Tom Collins passed away

[kwanette]

Phil Hersh tweeted that COI founder , Tom Collins, has passed away. Great tour, great man..

 

[victorskid]

From Christine Brennan on Twitter:

Sad news in figure skating: the great Tom Collins, founder of Champions on Ice & a generous man who gave long careers to countless skaters, died today at 88. He helped anyone and everyone. He made skating so much better. ‘So loyal, so honest,’ Brian Boitano said. ’That’s Tommy.’

 

[AxelAnnie]

Oh sadness! Evidently a great man. Hate to see him go.

 

[skatesindreams]

He served and loved skaters, the art of skating; and all who love it.
A great loss; and a greater legacy.

Thank you, dear Mr. Collins.

 

[Lanie]

RIP Mr Collins. Prayers to his family and friends.

 

[love skating]

RIP. I'm so glad they had that reunion this year and he got to celebrate with his beloved skaters!

 

[bardtoob]

Boitano on Instagram

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[kwanette]

https://wtop.com/other-sports/2019/09/skating-entrepreneur-tom-collins-passes-away-at-age/ quotes from MK, Brian and Scott

 

[kittyjake5]

RIP Mr. Collins. Remembering all the great memories I have from attending COI. Thank you.

 

[Eeyora1]

Sad to hear. I loved going to the show every year. I was devastated when the tour ended.

 

[caseyedwards]

Sad news. RIP.

Total icon of the 90s

 

[Vash01]

Sad news. He brought us many enjoyable tours. I attended COI every year until it stopped coming to my city. RIP Mr. Collins.

 

[paskatefan]

RIP, Mr. Collins. Thank you for so many years of COI. I'm glad that you got to enjoy the reunion with so many skaters earlier this year.

 

[Debrah]

Thank-you Mr. Collins, RIP and condolences to his family and all who knew him.

 

[Vash01]

I wonder if this should be in the GSD? Regardless, I am sorry to hear of his passing. I loved COI. He brought figure skating’s top skaters to a much larger audience.

 

[vanillashake]

Such an amazing and great man who has given so much to the sport. Such a tragedy! Everyone had a kind word to say about him, even Tonya Harding.

 

[Sylvia]

RIP. I'm so glad they had that reunion this year and he got to celebrate with his beloved skaters!

Link to the COI reunion event thread with photos from this past May: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/tom-collins-champions-on-ice-reunion-in-minneapolis.105607/

https://wtop.com/other-sports/2019/09/skating-entrepreneur-tom-collins-passes-away-at-age/ quotes from MK, Brian and Scott

This Associated Press article was written by Barry Wilner (same article/another link: http://www.startribune.com/skating-entrepreneur-tom-collins-passes-away-at-age/559080932/ ).
Excerpts:

"Tommy treated everyone like family," Michelle Kwan, the greatest skater of her generation, said Sunday after learning of Collins' death at his home in Minneapolis at age 88. "I skated for 14 years in his show, and I felt like the daughter he never had.
"Tommy would help any skater. He'd open his wallet to anyone in need. He was very special and we'll miss him dearly."
...
"Tom Collins death marks the end of an era, the golden age of figure skating," Boitano said. "He stood out in the business. He was a man of loyalty, vision, and tremendous generosity."

Last spring, skaters and others involved with Champions on Ice held a reunion in Minneapolis to honor Collins.
"It wasn't just the skaters who showed up but the choreographers, the people who did the lighting, everyone who was part of the shows," Kwan recalled. "They all loved Tommy and he treated all of them so well.

 

[kittysk8ts]

A lovely post by Tatiana Tarasova

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[taf2002]

I had backstage passes for the last tour I went to so I bought the 25th anniversary book. Inside the front cover was a two page spread of that year's cast. When I went backstage I got many of the members to sign their picture & I also got Mr Collins to sign too. He seemed surprised that I wanted him to sign, he was so modest. IMO the COI tour was the best ice show ever.

 

[Yazmeen]

My heart hurts, God, how I loved COI!!!! RIP to a great skating pioneer.

Tom Collins, Promoter of Elite Figure Skating Tours, Dies at 88 (Published 2019)

For nearly 40 years, his Champions on Ice showcased Olympic stars like Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Johnny Weir.

www.nytimes.com

 

[skatesindreams]

NYT Obituary; with more interesting, detailed information:

Tom Collins, Promoter of Elite Figure Skating Tours, Dies at 88 (Published 2019)

For nearly 40 years, his Champions on Ice showcased Olympic stars like Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Johnny Weir.

www.nytimes.com

 

[AYS]

I really loved the COI tour, it was my primary way to see live elite skating for many years. He did so much to support the skaters and to popularize the sport. Such a great legacy, RIP

 

[vanillashake]

It is wonderful to hear so many skaters and journalists coming out with tributes and condolesences. They all recognize what a big part he played in the sport, especialy professional skating.

 

[Yazmeen]

I wonder if this should be in the GSD? Regardless, I am sorry to hear of his passing. I loved COI. He brought figure skating’s top skaters to a much larger audience.

I started this thread in GSD, but apparently the decision was made that it belonged here, and my original thread was merged here. Regardless, we have lost a great skating pioneer.

 

[Sylvia]

Minneapolis news report: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/09/03/figure-skating-promoter-tom-collins-fondly-remembered/

Figure skating archivist Roy Blakey knew Tom Collins well. The two became lifelong friends when Collins began performing in the production, Holiday on Ice.
“The thing about Tom was that he loved skating himself and had a wonderful career skating in shows,” said Blakey.
In 1969, Collins began producing “Tour of World Champions,” which later was changed to “Champions on Ice.” The Edina businessman helped Minneapolis land the World Championships in 1998.
...
Services for Collins will be held Saturday, September 14 at Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina.

 

[Sylvia]

Brian Boitano's photo from the memorial service this past Saturday (with Surya Bonaly, Michelle Kwan & Michael Weiss): https://www.instagram.com/p/B2b0m1ll4-L/
Nancy Kerrigan was in one of Surya's photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/B2cH_H7HGlb/