2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships moved to Las Vegas; no audience

[Sylvia]

San Jose Mercury News article by Elliott Almond:

U.S. figure skating championships moved from San Jose to Las Vegas

U.S. Figure Skating has moved its 2021 championships from San Jose to Las Vegas because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.mercurynews.com

Excerpts:

John Poch, San Jose Sports Authority executive director, said Monday the move was inevitable because of local public health department guidelines.
“The only thing we could plan for were the guidelines in place today,” he said. “I can’t guess what the scenario will be in two months now.”

Organizers also held out hopes of having spectators. But concerns grew as the event drew closer.
“Forget about the fans,” Poch said. “Can we get all the competitors, and figure skating staff and the NBC crew” in the facility?
Poch said holding the championships was complicated by being indoors unlike the San Francisco 49ers and San Jose Earthquakes. The 49ers and Earthquakes have held home games this year without fans after getting county approval in late summer.

The move to Las Vegas also forced the cancelation of a new high-performance camp for about 200 young skaters at Solar4America Ice in San Jose.
American skating officials this year created the National Development Camp for juvenile, intermediate and novice athletes instead of having them compete at the U.S. championships.
...
Now San Jose is scheduled to play host to the championships a year after the Beijing Winter Games. Poch said he expects to have increased interest in 2023, particularly if Americans do well in Beijing.

 

[Sylvia]

Will the cutout people be back?

#ImportantQuestions

That is the plan - here's the press release today (Dec. 4):

Join the cutout crowd at 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

New to the second iteration of the Virtual Fan Program is a souvenir digital ticket and a commemorative photo with the 2021 champions. With the holiday season coinciding with the launch of the program, the staff at U.S. Figure Skating wanted to create an option for fans looking to purchase “seats” for friends or loved ones as gifts. Therefore, after the close of purchases on Dec. 18, all cutout purchasers will receive a digital print-on-demand souvenir ticket inviting their cutouts to attend the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Las Vegas.
...
All proceeds from the U.S. Figure Skating Virtual Fan Program will benefit the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund.

The Virtual Fan Cutout Program at 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America generated more than $14,000 for the Memorial Fund thanks to the nearly 300 cutouts in attendance.

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

Am I allowed to send a picture of my ex that hated figure skating?

 

[Sylvia]

From the linked FAQ (PDF): "Please submit images of people (and pets) whose likeness you have permission to share."

Not sure how USFS can/will check up on this... (might be tough going with the pets )

 

[skatfan]

Phil Hersh says a lot of judges and officials are opting out of participating in Nationals and its 50/50 on whether it will go forward:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1334888931918303233?s=21

 

[AxelAnnie]

Phil Hersh says a lot of judges and officials are opting out of participating in Nationals and its 50/50 on whether it will go forward:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1334888931918303233?s=21

Sounds like somebody woke up with some good sense!

 

[casken]

2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships moved to Las Vegas; no audience no judges.​

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

From the linked FAQ (PDF): "Please submit images of people (and pets) whose likeness you have permission to share."

Not sure how USFS can/will check up on this... (might be tough going with the pets )

There were plenty of pet cutouts at SkAm.

Im gonna submit my photo of the Legend herself, Angela Nikodinov, and let the cards fall where they may.

How cool these profits go to the Memorial Fund!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Samurina]

How can you have a competition with no judges why not just host it virtually like with ISP Challenge?

 

[misskarne]

Phil Hersh says a lot of judges and officials are opting out of participating in Nationals and its 50/50 on whether it will go forward:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1334888931918303233?s=21

Understandable. A lot of judges and officials at that level are older and therefore in the more vulnerable category.

 

[Coco]

You know....no reasons judges need to be in the arena if they are provided with enough camera angles

 

[skatfan]

How can you have a competition with no judges why not just host it virtually like with ISP Challenge?

They can ask less qualified and probably younger judges to fill in. Still...

 

[Rukia]

Clearly it's time for FSU to stand up. We've judged so many competitions with the worst camera angles possible. We've been training for just such a time as this. Call us up USFSA.

 

[mjb52]

Haha I was going to offer to judge if they would agree to do it using 6.0

 

[skategal]

So tempted to submit a photo of my pet rabbit.

