ISU Skating Awards To Debut At 2020 Worlds

[allezfred]

Thought this deserved its own thread:

ISU Skating Awards premieres at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020 in Montreal

The ISU Skating Awards is a brand-new and exciting event [...]

skatecanada.ca

 

[oleada]

I find galas boring, so I'm interested in doing something a little different.

 

[misskarne]

What a god-awful idea.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

My initial reaction is that this will be incredibly stupid, a waste of time and based more on politics and ass-kissing than anything else. All this while giving fans something else to bicker about when their favorite doesn't get a stupid award.

 

[Gris]

All this while giving fans something else to bicker about when their favorite doesn't get a stupid award.

Exactly this.

 

[casken]

Most Valuable Skater: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple who best managed to increase the level of popularity of Figure Skating related to the fan base involvement, media attention and sponsors appreciation

A star-studded Jury will determine the winner of each category

This is going to a glorious disaster.

 

[missing]

This is all by way of Nick McCarvel on Twitter:

ISU announces a new awards event, to replace the traditional gala, to close out Worlds in 2020 in Montreal 7 awards categories, interspersed with a show, held in conjunction with Art on Ice.

Awards are as follows: Most valuable skater, best costume, most entertaining program, best newcomer, best choreographer, best coach, lifetime achievement award.

"This is an exciting day for figure skating society," says agent/show producer Ari Zakarian. "This event will open so many doors for people to be celebrated in this sport" There is a detailed committee/selection process for awards that I'm sure the ISU will tweet out.

ETA to say reading Twitter while watching skating and baseball is as good an idea as posting after taking a little too much Ambien.

If there's a way to merge or eliminate this thread, feel free.

 

[overedge]

How many categories can the Fanyus stuff the ballot box for?

ETA: "Sponsors appreciation" =

 

[Deleted member 40371]

ISU is biased since XYZ won, no wonder ABC doesn't win since they prefer XYZ... This is going to be so much fun, so much material for the off-season.

 

[BaileyCatts]

So this is replacing the exhibitions? I hope this is a once and done.

 

[casken]

The coaching award is just going to boil down to "Eteri" vs "anybody but Eteri" isn't it.

 

[alchemy void]

The coaching award is just going to boil down to "Eteri" vs "anybody but Eteri" isn't it.

We need to start politicking for Tammy immediately.

 

[ballettmaus]

My immediate reaction was: why?

 

[mollymgr]

Best coach and choreographer categories will be sponsored by IAM(S).

 

[Enchanted]

The category most valuable skater is very unfortunate. They should have named it differently.

Overall, this sounds like an April fool but I guess it’s not.

 

[Orm Irian]

There seriously is not enough nope in the world for this entire concept.

 

[mjb52]

This is going to be a SHITSHOW.

 

[alchemy void]

This is gonna be such a hot mess and I am totally here for it.

from the press release:

bringing a glamorous finish to the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020. Guests, VIPs and ISU Skating Awards nominees will arrive on the red carpet at the famous Bell Center in Montreal.

Love this. They better make the red carpet arrivals part of the coverage. Let's get Rippon to do the interviews.

 

[alchemy void]

wrong thread

 

[mjb52]

We should have simultaneous FSU awards, I nominate myself for Russian Skating's Biggest American Stan.

 

[peibeck]

Is this replacing the Sunday gala, or in addition to it? I mean how long can it take to give out a few awards? Why don't they do this at the skater event after the final championship is decided?

 

[ChelleC]

Most Valuable Skater will probably be Hanyu. Looking at the criteria, how could it be anyone but Hanyu?

 

[snoopy]

Figure skating finally joins reality tv and the social media age.

Yeah good luck with that.

 

[overedge]

Love this. They better make the red carpet arrivals part of the coverage. Let's get Rippon to do the interviews.

Even better, get both Rippon and Weir to do red carpet interviews. Then there will be and and as well as

 

[overedge]

Figure skating finally joins reality tv and the social media age.

Yeah good luck with that.

Seriously. This sounds like some 70-year-old's idea of what is hip and happening with teh kidz.

 

[ChelleC]

The more I read this the more I am

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[snoopy]

Ultimately, I don’t think this event will be a disaster nor consequential. Maybe it brings more visability to the sport maybe not. It’s a sports award banquet with public voting. I wouldn’t actually want to sit through that as an audience member.

 

[Debbie S]

It sounds like there will be a show but by Art on Ice....will WC medalists actually skate? This seems like a desperate attempt to get more people to pay attention to the gala. But the current audience - the diehard fans who pay $$$$ for tickets - want to see the medalists perform, not a different show. Art on Ice looked like a great show when D/W were in it, but if I'm going to a Worlds gala, I want to see the skaters who competed.

 

[Tahuu]

Best coach and choreographer categories will be sponsored by IAM(S).

Haha have to reply. My dogs like IAM(S) Lamb & Rice the most!

 

[aka_gerbil]

It sounds like there will be a show but by Art on Ice....will WC medalists actually skate? This seems like a desperate attempt to get more people to pay attention to the gala. But the current audience - the diehard fans who pay $$$$ for tickets - want to see the medalists perform, not a different show. Art on Ice looked like a great show when D/W were in it, but if I'm going to a Worlds gala, I want to see the skaters who competed.

That was my thought too--people who shell out the money for these tickets (I looked at prices for Montreal and laughed so much) want to see the medalists again. They would go to Art on Ice or SOI if they wanted to see the retired show skater set. It should be a last chance to celebrate the skaters that did well at that event.

I'm pretty much team "this is not going to end well" for this whole thing though. What could possibly go wrong having a popularity contest with silly categories that the fans vote on?