Stars on Ice U.S. 2018

[TanithandBenFan]

The presale codes are applicable to all cities. I tried ASHLEY for Allentown and it works:

https://ev7.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncom...ext=&caller=PR&appCode=&prc=ASHLEY&ppc=ASHLEY

 

[missing]

I'm having a surprisingly hard time buying tickets for the Allentown show. Ticketmaster refuses to believe there is such a show and the Allentown presale keeps telling me the best available seats are in a section and row I don't want. They seem unwilling to let me choose what I want.

I thought today was the day all seats would be available but I either misunderstood or I'm incompetent at ticket purchasing (I refuse to believe the arena is sold out except for that one row I keep rejecting).

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I'm having a surprisingly hard time buying tickets for the Allentown show. Ticketmaster refuses to believe there is such a show and the Allentown presale keeps telling me the best available seats are in a section and row I don't want. They seem unwilling to let me choose what I want.

I thought today was the day all seats would be available but I either misunderstood or I'm incompetent at ticket purchasing (I refuse to believe the arena is sold out except for that one row I keep rejecting).

I don't think TM is selling tickets for this show, only the arena website. You may have to call to request specific seats because it looks like their site doesn't support that.

 

[missing]

Allentown must be a hotbed of activity. I just spoke to a very nice woman at the box office who put me through to the call center which was so busy all the machine could tell me was to try again some other time.

So now I've failed with Ticketmaster, with buying tickets online and with buying tickets over the phone.

It's a good thing I have a robust ego because otherwise I'd really feel like a failure.

 

[Debbie S]

(((@missing)))

Is Taylor Swift coming to Allentown on her tour? Per some teenagers I skate with, those tix went on sale this week, too.

 

[GloriaW]

The economic model for this sport is so broken. The sponsors of this tour need to do a major re-think of the pricing model they use. The post Olympic tour is the once every critical 4 year opportunity to attract a wider and expanded audience. There is simply NOTHING like seeing skating live and in person. The ubiquity of cell phones/youtube and the whole smaller/medium screen experience falls so short. Further, the bounty of positives with the skaters themselves - for the most part gorgeous, engaging, amazing athletes, smart, articulate, gracious. There is so much goodness to put on display.

Bus those learn to skate kids in with heavily discounted tickets for families who can show they are in learn to skate programs, so that parents of 5-15 year olds aren't looking at close to $200 just for a family night adventure they might not even know how much they could love (and that doesn't include parking, snacks, what have you.

Get those butts into seats. This is the season. Or regret it.

There. I've said my peace.

 

[missing]

After much aggravation and a certain amount of prodding, I've purchased tickets for Bookseller and me at the Allentown show.

Already it feels weird to think of skating in April.

 

[el henry]

After much aggravation and a certain amount of prodding, I've purchased tickets for Bookseller and me at the Allentown show.

Already it feels weird to think of skating in April.

Can I ask how (the method) you purchased? I tried the PPL site, but it wasn’t letting me “choose” a seat, and I wasn’t comfortable with that. A Thursday night in Allentown will not sellout, so I gave up for a future time.

Also, with tax and handling fees $150 for the best seat? For Stars on Ice??? Where like if Jason gets injured or withdraws, I will be seriously bummed I was living in the past for ticket prices, for sure.....

 

[nlyoung]

Ticketmaster has available tickets for all but the San Jose show, which is the one I'm trying to get tickets for...

 

[Debbie S]

Ticketmaster has available tickets for all but the San Jose show, which is the one I'm trying to get tickets for...

Maybe they are being sold through the SAP website, like Nats tickets are/were?

 

[skatepixie]

The US skaters only for the Olympic year is always such a buzzkill. It means no quality ladies and pairs, for one thing.

I used to go to SOI when it was more international, and I put up with US only if Sasha was in it. Now, there just isn't enough of a draw for me. The first time I went, Alexei Yagudin was in it. Now, THAT was a draw.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Ticketmaster has available tickets for all but the San Jose show, which is the one I'm trying to get tickets for...

The SJ tickets don't go on sale until January:

http://www.starsonice.com/get-tickets.html

 

[overedge]

The economic model for this sport is so broken. The sponsors of this tour need to do a major re-think of the pricing model they use.

I agree with you re the pricing being a problem, but it isn't "the economic model for this sport" that's driving the SOI pricing. It's the economic model for any kind of tour or live event in an arena - concerts, professional sports, personal appearances, etc. - not the economic model for skating. Live tours aren't cheap to stage. If you look at ticket prices for concerts by big-name acts - which are sort of comparable in the music world to elite-level skaters in the skating world - SOI's prices are in the same range as those.

