Osmond to skip Grand Prix (and more?)

[barbarafan]

Did you miss the Olympics, NATHAN is the face of skating now.

As for the others, I think most of those names were known, or expected retirements and many you listed weren't big draws for the "casual" skating fan anyway.

@barbarafan I concur Hanyu and Med would be great, but everyone loves home country heroes at their GP. That's basically what I was intimating. The GP draws will be... interesting.

Messing is starting to become quite popular but it will depend on his programs. I am curious to see which men will be there. Julianne and Charlie are amazing when they are healthy so fingers crossed.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Did you miss the Olympics, NATHAN is the face of skating now.

No comprendo.

Yes, I did. I saw him come in like 36th place in the SP.

 

[MAXSwagg]

if you think “she’s not as popular as Hanyu” and “she has minimal effect in drawing people to events” are equal statements then I don’t know what to say.

No, but the point holds, and both of those statements are true. Unless jumped up Osmond fans (whom I love, btw) want to live in denial...

 

[berthesghost]

Yup, the point holds: opinions are not truth, and most people can see that.

 

[aftershocks]

Yes, I did. I saw him come in like 36th place in the SP.

You mean 17th place cuz Nathan succumbed to the Olympic rings jitters. But he obviously got it back together to land 6 quads in the fp (5 cleanly), pulling up to 5th overall after placing 1st (numero uno) in the fp portion.

Oh, and Nathan is the current World champion, and he's planning to attempt combining his freshman year at Yale with competitive skating.

Courtney (?)

TSL's DL said with sarcastic innuendo and eyerolls that Courtney Hicks is supposedly going to Monument (to train with Kori Ade).

Angela (?)

Angela Wang has posted that she's thrilled to have received sp choreo from Tanith White and fp choreo from Karen Kwan and Michelle Kwan, no less! So Angela is definitely planning to continue for at least another season. Ryan Bradley is her friend and champion/coach.

 

[berthesghost]

Exactly! Nathan is currently the face of USFS and that kind of shows in what deep shyte they’re in. His journey from 17th to 1st in one month’s time is a microcosem of his rollercoaster career. And girl, I look forward to you proving me wrong because right now, all of this I’m going to to excell at both the toughest sport and the toughest school at the same time all while blindfolded with one arm tied behind my back model minority bs gets one big eye roll from me.

 

[Rock2]

If you say so.

IMO Kaetlyn has star quality in spades. Her vivacious personality shines through at all times, and she's got a gorgeous smile that can light up an arena! And her style is by no means generic. She's not cast herself in the mold of the baby ballerina, the 'feminine' tinkly piano music FS lady stereotype, or the classical/operatic Russian lady.

I think she's one of the most powerful, expressive ladies in the field today.

But of course I'm Canadian, so some will think that my opinion does not matter much.

Of course well all love her, especially in Canada.

My point is that she hasn't reached a level where she's the one filling the seats internationally and raking in all the off-ice money. It's starting to happen but she hasn't yet risen to become a big international star yet, relative to others. She just may get there.

 

[Rock2]

Follower counts actually have more to do with winning consistently... or winning the Olympics... and national appeal(which means a nations size matters)... and creating gimmicks that appeal to the Japanese audience. Medvedeva got a lot of followers from the Sailor Moon exhibition... and from tweeting about Yuri on Ice... and from k-pop fans. Zagitova probably got 20k japanese followers just from the whole Akita dog thing. And then there's a network effect where those with higher follower counts are probably going to get more followers from people looking through follower lists.

As I said, it's just one metric. It's not THE metric. Yes, follower increases can be generated for a number of reasons. Whatever it is for you, whether you're Medvedeva or Rippon, it's still a sign of broad international appeal.

KO has a lot of fans and most enjoy her skating. Her star is definitely rising, but she still has a ways to go, before SHE is the main driver of interest in an international event or competition (outside of, say, Skate Canada). Might definitely be the case someday soon though.

 

[victorskid]

I am a Canadian and a skating fan but I am a fan of skating not just Canadian skating/skaters. I bought my tickets for Skate Canada International and the Grand Prix Final as a skating fan, knowing that some of the top skaters in the world would be part of these events. I was not thinking about what Canadian skaters I would see.

I wish Kaetlyn all the best in whatever she chooses to do in the coming years! It is her life

 

[Japanfan]

SOI in Canada has done exceptionally well this year - some or all of the shows were sold out.

Kaetyln will probably have a spot on the tour for years to come if she wants.

She was on tour in Japan prior to doing the Canadian SOI and will be skating in Virtue and Moir's Thank You tour this fall. In future there will be some invites to shows outside of Canada as well, regardless of whether her name isn't as big of a draw as some others internationally.

