2026 Skate America in Everett, WA; Salt Lake City for 2027 U.S. Nationals - info/planning thread

[Tinycities]

Are people expecting skate America weekend passes to sell fairly quickly? I’ve never paid attention in the past as I’m usually not able to go.

Booked a hotel room, it’s too close for me to skip it and I’m not sure when I’ll have an opportunity in the future.

 

[ChillSkate]

I think it is foolish for USFS to put tickets for Nationals and Skate America on sale on the same day given how many problems they have had in the past effectively managing ticket sales for their events. Plus some people who might want to do both may hesitate to spend that much money all on the same day.

For me, Everett is very far to get to (though, like most places in the US, easier than Lake Placid!) and I have spent a lot of time in Seattle on multiple trips, so I'm not sure there is enough additive in Everett for me to justify what would be a rather difficult and expensive trip. I think I'll wait to see where Skate Canada is before deciding on Skate America. I hope we'll find out where Skate Canada is before tickets go on sale, but if we don't, I think I'll wait on this one.

 

[Lanie]

I booked my flight for Skate America! I am pondering the Courtyard which isn't too far. Not that many hotel options. I may end up picking up an internet friend I've known since we were both 16 and bringing her with me. She loves skating and has never seen live skating and lives nearby.

 

[YukiNieve]

CS comps held at SLC Sports Complex have been my favorite.
They had a very friendly and cozy atmosphere.

I called the Salt Lake Sports Complex just now. They confirmed they only have bleacher seats for skating viewing.

My photo on X shows the bleachers. The rink behind Jason is the practice rink, which you can visit in 5 seconds from the main rink corridor.

https://x.com/YukiNieve/status/2034864846781530237

 

[ChillSkate]

Are people expecting skate America weekend passes to sell fairly quickly? I’ve never paid attention in the past as I’m usually not able to go.

Booked a hotel room, it’s too close for me to skip it and I’m not sure when I’ll have an opportunity in the future.

It depends how good of seats you want. The first few rows / center sections may sell out quickly but there will likely be other seats available until very close to the event. It may not sell out - I saw this arena seats ~8000 which is slightly larger than other recent Skate America arenas (~6000 Alen TX and ~7000 Lake Placid). Skate Club of Boston had the last post-Olympics Skate America in 2022 and that sold out quickly but only had ~2000 seats.

Note - numbers are rounded down from published figures as they always withhold some seats for sale for the judges area, TV cameras, kiss & cry, and seats for the athletes / federations.

 

[Skaterbob]

If anyone receives an email from FOFS with the date we’ll be able to buy tickets please let me know. I don’t trust them to have me correctly on the mailing list. It’s taken an act of Congress to get my member package the last few years.

Yes please anyone post here if they do!

 

[Jammers]

Anyone know why US Nationals are so early next year? Those dates are more like this years Nats but that was expected because it was an Olympic year.

 

[Carolla5501]

Anyone know why US Nationals are so early next year? Those dates are more like this years Nats but that was expected because it was an Olympic year.

I don't know but that was the final... be watching on Peacock decision. Just not a good time for me to travel plus getting to SLC.. I will pass

 

[Sylvia]

Anyone know why US Nationals are so early next year?

Usually it depends on arena availability but maybe it's also to encourage more skaters to compete at 4CC?

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I emailed USFS and actually got a prompt response! The FOFS presale will be on Tuesday. Emails should be going out today or Monday.

 

[alexikeguchi]

Well, I'm moving to Seattle in September, so I may make my first Skate America!

 

[acraven]

I just spoke to the box office at Maverik Arena. Rows 1 and 2 all the way around the ice will be padded, folding chairs. (That's assuming they set up both rows, I guess, but that should be obvious during the ticket-purchasing process.)

I've been in a folding chair at a previous (not SLC) Nationals and had no problem with it, but my seatmates do not like them. YMMV.

