2023 U.S. Nationals in San Jose

[Carolla5501]

@Carolla5501 The powers that be might have considered swapping junior women‘s short with the women’s practice on but that would have them going until midnight one day and getting up early the next. The only other swaps that might have made sense would be having the junior women start a day earlier in the senior pairs practice slot, but that may have been ruled out for other reasons.

Or they might have started competition on Monday so that they weren't having to squeeze the Junior Women in on Thursday? I mean after all having that during a reasonsble time and offering cheap or even free tickets to skating clubs, schools etc might have brought in fans... and we can't have that can we

 

[MacMadame]

Having the comp start on Monday instead of Tues is harder on the officials and the volunteers though.

 

[Aceon6]

Or they might have started competition on Monday so that they weren't having to squeeze the Junior Women in on Thursday? I mean after all having that during a reasonsble time and offering cheap or even free tickets to skating clubs, schools etc might have brought in fans... and we can't have that can we

Juniors are in school and are used to being on the ice at 6 am. They’re fine. As for starting Monday, that’s extra cost and extra expense for any families who want to stay to see the senior events.

As for me, I’ll be up at zero dark thirty for Euros anyway!

 

[Karen-W]

Or they might have started competition on Monday so that they weren't having to squeeze the Junior Women in on Thursday? I mean after all having that during a reasonsble time and offering cheap or even free tickets to skating clubs, schools etc might have brought in fans... and we can't have that can we

Which would have then required an extra day in San Jose for many/most of the Junior skaters, coaches and families. I get that it's not the most fan-friendly schedule, but it really isn't just about what works best or is most considerate for the fans but many other stakeholders at the event.

 

[overedge]

Fans are important, but the competition is happening because....it's a competition. So whatever is most supportive for the skaters and their families, coaches, etc should be the highest priority.

 

[ChillSkate]

I totally get that there are other stakeholders to consider and no perfect answer. But the continual choice by USFSA to put fan interests last (along with the inability to watch replays of skating events on demand, which is related) is likely why Figure Skating has such a small and shrinking fan base in the US. I think USFSA needs to reconsider where they rank fans in their list of stakeholders. Many other sports have events at times that are sub-optimal for the athletes and / or the association because that is when they will attract the largest audience of in-person and TV fans.

 

[carriecmu0503]

So Nationals schedule is driven by television? That’s why we have junior ladies at 8 AM because of television?

No, it’s obviously being driven by the desire to reduce costs. Just like the decision to remove novices from this event, etc. they are working hard to shorten the amount of time they’re using expensive arenas.

Now there are pros and cons. You don’t have to spend as long as the city to see all the events but of course you do have to be at the arena at 8 AM.

They put the junior WOMEN's event at 8 am precisely because NBC won't show it live. That frees up the rink schedule to have events that will be shown live going on at times that are optimal for the live broadcast.

 

[carriecmu0503]

So Nationals schedule is driven by television? That’s why we have junior ladies at 8 AM because of television?

No, it’s obviously being driven by the desire to reduce costs. Just like the decision to remove novices from this event, etc. they are working hard to shorten the amount of time they’re using expensive arenas.

Now there are pros and cons. You don’t have to spend as long as the city to see all the events but of course you do have to be at the arena at 8 AM.

The novice skaters never competed in the large arena, at least not in the last decade. They always competed in the practice rink. Even junior short programs took place in the practice rink. That had nothing to do with why the novice level was removed from Nationals. Nationals is seen as a qualifier for the world championships/ Olympics, and as novices do not go to to worlds/ Olympics, they were removed from the event. It was also done to incentivize those skaters who are ready to move up to junior to do so, rather than staying novice simply to medal or win a national medal at that the novice level. If you notice, Canada is also no longer including the novice level in their nationals, either.

 

[MacMadame]

Do we have stats on the size of the figure skating fan base?

