2024 US Figure Skating Championships

[marshallpond]

At most comps, qual and non-qual, the LOC/USFS provides contact info for the photo/video vendor in the event announcement, plus the vendor takes orders at the event. Agree USFS shouldn't be providing personal info w/o people's permission but it does seem like they and the vendor dropped the ball here.

I talked with the vendor and her client was USFS. She was hired by USFS to take photos for the use of USFS. Her "primary responsibilities are to provide USFS with photos in a timely manner." Hence she did not have a sales table to take orders from the competitors and all orders are done online after the nationals.

In her email:

I've cobbled together a list of emails from past customers and those who have reached out. If you have friends that competed who are not on my list, please feel free to forward this email.

 

[nylynnr]

I talked with the vendor and her client was USFS. She was hired by USFS to take photos for the use of USFS.

So, this photog is paid by the USFS and her function is to supply photos for the magazine, website and media photo bank. She is not a registered vendor to the public, what is negotiated on the side between the photog, and athletes/fans, is strictly private. I'm surprised she would complain about USFS not circulating her contact info.

 

[Debbie S]

I talked with the vendor and her client was USFS. She was hired by USFS to take photos for the use of USFS. Her "primary responsibilities are to provide USFS with photos in a timely manner." Hence she did not have a sales table to take orders from the competitors and all orders are done online after the nationals.

In her email:

So it sounds like she decided on her own to offer her photos for sale to competitors. Assuming that is the case, I wonder why USFS didn't arrange that with her from the beginning and provide her info. Maybe they thought skaters/families would get annoyed b/c USFS would be her priority in order fulfillment. Seems like that could be resolved with clear communication to set expectations.

It could also be that USFS assumed that in our era of smartphones, families take their own photos and aren't interested in buying from a photographer. That is an issue at club comps, including my club's. A couple years ago, our vendor complained that they barely were making expenses so we now include a video for all entrants and build it into the registration fee. It's either that or no vendor.

 

[marshallpond]

So, this photog is paid by the USFS and her function is to supply photos for the magazine, website and media photo bank. She is not a registered vendor to the public, what is negotiated on the side between the photog, and athletes/fans, is strictly private. I'm surprised she would complain about USFS not circulating her contact info.

Just to be clear, the photographer did not complain (at least not to me when I talked to her). Rather, the statement "Seems like USFS did not share with her the contact info of the competitors" was my own assessment of the situation. I think she's been approached by several families and decided to offer her photos for sale after the competition.

I think there were a lot of logistics that were not handled well.

For example, athletes did not even get a goodie bag - not even a sticker or a pen. Nothing. No swag. I am in the LOC of various local competitions, and the goodie bags are planned at the beginning of the LOC meeting. And then you go to the nationals to find nothing. I heard that the USFS didn't even order any championship jackets other than for the sweepers, and that after the nationals they will order the jackets that the athletes can buy.

 

[nylynnr]

I heard that the USFS didn't even order any championship jackets other than for the sweepers, and that after the nationals they will order the jackets that the athletes can buy.

Wierd. I saw a large supply of gray vests in boxes, being distributed by volunteers to skaters and other volunteers, in addition to flash drives.

 

[marshallpond]

Wierd. I saw a large supply of gray vests in boxes, being distributed by volunteers to skaters and other volunteers, in addition to flash drives.

Nope, nothing for the athletes. They sold the merchandise, but there were no jackets or goodie bags for the athletes.

 

[Debbie S]

I heard that the USFS didn't even order any championship jackets other than for the sweepers, and that after the nationals they will order the jackets that the athletes can buy.

Unless things have changed in the past few years (I suspect they haven't), athletes who make Team USA have to buy their own Team USA jackets. (Like really, all the money their parents have spent to get them to that point and USFS can't give them a freaking jacket?)

Sorry for going OT, back to Nats....

 

[ice coverage]

Wierd. I saw a large supply of gray vests in boxes, being distributed by volunteers to skaters and other volunteers, in addition to flash drives.

My limited knowledge, based on 2023 Nats: It was possible for a skater to purchase in advance a long-sleeved jacket with a nice 2023 Nats logo and then to pick it up when s/he arrived in San Jose.
I think marshallpond is saying that skaters were not able to purchase 2024 Nats jackets until after the conclusion of Nats?
For competitors who would want to purchase a Nats jacket (I have no idea how many/few would), I think that part of the enjoyment of the jacket would be to wear it at the very same Nats. So if jackets for 2024 Nats were not available for purchase until after the fact, such timing would seem unfortunate.

The "uniform" for Columbus volunteers was a grey vest. They were in cartons near the volunteer check-in desk, which was at the backstage entrance that some credential-holders used.
I am surprised to hear that the grey vests also were being given to skaters -- not saying it did not happen. I do not know what to make of that.

At U.S. Nats and Skate America, it is the LOC that usually makes the arrangements for gifts/gift bags, AFAIK/IIRC?
Columbus did a great job in many other respects, if not that one.

 

[Carolla5501]

I would expect that goodie bags are the responsibility of the LOC as they generally have local interest items in them. Could be wrong.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Good review of the event from competitors Luke Wang and Lindsay Wang on their podcast. Luke saying he always felt like there was wind blowing in his face when he was sitting in the stands - truth!!

Episode 4: Only in Ohio! (2024 U.S. Championships Recap)

Listen to this episode from Office Hours on Spotify. In this post-Nationals episode, we give you the insight scoop into our biggest event of the year— all the glamorous (and maybe not so glamorous) moments, the psychology of competing, and our key takeaways!

open.spotify.com

 

[ice coverage]

For some all segments of 2024 Nats (but one), muted video now is available on USFS Fan Zone.

As of now:

All Junior competition for all disciplines​

Novice PD and Novice FD​

Novice Pairs SP​

ETA (as of Feb 19):​

Update: All Championship-level competition for all disciplines has been added.
The only thing missing is Novice Pairs FS.​

(I obviously wish that the Fan Zone video were not muted, but I am glad that some of the Nats video is accessible at all.
For muted Fan Zone video of past competitions, I sometimes have gone back to watch a couple of programs of certain favorites. Or sometimes just to look at certain elements -- that kind of thing.)