 

[jkl]

@acraven I emailed the Maverik Center and got the same response. I asked about armrests in the folding chairs and was told they have short narrow armrests.

 

[A.H.Black]

The Maverick Center will also be the home of figure skating for the Olympics in 2034. It is a smaller arena but very well suited for skating events with good sight lines. Spectators are down by the ice and not up 10 feet. I have no problem sitting in the seats and the stairs are not too steep. The food is limited. The restrooms are fine. If my memory is right and the map is right, you can walk all the way around the concourse but it is very narrow at one end.

There is quite a bit of parking around the Maverick Center (and other buildings near it). Some of it is available to people going to events - some of it isn't. There has been some build up of small hotels and food etc. around the Maverick Center but not tons. It's still sort of out by itself and not in the most affluent area of the city. It's fine, it's just not fancy.

The Salt Lake Ice Center - AKA Steiner - has two ice surfaces next to each other. One has seating for larger groups, the other only has about 3 rows, up from the ice quite a bit. Both surfaces can be seen from the concourse at the top of one side through windows and there are doors directly from the arena to the other ice surface. It has been home to many competitions from regionals to the US classic for several years. It was the practice arena for 2002 Olympics and 2001(?) Four Continents. It's pretty cold. The other surface is even colder. Steiner (most locals will know it by that name) has some food but not all the time. For some events, I carried my own folding chair in and sat at the top. That's a limited area though. It's an arena where people mention that it looks like no one is there for competitions, but that's because everyone sits at the top.

Someone mentioned the parking at Steiner. It is plentiful but it is also separated from the parking for University of Utah sporting events (by signs). If you happen to park in the wrong area when there is a large sporting event going on, you will be ticketed. It shouldn't be a problem unless there is a Basketball game or a Gymnastics meet (the "U" sells out the Huntsman Center for gymnastics).

The concourse at Steiner is a good place to walk. There are also a lot of walkways around the area as it is close to the VA hospital complex and practice facilities and other community buildings. It is not easily walk-able to hotels in the area.

In Salt Lake City, the streets are pretty wide and the blocks are 8 to a mile. What looks like a short distance for most cities is longer in Salt Lake. It is also very useful to know your east, west, north and south as the streets are set up that way. The main group of mountains is east. If you can see the state capitol building - that's north. If you can see out to the Great Salt Lake - that's west. South is opposite the state capitol and looking at "point of the mountain" (It used to be the prison, but that prison has moved).

Safety should not be a big problem around either the Maverick Center or Steiner - using sensible precautions, of course.



In 1999 for Nationals, I volunteered and was at the Maverick Center for a couple of days. I watched Evan Lysacek and Deanna Stellato win Novice.

 

[Karen-W]

Anyone know why US Nationals are so early next year? Those dates are more like this years Nats but that was expected because it was an Olympic year.

Usually it depends on arena availability but maybe it's also to encourage more skaters to compete at 4CC?

I wonder if there is a chance the USFS is putting in a bid for 2027 4CCs (no listing on the ISU Events page - originally was awarded to China, but they stepped up to host 2026 4CCs & there are rumors the CFSA is aiming to host the GPF next season) and want to give their top skaters that extra time to recover between Nats and 4CCs. Euros is the last week of January, so 4CCs will probably be either the 1st or 2nd week of February.

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

Dear Skate Canada: I know you don't love Americans too much these days, but the East Coasters would love Laval, Ottawa or St-John!

 

[Aceon6]

In checking “all in” costs from Boston, my best bet is Lausanne unless Skate Canada decides on an air hub in the eastern half.

 

[acraven]

Pricing for 2027 Nationals tickets has been released via email (apparently to the FOFS mailing list):

P1A: $1500
P1B: $1000
P2: $600
P3: $300

Those areas are defined only by colors on a small diagram, not by row numbers. Everything seems to be in the lower bowl. P3 seats are end zone only. P1A looks small--maybe 2 rows. The number of rows in the other price zones varies as you move around the rink, but it appears from the sketch the best seats in P2 will be reasonably close to the ice.