I'm certainly not trying to defend SOI's pricing decisions, because I agree that high prices are going to discourage many from attending, especially future skaters who might be inspired. On the other hand, the tour being right after the Olympics means that there is likely going to be more interest, and SOI is likely setting its prices with that increased interest in mind.

 

[mollymgr]

SOI replied to someone in the comments on Facebook saying it was going to be televised this year.
https://www.facebook.com/starsonice/posts/10155093713640936

 

[missing]

Can I ask how (the method) you purchased? I tried the PPL site, but it wasn’t letting me “choose” a seat, and I wasn’t comfortable with that. A Thursday night in Allentown will not sellout, so I gave up for a future time.

Also, with tax and handling fees $150 for the best seat? For Stars on Ice??? Where like if Jason gets injured or withdraws, I will be seriously bummed I was living in the past for ticket prices, for sure.....

I had tried the PPL site and after rejecting a number of seats they wanted me to buy I pretty much forgot about it, until Bookseller (under her real name) emailed me this morning to ask if I'd bought our tickets. I went back to Ticketmaster, which continued to deny there was an Allentown show. So I returned to the PPL site, which still wouldn't let me select the seats I wanted but this time it offered me a different row. I called Bookseller (under her real name) and she was happy with the seats offered, so I went through PPL's lengthy and unnecessary registration process and bought those seats.

The tickets are definitely overpriced and Jason had better be there, but I do like the other advertised skaters. It's been a very long time since I went to a skating show (as opposed to a competition), and really, who can resist April in Allentown?

 

[Mrs. P]

Considering I paid about the same price per ticket for OK-ish seats to see Hamilton on tour (It's was like $300+ if you want really awesome seats and there were a handful of "VIP" tickets that were nearly $600), seeing Jason skate to Hamilton in the front row is a bargain in comparison, LOL.

 

[el henry]

.....It's been a very long time since I went to a skating show (as opposed to a competition), and really, who can resist April in Allentown?

As someone who lives a mile from the Allentown border, it beats February and March in Allentown

Well, sounds like I may try it again and do my Christmas shopping for myself this weekend....

 

[gkelly]

What kind of contractual arrangements are there between USFS and Stars on Ice these days?

With the current emphasis on US skaters including those actively competing, I assume there is some coordination between them.

When SOI started in the 1980s, there was really no connection. It was a way for retired skaters who had "turned pro" and later "given up eligibility" to earn money, and also for IMG or whoever was promoting it to earn money.

Obviously there have been several significant changes in the economics of competitive skating and the economics of pro skating in the past 30+ years. And most of the pro skaters had come up through the competitive ranks, even if they weren't all champions.

But how much interest does SOI management have in skating as a sport, aside from mining its stars for their skills and name recognition? And how much interest does USFS or any other governing body have in the success of SOI?

 

[Barbara Manatee]

I just got an email from SOI -

We are proud to announce the addition of the newest United States medalists and Olympic team members to the 2018 Stars on Ice Tour! Direct from the 2018 Winter Games, see 2018 U.S. Champions BRADIE TENNELL and MADISON HUBBELL & ZACHARY DONOHUE and 2018 U.S. Medalists MIRAI NAGASU and ADAM RIPPON.

Great! But I don't understand why "United States medalists and Olympic team members" still doesn't include any pairs. What is SOI's issue with pairs?

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I just got an email from SOI - Great! But I don't understand why "United States medalists and Olympic team members" still doesn't include any pairs. What is SOI's issue with pairs?

Doesn't include Chock/Bates either I know 4 dance teams would be alot but they've been part of the cast the last few years and brought unique programs to the show.

 

[WildRose]

The economic model for this sport is so broken. The sponsors of this tour need to do a major re-think of the pricing model they use. The post Olympic tour is the once every critical 4 year opportunity to attract a wider and expanded audience. There is simply NOTHING like seeing skating live and in person. The ubiquity of cell phones/youtube and the whole smaller/medium screen experience falls so short. Further, the bounty of positives with the skaters themselves - for the most part gorgeous, engaging, amazing athletes, smart, articulate, gracious. There is so much goodness to put on display.

Bus those learn to skate kids in with heavily discounted tickets for families who can show they are in learn to skate programs, so that parents of 5-15 year olds aren't looking at close to $200 just for a family night adventure they might not even know how much they could love (and that doesn't include parking, snacks, what have you.

Get those butts into seats. This is the season. Or regret it.

There. I've said my peace.