 

[skipaway]

So tempted to submit a photo of my pet rabbit.

Do it!

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Good that the event is running.

Although the audience applause sound played over the PA from Skate America at the end of each performance was 50 shades of cheesy.

 

[soogar]

Maybe they should hold nationals at Sun Valley. Isn't that an outdoor rink?

 

[Sylvia]

Maybe they should hold nationals at Sun Valley. Isn't that an outdoor rink?

1) Yes, but's a smaller outdoor surface (180 x 90 feet).
2) Too hard to travel there.

Outdoor rinks, like Sun Valley and Squaw Valley, were previously discussed in this thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...21-skating-season.107193/page-13#post-5823893

ETA:

There were plenty of pet cutouts at SkAm.

Yes, I know; I was just kidding about asking the pets' permission for their likenesses to be used.

Im gonna submit my photo of the Legend herself, Angela Nikodinov, and let the cards fall where they may.

Good luck!

 

[casken]

How about an arena full of cutouts of people who died of YKW?

 

[Lemonade20]

How about an arena full of cutouts of people who died of YKW?

That’s too sad to think about and not something to joke about

 

[CantALoop]

That’s too sad to think about and not something to joke about

Right? Although, it might be nice to have beloved figure skating fans we've lost smiling down upon our athletes. Angels in the audience

 

[Lemonade20]

Right? Although, it might be nice to have beloved figure skating fans we've lost smiling down upon our athletes. Angels in the audience

I love that

 

[DreamSkates]

Will the cutout people be back?

#ImportantQuestions

Yes. For $75-150. depending on the row in which a likeness appears.

 

[DreamSkates]

I would like to see more faces of people clapping. The lady that had that idea for Skate America got a thumbs up from me.

That would go along nicely with the canned clapping and cheering as at SA.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

Clearly it's time for FSU to stand up. We've judged so many competitions with the worst camera angles possible. We've been training for just such a time as this. Call us up USFSA.

To my understanding, USFS has been looking at perhaps doing this Nationals virtually for the past few weeks. So the idea is out there and being looked at. Although having FSU people judge it - I don't think they've thought of that. Would be a huge miss on their part.

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting this here and in the TV Alerts thread:

U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports Announce Broadcast Schedule for 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

NBC Sports and U.S. Figure Skating announced today the broadcast schedule for the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships, featuring more than 30 hours of

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships (TV Broadcast schedule of senior events as of Dec. 15)
All times Eastern. Check local listing. Subject to change.

Date	Competition	Time	Network
Thurs., Jan. 14	Pairs Short	6 – 8 p.m.	NBCSN (Live)
Thurs., Jan. 14	Ladies Short	10 p.m. – Midnight	NBCSN (Live)
Fri., Jan. 15	Rhythm Dance	4 – 6 p.m.	NBCSN (Live)
Fri., Jan. 15	Ladies Free	8 – 11 p.m.	NBC (Live)
Sat., Jan. 16	Men's Short	4 – 6 p.m.	NBC (Live)**
Sat., Jan. 16	Free Dance / Pairs Free	9 p.m. – Midnight	NBCSN (Live)
Sun, Jan. 17	Men's Free	3:30 – 6 p.m.	NBC (Live)**
Sun., Jan. 24	Free Dance	5 – 6 p.m.	NBC
Sun., Jan. 31	U.S. Championships – Best Of	12 – 2 p.m.	NBC
Sat, Feb. 20	U.S. Championships Skating Spectacular	4 – 6 p.m.	NBC

**The men's short program and free skate programming details are subject to change, dependent on NFL programming schedules.

 

[overedge]

Right? Although, it might be nice to have beloved figure skating fans we've lost smiling down upon our athletes. Angels in the audience

I was going to suggest photos of skaters who reported being abused and were brushed off or ignored by their clubs and/or USFS.

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan was asked (during the Stars on Ice holiday chat) what he thought of the cardboard audience at Skate America and he had a funny comment at this point in the video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFxwH2e1TY&t=54m40s

 

[skateboy]

Nathan was asked (during the Stars on Ice holiday chat) what he thought of the cardboard audience at Skate America and he had a funny comment at this point in the video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFxwH2e1TY&t=54m40s

Audience members with HUGE heads!