I also don't think that they are already at a stage in their career where they make enough money with their skating. The German commentators always talked about Kavita's father paying for it. I must be really slow because I only figured out who Kavita's father is when I saw her instagram stories about the jewelry fair in Basel. Ok, they for sure have no money problems
But now I have some questions for the experts here: Are the coaching costs just one sum or do both partner's have to pay individually? I don't know about Joti's family but the commentators always talked about Kavita's family paying for the coaches. How does it work with other couples? It must be difficult when one partner has bigger financial problems than the other one. I also wonder about the costs for the coaching. Are all couples paying the same in a training center? So do LP pay the same in Canton as the Shibs for example?

 

[mag]

@Golden1 There are many, many different arrangements for coaching fee and for the split of fees between partners. In a perfect world, partners would split fees 50/50, but I have heard of a number of partnerships where the girl, or her parent pay all the coaching costs as a condition of getting a partner. As to how much the coaches actually charge, most charge by the hour, but with skaters what make a lot through endorsements and prize money there can also be an agreement for a flat percentage of earnings.

 

[Japanfan]

I live in a condo. I could also sometimes do without noise through the walls or having to socialize in the elevator when I'm walking the dog at 6 am with an unwashed face. I get what he means.

We live in a rental house with a back and front yard, and all I have to do to let the dog out is open the door. I would find it extremely difficult to adjust to living in an apartment and having to physically take the dog outside to pee or do business multiple times a day. Especially if I had to socialize in an elevator first thing of the day.

 

[Japanfan]

^I'd always heard figure skating is the most expensive sport apart from equestrian, FWIW.

I'd not heard that, but always assumed it to be true.

To train in equestrian, a person needs a horse from the get go, and that would be the primary expense. I suppose a person could rent or lease a horse, but I don't know if that would work for a person who wanted to compete, because a person needs to build a relationship and rapport with their horse.

Some professional equestrians don't own the horse/horses they ride, but they must spend a whole of hours with the horses they compete. And I'm sure they don't come cheap. And they don't start out as professionals, so would probably need their own horse to get to that level.

What about sailing?

I'm sure sailboats for competition cost a small fortune, but would think that a person could develop sailing skills with a second-hand sailboat that was in good condition, or by using a rental. Getting to an elite level in sailing would therefore probably not be as expensive as getting to an elite level in equestrian or FS. A 'regular' sailboat probably doesn't cost as much a 'regular' horse or a 'regular' bobsled.

Also, people don't have to pay just to put a sailboat in the ocean, whereas a skater needs to pay for ice time and I would expect a bobsledder needs to pay to use the track, due to the cost of it being built in the first place. The ocean is just there, and does not need to be built.

 

[Japanfan]

Duhamel thinks the costs in the article are exaggerated. Maybe Mrs. Freezer can chat with her about economizing?

I heard that costumes can cost up to $3000, but that was some years ago. So maybe some skating dresses do cost $5,000 to $10,000 these days. But $10,000 does seem excessive.

Also, sequins need to be sewed on by hand SFAIK, and that accounts for much of the cost. I knew a belly dancer who made most of her income from making costumes, and she spent endless hours sewing on sequins by hand.

IIRC, Megan never really cared for flashy costumes loaded with sequins.

 

[Meoima]

I heard that costumes can cost up to $3000, but that was some years ago. So maybe some skating dresses do cost $5,000 to $10,000 these days. But $10,000 does seem excessive.

Also, sequins need to be sewed on by hand SFAIK, and that accounts for much of the cost. I knew a belly dancer who made most of her income from making costumes, and she spent endless hours sewing on sequins by hand.

IIRC, Megan never really cared for flashy costumes loaded with sequins.

Shizuka Arakawa (in a recent interview, like just last year or something) said top skaters spent around $2500 to $3000 per year for all the costumes. I doubt it's up to $10000.

 

[million$momma]

I heard that costumes can cost up to $3000, but that was some years ago. So maybe some skating dresses do cost $5,000 to $10,000 these days. But $10,000 does seem excessive.

Also, sequins need to be sewed on by hand SFAIK, and that accounts for much of the cost. I knew a belly dancer who made most of her income from making costumes, and she spent endless hours sewing on sequins by hand.

IIRC, Megan never really cared for flashy costumes loaded with sequins.

Are most dresses not made with glued on crystals now? I can't remember the last time I saw a dress with sequins on it.

 

[MacMadame]

Also, people don't have to pay just to put a sailboat in the ocean

Actually, they do. There are a lot of costs associated with owning a boat even if you never take it anywhere. Most boat owners put their boats into storage part of the year (due to weather) so they are paying for that.

Once in the water, they rent a "slip" or some other anchorage. You can't just plop a boat into the water somewhere and drop anchor and leave your boat for long periods of time. Well, you probably could do that and get away with it but not if you are a competitive sailor who needs their boat to be in good shape and in the water for months.

I think the 3 sports mentioned are all pretty expensive but I think figure skating is probably cheaper than sailing. A competitive boat can cost in the 6 figures and you need to upgrade periodically. An American Cup level sailing boat costs millions.

(A friend of mine sails competitively.)

 

[Willin]

Boats are really expensive, especially one worthy of non-lake sailing.

Dresses without the Rhinestones cost $150-300. If you rhinestone them yourself, stones are about $40-70/1000 (some dresses have 3-5k+), glue's about $5-10/tube), and then the rhinestone process will take you dozens of hours. For fully rhinestoned dresses, $800+ seems the going price, although I'd bet most are closer to $1500+. $10k is only if you get the Vera Wang designer treatment, and even then that's usually a donation on her part.