Skating Clubs in Canada all get a discount and sometimes even free seats for the whole club if you help out with a sponsor giveaway. The majority of our Club’s figure skaters all attend with at least one adult in tow, not sure about the Canskaters.

 

[Jarrett]

Ugh the fees almost double the price of two base level tickets. Happy to see Mirai on the list now though.

 

[Lanie]

The US skaters only for the Olympic year is always such a buzzkill. It means no quality ladies and pairs, for one thing.

I used to go to SOI when it was more international, and I put up with US only if Sasha was in it. Now, there just isn't enough of a draw for me. The first time I went, Alexei Yagudin was in it. Now, THAT was a draw.

Ah, memories! That was our first SOI together wasn't it?

I may go this year just to bring the kiddo. I don't know if it'll be worth it though, I haven't gone in years which is sad as I used to go yearly (with skatepixie).

 

[skatingguy]

I just got an email from SOI - Great! But I don't understand why "United States medalists and Olympic team members" still doesn't include any pairs. What is SOI's issue with pairs?

Usually with SOI the issue is management company not discipline. If you're not represented by IMG you're not going to be on SOI.

 

[Debbie S]

Usually with SOI the issue is management company not discipline. If you're not represented by IMG you're not going to be on SOI.

I imagine that's why C/B weren't included this year, as they are the only one of the top 3 U.S. dance teams not repped by IMG. When given a choice between similarly ranked and skilled teams, IMG would rather promote its own clients. Ashley and Jason are not repped by IMG, either, but they are singles skaters....SOI seems to have a 3-dance team limit.

I don't know if this is still the case/a concern, but I remember reading years ago (possibly in one of Christine Brennan's books) that in the case of IMG-owned/produced events (which included the made-for-TV pro comps), IMG tended to lowball its clients with their appearance fees. I think Dorothy Hamill actually sued them about this at one point. And I think in Katia Gordeeva's book, she mentioned that she and Sergei tried to negotiate a higher salary for SOI one year and were told no, take it or leave it. SOI in the early years was restricted to IMG clients only....I think Tara was the first non-IMG client on the tour, and of course she was the OGM and Scott really wanted her there.

Maybe C/B, S/K, and Vincent will eventually be invited to do portions of the tour, similar to what they did with C/S, Jason, and Polina in 2014.

 

[vireo]

I don't know if this is still the case/a concern, but I remember reading years ago that in the case of IMG-owned/produced events ... IMG tended to lowball its clients with their appearance fees.

If this is true, it really stinks.

 

[Willowway]

Ilia was not an IMG client either. SOI does hire non-IMG folks but not often.

 

[aemeraldrainc]

Add me to the list of people who's disappointed DC isn't part of the tour. I can understand why cost would make it difficult to add to the list, though. It's just a shame.
I'm actually closer to Greensboro, NC. But I figured DC would be more likely to be on the list since it's a bigger city.
I wonder if they looked into bringing it to Greensboro. I would think cost would be less prohibitive and weren't nationals held there in past years well attended? Demographic is there. :/

 

[Sylvia]

UPDATE: Nagasu, Rippon, Karen Chen, Hubbell & Donohue and Tennell (20 of the 22 cities - missing Allentown, PA & Salt Lake City) were all added after Nationals.

Vincent Zhou has been added to Phoenix, Anaheim, San Jose, Spokane, Seattle & Portland, OR (the final 6 stops): https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/970791760455720965

 

[Frau Muller]

What kind of contractual arrangements are there between USFS and Stars on Ice these days?

With the current emphasis on US skaters including those actively competing, I assume there is some coordination between them.

When SOI started in the 1980s, there was really no connection. It was a way for retired skaters who had "turned pro" and later "given up eligibility" to earn money, and also for IMG or whoever was promoting it to earn money.

Obviously there have been several significant changes in the economics of competitive skating and the economics of pro skating in the past 30+ years. And most of the pro skaters had come up through the competitive ranks, even if they weren't all champions.

But how much interest does SOI management have in skating as a sport, aside from mining its stars for their skills and name recognition? And how much interest does USFS or any other governing body have in the success of SOI?

GKelly, were your questions ever answered?

SOI has become just a glorified US Nationals exhibition, which, in 2018, means a bunch of Olympics also-rans, with exception of Meryl and Charlie (from an earlier Olympics). Where are the true stars & winners of the Olympics, like the Russian Ladies, V/M, P/C, Hanyu, Javi, Uno, Aliona & Bruno, etc? That’s the sort of international line-up that we used to get from Tom Collins in the 1980s, even in the North American part of the post-Worlds and post-Oly tours. Now the US gets only WOI - Whiners on Ice.