 

[overedge]

Novice and lower levels weren't removed from Nationals because they don't lead to the Olympics. If you read the discussion and explanation on the USFS website, at least part of the reason was that USFS felt there was too much emphasis being placed at those levels on winning medals and not enough on skater development and long-term involvement in the sport. Which is why those levels now lead to participation in national teams and not to a championship event.

But regardless, re scheduling - you can't have it both ways. If the schedule was set up to make the fans happy, and the skaters get overworked or injured, then it'll be "how can they go to worlds or internationals in such bad shape and embarrass us". If you want to see an event where the skaters are there just to please the fans, go to a professional show. If you're going to a competition, accept that it might not be set up for your convenience, and deal with it. Or go to a regional or local or sectional competition and support the skaters at those levels, who could use fan support as well.

 

[Carolla5501]

nor sure what I did. Obviously posting error

 

[ice coverage]

Update: Color-coded "Tentative Schedule" Draft 5.0 as of Jan 13 now is available at the public link.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/sites/default/files/media-files/2023USChamps_Schedule.pdf

(FWIW: The public link most recently had been showing Draft 2.0, IIRC ... as recently as the last few days.
In comparison to what I remember of the previous draft, my rough eyeballing does not detect any glaring changes in Draft 5.0.
But maybe something will jump out at someone else.)

... The junior RD ends at 1am EST and the junior FD ends at 2:25am.

The only things that I noticed as (small) differences on Draft 5.0 is that Junior RD and Junior FD now are scheduled to end slightly earlier (thank goodness!) than before.

Junior RD now ends at 9:48 pm PT / 12:48 am ET.

Junior FD now ends at 10:58 pm PT / 1:58 am ET (followed by Awards for Junior Dance).

 

[A.H.Black]

Concerning the schedule - I am happy to see that Pairs and Dance free skates have not been split up so that the lower placed skaters perform at a completely different time than the higher placed skaters. I always thought that was a slap in the face to skaters that worked hard to get to Nationals. I'm also happy to see that last mens practice at the SAP center between Dance and Pairs. It's always my favorite practice of the week. I remember seeing some truly great skating at that practice, starting with Paul Wylie in 1990.

 

[YukiNieve]

One week to go. So...
The required bag size remains to be 5x9x2?
Can we bring stuffed animals to throw?
Can we watch practice at Sharks Ice?

 

[Debbie S]

One week to go. So...
The required bag size remains to be 5x9x2?
Can we bring stuffed animals to throw?
Can we watch practice at Sharks Ice?

Seems like the bag policy hasn't changed.

The volunteers were told on a call with USFS that spectators would be allowed into Sharks Ice (would be nice if USFS sent out official confirmation).

Haven't heard about stuffies but they better allow them! I can't imagine they wouldn't.

 

[mattiecat13]

I don't think I have anything that small that would work!

 

[TanithandBenFan]

When I called about the bag policy she said they will be a “little” lenient so if it’s an inch or two bigger I think you’ll be ok.

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I really want to bring in some food .

 

[sk9tingfan]

I really want to bring in some food .

That's what jacket pockets are for.

 

[MacMadame]

I really want to bring in some food .

Word. I mean we all know how to smuggle it in. But it would be nice not to have to or to bring something that won't go into a pocket.

 

[kiss-n-cry]

They are going to have sweepers for the event, so I imagine stuffies will be allowed.

My husband is in the hospital awaiting news on if he has to have his gallbladder removed. What happens with that will determine if I can still go or not. My chemo schedule ended up working out, so it figures there's a new and completely separate curveball to worry about.

 

[skatfan]

I was checking my parking passes (I bought the package), and I hope that the times listed on the ParkMobile tickets are not for real. Just one example: the ticket for Tuesday has an arrival time of 9:00 am and a departure time of 3:00 p.m. The last event of the day ends close to 10:00 p.m. I don't know how these tickets can be in and out if the times are baked into the parking passes. Has anyone asked about this?

edited to add: I've called the ParkMobile customer service and they tell me that the times on the event tickets are what is in the ticket itself. I explained the problem and I'll hear back from them via email and will post what I learn.