The kiss and cry will be in section 107, and the officials stand will be in sections 126 and 101.

 

[A.H.Black]

P3 seats are end zone only.

The end zone at the Maverick center is not bad. I sat there for SOI a few years ago and it was fine. There's not really a nosebleed problem at the Maverick Center. I don't remember that there is a problem with obstructed viewing either (unless it's with NBC cameras etc.).

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Here's the pricing for Skate America:

Pricing for all-session tickets is as follows (including taxes and fees):

• P1A: $600
• P1B: $400
• P2: $200
• P3: $100

The kiss and cry will be in section 113, and the officials stand will be in section 118. A map with pricing will be sent out on Tuesday, but please note some rows in all sections from 111 ascending through 120, as well as 101 and 103, will not be available for purchase.

Sounds like they're blocking out part of the judges' side.

 

[YukiNieve]

I hope that they have a way to prevent scalpers from buying tickets (at least for pre-sale).

Given how popular Alyssa is right now, we might see a resurgence of be scalpers who try to buy the first two rows of tickets and resell them at a higher price later. (I hope not!)

 

[ice coverage]

Copying out the full press release:

The 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships return to Utah ...

All-session tickets for championship-level competition will go on sale Thursday, March 26 at 12 p.m. ET.

Junior competition will occur at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex ...

Tickets for juvenile-junior will be available for purchase in the fall. ...

Pricing for 2027 Nationals tickets has been released via email (apparently to the FOFS mailing list):

P1A: $1500
P1B: $1000
P2: $600
P3: $300 ...

Thanks to acraven for 2027 Nats pricing.
Based on press release in Sylvia's OP (my emphasis added with larger font), I take it that 2027 all-session tix are only for senior competition.
Even with Sylvia's bolding, I overlooked the [ETA: apparent?] exclusion of junior competition from all-session tix the first time I looked at the press release.
I guess it is a beneficial change for those who have no intention of going to the secondary venue for anything.
The press release also does not state that senior practices are included in the all-event -- hopefully an accidental omission?

FWIW, for 2026 Nats, day passes for novice/junior competition at Centene cost $33 per day (including taxes and fees).

https://stlsports.org/special-event/2026-us-figure-skating-championships/junior-novice-tickets/​

The day of practice sessions for novice/junior was free.
Not saying that I expect similar pricing for SLC -- I have no idea.

 

[Skaterbob]

I emailed USFS and actually got a prompt response! The FOFS presale will be on Tuesday. Emails should be going out today or Monday.

Can you share the email so I can inquire? I haven’t gotten the email but still get the magazines. I dunno what my current status is.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Can you share the email so I can inquire? I haven’t gotten the email but still get the magazines. I dunno what my current status is.

It's [email protected]

 

[Icetalavista]

I have a thin bleacher seat I bought a bunch of years ago to attend summer competitions in training rinks. I remember it took a good bit of shopping around online to find it. It has an REI logo on it. The REI website currently has some similar-looking items, unfortunately at much higher prices than I probably paid.

https://www.rei.com/search?q=stadium+seat

With patience, I hope folks can find something workable at a more reasonable price. For me, it's essential to have something to lean against if I'm going to be spending three days sitting on bleachers. At least the REI offerings aren't terribly bulky.

I have one of these for canoe trips. It works well.

 

[Icetalavista]

I hope that they have a way to prevent scalpers from buying tickets (at least for pre-sale).

Given how popular Alyssa is right now, we might see a resurgence of be scalpers who try to buy the first two rows of tickets and resell them at a higher price later. (I hope not!)

At the salt lake Olys I got a bargain seat for men’s short from a scalper outside the venue who must have really wanted to unload that ticket

 

[Skaterbob]

It's [email protected]

Oh okay, I emailed them in the afternoon already but no response. Hopefully soon!