Kaetlyn is a star in her home country and has a full life here with plenty of endorsements (i.e. recently promoted a dog food). I don't think she is the slightest bit worried about her popularity on the international scale.

However, the Japanese fans probably know and love her too, being informed and enthusiastic about most skaters and given that she's done shows there.

 

[berthesghost]

I am a Canadian and a skating fan but I am a fan of skating not just Canadian skating/skaters. I bought my tickets for Skate Canada International and the Grand Prix Final as a skating fan, knowing that some of the top skaters in the world would be part of these events. I was not thinking about what Canadian skaters I would see.

I wish Kaetlyn all the best in whatever she chooses to do in the coming years! It is her life

really? This seems odd to me. Sure, I've been to lots of events, including several Euros where there aren't any Americans, to see all the skaters, but every time SA comes near me the first thing I do is check to see which Americans are booked because each host country makes an effort to send their own very best to the event. There will be other big names there, but only the host country will have multiple skaters in each discipline that are all of their top names.

I could see a lack of Canadian names as not being a deal breaker, but to not even think about which Canadians will be at SC? Idk...

 

[Sylvia]

I could see a lack of Canadian names as not being a deal breaker, but to not even think about which Canadians will be at SC? Idk...

Knowing @victorskid a little bit, what she wrote is sounds plausible to me.

So, the question remains, will the ISU give Osmond special dispensation to skate in the Thank You Canada tour this fall? I would hope so. From the 2017/18 GP Announcement:

3.4 Obligation of Seeded Skaters ...
If any Seeded Skater/Couple elects in advance of the Grand Prix Period not to participate in their assigned
events (for whatever reason), they will not be permitted to participate in any other competitions, shows, and
exhibitions during the Grand Prix Period. In addition, depending on the circumstances, these Seeded
Skater/Couple may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Rule 136, paragraph 6 of the General
Regulations. Such sanction may be in the form of monetary penalties that would be deducted from ISU
payments of Prize Money and/or future ISU contributions to the ISU Member of the concerned Skater.

ETA that these are the paragraphs preceding the one I originally quoted above:

It is of the highest importance that Rule 136 paragraph 6 of the ISU Regulations and the relevant provisions
of ISU Communication No. 1811 be respected and implemented by all ISU Members and Skaters. To assure
compliance with Rule 136, paragraph 6, the following directive is issued by the ISU Council.
All Seeded Skaters/Couples as to paragraph 2.1 of this General Announcement are categorized as "Seeded"
Skaters/Couples and, as such, will be expected to participate in two (2) ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
individual events during the 2017/18 season. The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will take place from
October 20, 2017 to November 26, 2017. ("the Grand Prix Period").
Seeded Skaters/Couples, as well as Come-Back Skaters/Couples who fulfill their ISU Grand Prix of Figure
Skating obligations may also skate in other competitions, shows and exhibitions as authorized by their ISU
Member during the Grand Prix Period and, for Seeded Skaters/Couples who do not qualify for the ISU Grand
Prix of Figure Skating Final, also in the period immediately following the last individual event (Skate America
– November 24-26, 2017).

 

[skategal]

I am a Canadian and a skating fan but I am a fan of skating not just Canadian skating/skaters. I bought my tickets for Skate Canada International and the Grand Prix Final as a skating fan, knowing that some of the top skaters in the world would be part of these events. I was not thinking about what Canadian skaters I would see.

I wish Kaetlyn all the best in whatever she chooses to do in the coming years! It is her life

Yes. This is why I always prefer to attend Skate Canada than Nationals. If I was only interested in Canadian skaters, I would choose Nationals.

 

[honey]

So, the question remains, will the ISU give Osmond special dispensation to skate in the Thank You Canada tour this fall? I would hope so. From the 2017/18 GP Announcement:

3.4 Obligation of Seeded Skaters ...
If any Seeded Skater/Couple elects in advance of the Grand Prix Period not to participate in their assigned
events (for whatever reason), they will not be permitted to participate in any other competitions, shows, and
exhibitions during the Grand Prix Period. In addition, depending on the circumstances, these Seeded
Skater/Couple may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Rule 136, paragraph 6 of the General
Regulations. Such sanction may be in the form of monetary penalties that would be deducted from ISU
payments of Prize Money and/or future ISU contributions to the ISU Member of the concerned Skater.

If she’s not assigned to anything to begin though, would this still apply? The wording sounds specific to those electing not to participate in events they have been assigned to.

 

[kwanfan1818]

If she’s not assigned to anything to begin though, would this still apply? The wording sounds specific to those electing not to participate in events they have been assigned to.

