Detroit selected to host 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

[Carolla5501]

Looking at that schedule if you are one who really wants to go to everything I think it might be difficult. I expect Wednesday may be a packed day at both locations.

 

[acraven]

We've had to pick and choose ever since the schedule was altered when they included the juvenile and intermediate events, but it seemed like San Jose was the worst. It's more complicated for people who also like to catch some practices, of course. And the distance between the two venues in 2019 is really going to be a pain.

Thanks to Debbie S for pointing out the very good news about the location of the junior SPs. It might have been a long time before I stumbled upon that change.

Edited to add: Where do we sign up for ticket notifications? I just see the regular email address, not a form to fill in.

 

[misskarne]

Edited to add: Where do we sign up for ticket notifications? I just see the regular email address, not a form to fill in.

Yeah, I noticed that too. I've bookmarked the site at any rate.

 

[Debbie S]

Edited to add: Where do we sign up for ticket notifications? I just see the regular email address, not a form to fill in.

Yeah, I noticed that too. I've bookmarked the site at any rate.

As with the USFS website, you have to poke around until you eventually stumble across what you were looking for (I was originally looking for the dates of Governing Council and found this site linked under their Events heading ):

http://2019uschampionships.com/sign-u-s-figure-skating-updates/
(you have to scroll down on the main page, just below the pic of the Shibs)

 

[misskarne]

Why must they make that so tricky?

Thanks, @Debbie S !!

 

[giselle23]

Sigh. Why can't they ever do it in warm climates? They're indoor arenas.

There aren't that many warm climates in January. And the ones that there are are expensive, with vacationers trying to escape the cold.

 

[Carolla5501]

There aren't that many warm climates in January. And the ones that there are are expensive, with vacationers trying to escape the cold.

San Jose was not cold

 

[TanithandBenFan]

But it was expensive!

 

[Debbie S]

San Jose was not cold

The arena was.

 

[acraven]

Thanks again, Debbie. I thought I had checked everywhere!

 

[giselle23]

San Jose was not cold

But it is expensive. Should Worlds be in California every year?

 

[BittyBug]

Worlds in LA was pretty awesome (but so was DC and Boston).

 

[Debbie S]

Worlds in DC was great (well, so was Boston, but DC was better ). I hope the DC area can get a major comp again, someday...

 

[BittyBug]

Worlds in DC was great (well, so was Boston, but DC was better ). I hope the DC area can get a major comp again, someday...

Who organized 2003?

 

[Debbie S]

Who organized 2003?

The chair was a local judge, forget who. It was a very large group of area coaches and officials, plus volunteers. I remember some kids I skated with got to be sweepers and they were very excited about it.

 

[Sylvia]

The chair was a local judge, forget who. It was a very large group of area coaches and officials, plus volunteers. I remember some kids I skated with got to be sweepers and they were very excited about it.

Leslie Gianelli was the judge (I assume she was from the Washington FSC at the time, still one of the largest clubs in the U.S.), her LOC volunteer co-chair was Sam Gutter, a local attorney, and Derrick Delmore was the athlete rep. on the LOC (according to articles I found online).

P.S. Thanks a lot, @Debbie S, for finding the 2019 Nationals site!

 

[BittyBug]

The chair was a local judge, forget who. It was a very large group of area coaches and officials, plus volunteers. I remember some kids I skated with got to be sweepers and they were very excited about it.

Leslie Gianelli was the judge (I assume she was from the Washington FSC at the time, still one of the largest clubs in the U.S.), her LOC volunteer co-chair was Sam Gutter, a local attorney, and Derrick Delmore was the athlete rep. on the LOC (according to articles I found online).

I don't know if that structure would work now, given the very large minimum payment guarantee that USFS requires. Unless these inidivduals would be willing and able to provide a personal guarantee.

 

[Debbie S]

I don't know if that structure would work now, given the very large minimum payment guarantee that USFS requires. Unless these inidivduals would be willing and able to provide a personal guarantee.

