2025 Skate America: Lake Placid (official 5.6.2025)

[Debbie S]

Discounts are being offered.

Yes, currently to USFS members in clubs in a specific geographic region. Then to the rest of the membership.

I'm sure USFS just wants to sell tickets at this point, but many of us have been saying for years that they should offer discounts to skaters/families at the grassroots level. Posting all of this far and wide is a good way to convince them that offering such a targeted discount would be impossible.

 

[Willin]

Maybe USFS should just host Skate America in places that are easy to get to?

There are plenty of places that could/would host and would draw a decent crowd. Lake Placid just seems annoying and expensive to attend.

 

[BittyBug]

Maybe USFS should just host Skate America in places that are easy to get to?

There are plenty of places that could/would host and would draw a decent crowd. Lake Placid just seems annoying and expensive to attend.

Where are these places and why didn't they bid if that's the case? Remember as well that there was a last minute date change, which no doubt caused a scramble.

 

[Karen-W]

Where are these places and why didn't they bid if that's the case? Remember as well that there was a last minute date change, which no doubt caused a scramble.

Yup, rumor before the date change was the two options were LP and SLC, but when the USFS swapped dates with the FFSG, it didn't take more than about 10 minutes for me to see that BOTH of the arenas in the SLC area were already booked with events that week, which took SLC out of consideration.

 

[Sktwo]

I really do think it’s the location and not the lineup. Many of my favorite skaters are there so I looked into attending and discovered that I basically can’t get from here (a small city in middle America) to there in any reasonable amount of time and without using multiple modes of transportation.

 

[Willin]

Where are these places and why didn't they bid if that's the case? Remember as well that there was a last minute date change, which no doubt caused a scramble.

The Chicago area has been a successful host in the past. Detroit has hosted. St. Louis could do well. Portland were good hosts and has a growing skating scene. California has hosted worlds and 4CC before in SoCal and Nationals in the Bay Area. Las Vegas was a great host, as was Allen. Salt Lake City would make sense in the context of the upcoming Olympics.

I feel like part of the issue of places not bidding is just that it takes a lot of money and effort to bid and they don't want to do it every year. I think if USFS was less focused on complete well though out bids and scouted cities asking if they'd be interested for a given year well ahead of time rather than a bidding process, they could be more successful with getting hosts. I know for synchro there's only a few clubs and rinks that have the willpower to bother to put together a bid.

 

[Lanie]

I really think the issue here is that cities just don’t bid and the cost is pretty crazy. I think Allen was chosen twice because they picked up a lot of the expenses.

I’m really glad I can go to Lake Placid because I’ve always wanted to visit but it’s really inconvenient. If I was still living in California, there was absolutely no freaking way I would be able to go. I definitely don’t see them ever hosting something like Skate America in California again because I don’t know a smaller venue that would be able to host it. Maybe San Diego? I don’t really know… 4CC 2019 was in Anaheim and that was really fun.

 

[BittyBug]

I really think the issue here is that cities just don’t bid and the cost is pretty crazy. I think Allen was chosen twice because they picked up a lot of the expenses.

Bingo. Hosting a GP is expensive and it's hard to make the event profitable.

 

[Karen-W]

I really think the issue here is that cities just don’t bid and the cost is pretty crazy. I think Allen was chosen twice because they picked up a lot of the expenses.

I’m really glad I can go to Lake Placid because I’ve always wanted to visit but it’s really inconvenient. If I was still living in California, there was absolutely no freaking way I would be able to go. I definitely don’t see them ever hosting something like Skate America in California again because I don’t know a smaller venue that would be able to host it. Maybe San Diego? I don’t really know… 4CC 2019 was in Anaheim and that was really fun.

There are plenty of venues in California that could host SkAm, if they aren't already booked. Pechanga Arena in San Diego seems much too large for SkAm with a seating capacity of 13k for ice hockey - plus their AHL team has two home games the weekend of SkAm.

Other options with lower seating capacities in areas with a good-sized skating community would be:

Tech CU Arena in San Jose seats 4200 but their AHL team has a game on Nov 15.
Toyota Arena in Ontario seats 9700 for hockey, but there's a concert scheduled on Nov 12.

There are options, all over the country, I'm sure, but getting a local organizing committee & volunteers in place 7-8 months out from an event like SkAm may be daunting, even for the most robust & thriving skating clubs.

 

[Debbie S]

2011 SA was in Ontario, CA and attendance was low. Attendance was also low for 2023 Nats in San Jose. I'm not sure USFS will be so quick to hold events in CA in the future. For Nats anyway, their preference seems to be mid-size cities in the Midwest. SA is probably dependent on who is willing to host. I thought Allen did a nice job and the location and setup were convenient but attendance was lower last year than in 2023, so they may not want to host again if they don't see it as profitable.

 

[MacMadame]

I definitely don’t see them ever hosting something like Skate America in California again because I don’t know a smaller venue that would be able to host it.

There are small venues all over California. It's a big state after all, with plenty of smaller towns and lots of colleges and universities with smaller venues. For example, US Davis has an arena that holds 7,600. And in the LA area, there is the Anaheim Convention Center. Stockton has a smaller arena though possibly too big for SkAm. In the Bay Area, there is the Cow Palace which has hosted a bunch of Disney on Ice shows in the past. Bakersfield has an arena for its hockey team which is on the smaller size.

But there are many more.