SAP person: They will honor all parking passes on the day, ignore the times listed.

 

[Sylvia]

I was checking my parking passes (I bought the package), and I hope that the times listed on the ParkMobile tickets are not for real. Just one example: the ticket for Tuesday has an arrival time of 9:00 am and a departure time of 3:00 p.m. The last event of the day ends close to 10:00 p.m. I don't know how these tickets can be in and out if the times are baked into the parking passes. Has anyone asked about this?

Contact Us | SAP Center

www.sapcenter.com

ETA: I hope some fans will bring Ukrainian (and USA) flags to wave for Smirnova/Siianytsia!

 

[myhoneyhoney]

Ok, need ideas for flat, tiny, hot food to smuggle in jacket pockets What are you guys taking? I read someone’s bringing cookies?!

Ugh, I’m such a big baby, I don’t know how to smuggle food. Even Disneyland lets me bring in my nice hot roast beef melt sandwiches.

Waitttt, I’ll stuff my belly and rub it like I’m preggo. There’s my story, I’m preggo, ya’ll!

 

[YukiNieve]

Thanks for all the replies. Sigh about the bag policy - I am not sure why they prefer 5x2x9 bag to 12x12 clear bag.

ETA: I hope some fans will bring Ukrainian (and USA) flags to wave for Smirnova/Siianytsia!

Thanks for the head-up! I do have an Ukrainian flag and will bring it.

BTW if we are allowed to bring flags/banners/stuffies, are we supposed to hand-carry all of those?

 

[MacMadame]

Btw, I still have two tickets if someone wants them. See details in the Tickets for Sale thread. At this point, I'll take anything for them. Bake me some cookies or something.

 

[skatfan]

Ok, need ideas for flat, tiny, hot food to smuggle in jacket pockets What are you guys taking? I read someone’s bringing cookies?!

Ugh, I’m such a big baby, I don’t know how to smuggle food. Even Disneyland lets me bring in my nice hot roast beef melt sandwiches.

Waitttt, I’ll stuff my belly and rub it like I’m preggo. There’s my story, I’m preggo, ya’ll!

Frankly I’d just walk in with it and see. The arena security will likely fold in the face of a ton of folks bringing in things.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Ok, need ideas for flat, tiny, hot food to smuggle in jacket pockets What are you guys taking? I read someone’s bringing cookies?!

Ugh, I’m such a big baby, I don’t know how to smuggle food. Even Disneyland lets me bring in my nice hot roast beef melt sandwiches.

Waitttt, I’ll stuff my belly and rub it like I’m preggo. There’s my story, I’m preggo, ya’ll!

At Kansas City Nats I got a container of pasta salad from the grocery store near the arena and snuggled it against my stomach under my jacket. I dared them to question my belly!

 

[Spikefan]

in my nice hot roast beef melt sandwiches.

Just stuff it in your pants, maybe make sure it has cooled a little. No one should question bellies or bulge.

There is also this jacket with 24 pockets if you have the money:

Essential 2.0 Women's Travel Jacket with Hidden Pockets | SCOTTeVEST

The 2020 update to our most popular women's travel jacket with hidden pockets, the Essential 2.0 is a wardrobe...essential. The name truly says it all! With tons of useful features, 24 pockets to organize your gear and zip off sleeves (that stow in the back pocket) you'll be ready for any and...

www.scottevest.com

 

[Flip Jump]

Each year every arena has different rules about bag size and what is allowed in the bags. Usually the Arenas who hosts nationals never have concession stands open until Thursday afternoon when the senior short programs begin. They don’t understand that Skating fans come to the rink for seven days and sometimes stay between eight and 10 hours and when concessions aren’t open we need to bring in food for ourselves. A 6x 9 inch bag won’t hold much of anything. We are a family who likes to throw out small stuffed animals to skaters and USFS has not answered questions about that. So we will just take our chances and bring them in.