For Worlds (and I would imagine also for GP events), I assume USFS is the host/bidder, as it is the ISU that awards int'l events. The USFS bid requirements apply to LOCs/skating clubs that want to bid on a USFS event - Regional, Sectionals, Nationals, etc. And yes, to have a USFS event in the DC area, there would need to be a club/LOC that would take it on. Wash FSC has hosted Regionals and Sectionals and has a couple of annual large club comps, but they would obviously need to pull together a large group and likely get support from a local tourism/gov't group to meet the bid requirements.

 

[BittyBug]

For Worlds (and I would imagine also for GP events), I assume USFS is the host/bidder, as it is the ISU that awards int'l events.

Yes USFS bids to the ISU but then they subcontract most of the event to an LOC and obtain the subcontractor via a bidding process very similar to the one they use for regional, sectional and national events. And as part of that bidding process, they are looking for a minimum revenue guarantee.

 

[Carolla5501]

Whee, look what I found (linked on the USFS website, while I was looking for something else): http://2019uschampionships.com

No date about ticket sales, just says "March 2018". But you can sign up to receive e-mail updates.

So it's March 28th. What are the odds they actually make their deadline.

Maybe they hoped that Nathan's gold at Worlds would lift them to sales (of course they could have actually advertised during worlds LOL!)

Personally this is great in that they don't want the money a year in advance, but it is rather curious. I wonder how this one will actually sell. Post Olympic with some expected retirements. Nathan will probably be back, but I expect some ladies/Pairs and possibly Dance teams to move on.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Detroit in 1994 was one scary - ass city. Downtown was deserted and completely boarded up.

Most days, taking the five minute walk between the fire trap hostel I was staying in, and the people mover, I barely saw anyone.

 

[Plusdinfo]

Detroit in 1994 was one scary - ass city. Downtown was deserted and completely boarded up.

Most days, taking the five minute walk between the fire trap hostel I was staying in, and the people mover, I barely saw anyone.

I was at Skate America in 2013 and found the city's renaissance to already be underway. The downtown was reasonably bustling and people were very friendly when you asked for advice/recommendations.

 

[purple skates]

Detroit in 1994 was one scary - ass city. Downtown was deserted and completely boarded up.

Most days, taking the five minute walk between the fire trap hostel I was staying in, and the people mover, I barely saw anyone.

Um, that was almost 25 years ago. Things have changed. Here’s an article about what’s going on in the area near the arena:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/articl...sf/2017/11/report_detroits_midtown_ranked.amp

 

[quartz]

I love Detroit - absolutely fascinating city.

 

[mackiecat]

Yes Detroit has risen From its low and guys it isn't alway cold in Jan there. There have been many years with no snow at all. The average low is -8 C, high is -2 C. In 2017 it was around 10C and the historical high is 15 C. That's shorts weather!

 

[BittyBug]

I don't know I have spent a lot of time in Detroit in January and it has always been cold, so I would plan for that and be happy if it's unseasonably warm.

 

[Carolla5501]

Yes Detroit has risen From its low and guys it isn't alway cold in Jan there. There have been many years with no snow at all. The average low is -8 C, high is -2 C. In 2017 it was around 10C and the historical high is 15 C. That's shorts weather!

My car says it is 28 C here today. 10 is cold

 

[acraven]

I spent four winters in Michigan, not far from Detroit. The issue is not snow. The issue is the combination of cold and wind. The good news is that it's not as bad as St. Paul.

 

[Debbie S]

I spent four winters in Michigan, not far from Detroit. The issue is not snow. The issue is the combination of cold and wind. The good news is that it's not as bad as St. Paul.

And the bad news is there are no indoor walkways connecting hotels to the arena.

I checked out the public transportation setup and it looks like it involves a fair amount of standing outside/waiting for transfers. I am hoping the LOC provides some form of shuttle (that costs less and works a lot better than it did in San Jose) but I'm not holding my breath. (I would normally not have a problem waiting outside, but when the cold and wind get added in....)

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Splitting Lyft with friends in San Jose worked out great and was much cheaper than the shuttle. Since the Detroit downtown hotels are reasonably close to the arena, I imagine the cost for a Lyft/Uber should be similar.