 

[HeatherC]

I really think the issue here is that cities just don’t bid and the cost is pretty crazy. I think Allen was chosen twice because they picked up a lot of the expenses.

I’m really glad I can go to Lake Placid because I’ve always wanted to visit but it’s really inconvenient. If I was still living in California, there was absolutely no freaking way I would be able to go. I definitely don’t see them ever hosting something like Skate America in California again because I don’t know a smaller venue that would be able to host it. Maybe San Diego? I don’t really know… 4CC 2019 was in Anaheim and that was really fun.

If we don't get to hang out at some point during SA in Lake Placid, I am going to go crazy....no more near misses for us!

I'm excited to go to LP as I've never been there before but yeah, it's gonna be quite a trip for us in the traveling part. We decided to drive up there but we're taking about two days to get there each way (thank goodness we can entertain each other in the car, LOL) so it is a bit of a long trek for this skating weekend. But then again, in my younger days, I did drive by myself all the way from Cincy to Hartford, CT for a SA to meet up with some friends who were there so I guess I have done crazier things in my skating fandom, LMAO

 

[Lanie]

2011 SA was in Ontario, CA and attendance was low. Attendance was also low for 2023 Nats in San Jose. I'm not sure USFS will be so quick to hold events in CA in the future. For Nats anyway, their preference seems to be mid-size cities in the Midwest. SA is probably dependent on who is willing to host. I thought Allen did a nice job and the location and setup were convenient but attendance was lower last year than in 2023, so they may not want to host again if they don't see it as profitable.

Yeah, they didn’t advertise it at all. Nobody knew anything. It was pretty shocking how empty it was. I definitely don’t know if they would be able to get the crowds to pay for Anaheim again. Definitely not Staples! I’m not familiar with the NorCal venues except SAP.

@HeatherC we’ve been friends for how many years and we still haven’t actually met and we keep the planning on it and the world conspires against us!!!

 

[sk9tingfan]

If we don't get to hang out at some point during SA in Lake Placid, I am going to go crazy....no more near misses for us!

I'm excited to go to LP as I've never been there before but yeah, it's gonna be quite a trip for us in the traveling part. We decided to drive up there but we're taking about two days to get there each way (thank goodness we can entertain each other in the car, LOL) so it is a bit of a long trek for this skating weekend. But then again, in my younger days, I did drive by myself all the way from Cincy to Hartford, CT for a SA to meet up with some friends who were there so I guess I have done crazier things in my skating fandom, LMAO

Get ready for The Alps of the USA. It's only 4 hours of driving for us. I've never been there outside of the early fall. First time for us during the newer time period.

 

[Coco]

Milwaukee did a great job with Skate America. International Airport, compact walkable downtown, nice mid size arena that is home to an AHL team.

 

[Lizziebeth]

I don't mind road trips and have driven by myself to Nationals in Omaha, Kansas City and to SA in Hoffman Estates. I have been to Lake Placid but that really is out if the way and I would really have to think about it in November. If I did not live so far away I would be tempted.

 

[BittyBug]

It really doesn't matter how perfect a location may be if they don't bid.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Hard to bid on an event that’s changed too late to organize it, even if a facility is still available by then.

 

[Aimless]

I feel almost guilty. Lake Placid is the only competition location that works for me. I’m an old lady in southern Vermont, have been to beautiful LP many times, enjoy the 3 hour scenic drive with no traffic, and have a motel there that I like. Easy, relatively cheap, enjoyable travel. I was overjoyed to learn that I could go to SA this year. Plus seeing three out of four likely Olympic champs? It doesn’t get any better.
Last time I was there, in September 2022 for the International Classic, I was among the couple hundred folks who saw Ilia land the FIRST EVER 4x in competition. Great memories in LP!5

 

[cygnus]

I loved the JGP in Lake Placid in 2019, and very much liked the town. Under ordinary circumstances, I and more than a few other Canadians would love to go. But alas, it's not happening for most of us, and the event is only a few hours away from me.

 

[MacMadame]

I have some free time and some money saved up for travel. So I thought, "I'll go to Skate America! Even if the trip takes longer than usual, I have the time!" Um, you guys weren't kidding about how hard it is to get to LP. Even if I fly to the nearest airport, it isn't easy to then get to LP.

 

[Aimless]

2019 JGP LP was such a great event! SO many skaters!

I loved the JGP in Lake Placid in 2019, and very much liked the town. Under ordinary circumstances, I and more than a few other Canadians would love to go. But alas, it's not happening for most of us, and the event is only a few hours away from me.

 

[overedge]

Part of it is also venue availability - not just for skating but for other events, like concerts, that are booked into arenas. USFS isn't just competing for availability with other events that need ice.

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I feel almost guilty. Lake Placid is the only competition location that works for me. I’m an old lady in southern Vermont, have been to beautiful LP many times, enjoy the 3 hour scenic drive with no traffic, and have a motel there that I like. Easy, relatively cheap, enjoyable travel. I was overjoyed to learn that I could go to SA this year. Plus seeing three out of four likely Olympic champs? It doesn’t get any better.
Last time I was there, in September 2022 for the International Classic, I was among the couple hundred folks who saw Ilia land the FIRST EVER 4x in competition. Great memories in LP!5

I was there also! What are the odds of two people on this board being among those few on attendance that day?

Love Lake Placid, though it’s a long drive for me.