Exactly, and the way to get her not assigned is for Skate Canada not to submit her name for GP selection.

 

[victorskid]

really? This seems odd to me. Sure, I've been to lots of events, including several Euros where there aren't any Americans, to see all the skaters, but every time SA comes near me the first thing I do is check to see which Americans are booked because each host country makes an effort to send their own very best to the event. There will be other big names there, but only the host country will have multiple skaters in each discipline that are all of their top names.

I could see a lack of Canadian names as not being a deal breaker, but to not even think about which Canadians will be at SC? Idk...

If I waited for the names of skaters to be announced, especially this year, I probably would not be able to get tickets Certainly, waiting to see who might qualify for the GPF before trying to get tickets or make arrangements would be a "no go"! My interest is in attending the event(s) and seeing the top skaters, regardless of what country they may represent (or have been born in). If there are Canadians involved, I'll bring along my flag to wave, of course

Even as a host country with three guaranteed spots at our GP event, it would be unlikely to have "all of" our top names at SCI, anyway. Usually efforts are made not to have your top skaters at the same event competing against each other that early in the season. ISU "assignment" protocols might also prevent this from happening as one or more of them (in whatever discipline) might be assigned to other GP events.

BTW - Thanks for supporting one of those suspicious Canadians in these dangerous times @Sylvia

 

[berthesghost]

If I waited for the names of skaters to be announced, especially this year, I probably would not be able to get tickets

... Usually efforts are made not to have your top skaters at the same event competing against each other that early in the season. ISU "assignment" protocols might also prevent this from happening as one or more of them (in whatever discipline) might be assigned to other GP events.

gosh I didn’t realize Canada was soooo different than the US. Like the complete opposite. USFS has been sending it’s top 2 to duke it out at SA since like the 70s and of course memorable ones like Kwan vs Lipinski in 97 and Harding vs Yamaguchi in 91 are still popular YouTube videos. From a ticket sales perspective, it makes sense. But since you guys will apparently pay $ for things you don’t even know anything about, I guess SC doesn’t have that problem.
I’ve been to about 7 SAs, always getting tickets after I know the skaters, sometimes at the very last minute.
Gosh, who would have thunk it. Ticket to cabaret? Don’t even bother telling me who’s playing sally bowles, here’s my credit card #

 

[SkateSand]

I’ve been to about 7 SAs, always getting tickets after I know the skaters, sometimes at the very last minute.

I go to SA every single year, and I always get my tickets the minute the pre-sale starts, never knowing who will actually be participating. Hopefully, there will be some favorites, but it's the event itself I love. Same thing with 2019 4CC - got my ticket first thing in the presale. Made my hotel reservations the minute the venue was even suspected, just like I do with SA. This way, I'm always staying exactly where I want to stay. I have no idea who will for sure be there. There will be great skating to see, regardless.

 

[screech]

I've been to a GP competition once, and that was because it was 45 minutes from my house. Got my tickets fairly early, because no matter who will actually be there, it's generally safe to assume there will be outstanding top-ranked skaters at any GP event.

 

[kwanfan1818]

ISU "assignment" protocols might also prevent this from happening as one or more of them (in whatever discipline) might be assigned to other GP events.

According to several posters who are closer to the process, hosts pick first. Over the years the Japanese Fed has chosen two from the same Worlds selection group, and one other host ends up choosing the last-standing skater from the skipped group.

But, in general, it's a risky strategy for a host with depth in the field to make their top-ranked skaters go head-to-head, especially if there's any chance that both can make GPF. On the other hand, if the event is the home city/area of a top skater/team and they could drum up attendance and media interest, but they are not the reigning National Champion, for example, both might be invited.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

really? This seems odd to me. Sure, I've been to lots of events, including several Euros where there aren't any Americans, to see all the skaters, but every time SA comes near me the first thing I do is check to see which Americans are booked because each host country makes an effort to send their own very best to the event. There will be other big names there, but only the host country will have multiple skaters in each discipline that are all of their top names.

I could see a lack of Canadian names as not being a deal breaker, but to not even think about which Canadians will be at SC? Idk...

Canadian and buying tickets without knowing if a Canadian skater would be in... Good skating is good skating... (I once flew to Europe for Worlds and had bought tickets way before nationals...)

 

[Japanfan]

I could see a lack of Canadian names as not being a deal breaker, but to not even think about which Canadians will be at SC? Idk...

I think about the field as a whole, not specifically about which Canadian skaters will attend.

I know I'll get to see lots of Canadian skaters at Nationals.

Yes. This is why I always prefer to attend Skate Canada than Nationals. If I was only interested in Canadian skaters, I would choose Nationals.

I generally prefer international events to national events. But I tend to attend more national events because there are more of them in my city/province than international events and I don't usually travel to competitions. However, we've been blessed to have Olympics and 4CCs here in Vancouver, and GPF this year.

What I like about Nationals is that there is a lot of skating. With the GP events the field is small and the event seems to be over as soon as it starts. Also, the audience is always great, which creates an exciting environment in the arena.

However I hated Canadian Nationals being crammed into two days this years. When an event is spread out over four days, at Nationals has been in the past, you get much more of a full experience.

I wouldn't attend a two-day Nationals again. I don't enjoy having to get up really early and sit in an arena for 13 hours. That would be a bit much for me even at Worlds.

 

[Japanfan]

But since you guys will apparently pay $ for things you don’t even know anything about, I guess SC doesn’t have that problem.

If one waits until the names of the skaters who will attend an event are released, the good seats could be gone and the event could even be sold out. I know that more tickets often come available after the initial sale and/or closer to the event, but I like knowing I've got a good seat and being able to plan to attend an event well in advance.

Got my tickets fairly early, because no matter who will actually be there, it's generally safe to assume there will be outstanding top-ranked skaters at any GP event.

This.

 

[manhn]

I am confused why buying SC tickets before lineups are announced is so weird. I bought SA tickets and I have no idea who is competing in Everett. Was it just us Canadians who bought SA tickets? Are Americans waiting to hear whether Ashley or Kwan will attend?

 

[Japanfan]

My point is that she hasn't reached a level where she's the one filling the seats internationally and raking in all the off-ice money.

I'm sure she gets paid well for tours and some prize money or perks would have been associated with her world and Olympic medals.

It's not necessary to have multiple millions of dollars to live well.

Successful elite skaters with world and Olympic medals who are in demand for tours have more wealth than the average person. It was once reported that Patrick Chan needed $200,000 a year to cover all his expenses (I assume that included a house or condo). He must have been earning that much or nearly that much if he was able to spend it. His parents are wealthy SFAIK (i.e. could afford the Cricket Club membership fee), but from what he's said about them in various interviews (i.e. mom told him not spend money on a fancy new car), they appear to be somewhat spendthrift.

 

[MAXSwagg]

I would be very surprised is Osmond makes as much as Chan did/does. If so, wow and good for her.

 

[Japanfan]

I would be very surprised is Osmond makes as much as Chan did/does. If so, wow and good for her.

Her stock went up with the Olympic bronze and World Gold. I don't know whether her financial 'worth' is equal to that of Chan's, but it could be. If I were her agent, I'd be pushing for payments close to or the same as those given to Chan.

 

[dramagrrl]

Her stock went up with the Olympic bronze and World Gold. I don't know whether her financial 'worth' is equal to that of Chan's, but it could be. If I were her agent, I'd be pushing for payments close to or the same as those given to Chan.

My guess is that Osmond's payments for CSOI and even this upcoming tour are nowhere near Chan's. Even if Osmond's stock is up, so to speak, and Patrick's was "down" due to substandard individual results in the last few years, Patrick Chan is or at least was a household name in Canada in connection to figure skating, while Kaetlyn Osmond still isn't. One stellar season and one excellent season before that cannot compete with the length and breadth of Patrick's career. He could probably start a Patrick Chan tour with no other names announced and still sell a good number of tickets in small markets, whereas I doubt a Kaetlyn Osmond tour with no other names announced would sell very well.

This is nothing against Kaetlyn - I am thrilled for her recent success and while I hope she does come back to competition eventually, I think it's great that she's taking advantage of opportunities while they're hot.

 

[Rock2]

I'm sure she gets paid well for tours and some prize money or perks would have been associated with her world and Olympic medals.

It's not necessary to have multiple millions of dollars to live well.

Successful elite skaters with world and Olympic medals who are in demand for tours have more wealth than the average person. It was once reported that Patrick Chan needed $200,000 a year to cover all his expenses (I assume that included a house or condo). He must have been earning that much or nearly that much if he was able to spend it. His parents are wealthy SFAIK (i.e. could afford the Cricket Club membership fee), but from what he's said about them in various interviews (i.e. mom told him not spend money on a fancy new car), they appear to be somewhat spendthrift.

I think we're losing the plot here.

This conversation is about how big of a deal is it for KO to miss worlds or big ISU events such that there would be some ripple effect from ISU. My contention had been she's not (yet) so big of an international star and sponsor darling that she can't be replaced.

It's less about how important is money for your lifestyle in general along with the other points you are making.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I think we're losing the plot here.

Off-season, dude, off-season! Everything is permitted during the off-season...