What changes do you want to see in team events at future Olympics?

[Vash01]

For this thread only - 'Discontinue team event at the Olympics' is not an option.
The goal here is to improve, rather than eliminate.

Here are a few that come to my mind.

1. Put team event after All the individual events are over. The reason for this is that we will not see a handful of athletes having opportunities to practice their programs to the Olympic ice.

It could either give them advantage over others or it may exhaust them. If the individual events are first, everyone will have the same starting point.

It will avoid possible injuries before the individual events.

2.Allow substitutions in all four disciplines. I know it gives advantage to big countries over small ones.

3. Change the scoring system. Use actual scores in SP and LP. Add them up.

4. No eliminations. Allow all 10 countries to skate both SP and LP.

5. Announce skaters for SP and LP before the TE starts. Changes are allowed only in emergency - sickness or injury, with certificates from doctors who are neutral.

6. Schedule exhibitions/gala after the TE is over.

Thats all I can think of.

 

[Marco]

Adding actual scores instead of placement scores is an option - but if they insist on using placement scores, the FS placement scores should be 2-4-6-8-10 instead of 6-7-8-9-10 to make the FS more important.

I like the strategizing part between SP and FS so I would love it if they could maintain the flexibility to appoint / switch other skaters depending on how the SP went. Switching 2 or 4 disciplines - again I like the strategizing aspect for the top countries especially since it could potentially affect IE performances, and let's face it only the top 3 or 4 countries have a realistic range of skaters across different disciplines that can be switched. Allowing too many switches only benefit these top countries.

 

[Orm Irian]

My changes:

1. The Team Event happens after the Individual Event.
2. The top 10 skaters from unique countries in each individual event are tapped to compete in the Team Event - so if, for example, New Zealand has two skaters finish in the top 10 women and Moldova three ice dance teams, only the highest-placed New Zealand woman and Moldovan dance team are tapped for the TE, and the 11th-placed woman (if she's not also from New Zealand) is the final entrant.
3. Skaters are assigned to one of 10 four-person teams by almost-random draw, with the caveat that there cannot be two skaters/pairs from the same country on any team.
4. Free skates/dances only.
5. Points are distributed from 1 for lowest place to 10 for highest place in each category. Highest points total wins. Tiebreaker is total actual points scored across all four disciplines.
6. Medals are made of chocolate and skaters are invited to eat them on the podium.

 

[Vash01]

My changes:

1. The Team Event happens after the Individual Event.
2. The top 10 skaters from unique countries in each individual event are tapped to compete in the Team Event - so if, for example, New Zealand has two skaters finish in the top 10 women and Moldova three ice dance teams, only the highest-placed New Zealand woman and Moldovan dance team are tapped for the TE, and the 11th-placed woman (if she's not also from New Zealand) is the final entrant.
3. Skaters are assigned to one of 10 four-person teams by almost-random draw, with the caveat that there cannot be two skaters/pairs from the same country on any team.
4. Free skates/dances only.
5. Points are distributed from 1 for lowest place to 10 for highest place in each category. Highest points total wins. Tiebreaker is total actual points scored across all four disciplines.
6. Medals are made of chocolate and skaters are invited to eat them on the podium.

LOL on your last suggestion.

 

[Karen-W]

Adding actual scores instead of placement scores is an option - but if they insist on using placement scores, the FS placement scores should be 2-4-6-8-10 instead of 6-7-8-9-10 to make the FS more important.

I like the strategizing part between SP and FS so I would love it if they could maintain the flexibility to appoint / switch other skaters depending on how the SP went. Switching 2 or 4 disciplines - again I like the strategizing aspect for the top countries especially since it could potentially affect IE performances, and let's face it only the top 3 or 4 countries have a realistic range of skaters across different disciplines that can be switched. Allowing too many switches only benefit these top countries.

We've talked about the points in the FS being changed to that or some version of it and doing that would have had ZERO change in the standings in either 2014 or 2018. I haven't run the numbers for 2022 yet, but I don't think it would have changed the overall result, or if it did, it would have flipped USA & JPN. Similar situation had ordinal been used instead of raw point totals.

There needs to be a much more substantial change to how the Final is structured/determined. My idea is to advance the top 5 in each discipline to the Final rather than the top 5 countries by points. This would allow for more changes in the standings and force countries to truly develop depth across all disciplines.

For example, this year, taking the top 5 in each discipline would have given us the following line-up (each country would still be allowed up to 2 substitutions between the SP & FS) -

Men
USA - JPN - ROC - GEO - ITA

Women
ROC - JPN - CAN - GEO - USA

Pairs
CHN - ROC - USA - JPN - CAN

Dance
USA - ROC - ITA - CAN - CHN

Can you imagine the movement between the medal spots and the rest of the placements if those skaters had been in the Final?

 

[millyskate]

We just need to look to other sports and how they structure team events.

I’d say use the SP as the qualifying round (and allow the top 12 countries to compete), then reset the scores to 0 for the final which would the FPS.

It’s important that the last “round” of competition be a fresh start to preserve the excitement and discourage countries from withdrawing their best athletes.

It would be possible to model the order on gymnastics: have all the individual SPs / RDs, determine the final qualifiers from that, and reset the scores from 0 before the team final.

 

[mjb52]

Put it after the individual events!

I like the idea of their doing different programs in the team than the individual but I think that isn't reasonable to ask for in reality.

 

[CantALoop]

For this thread only - 'Discontinue team event at the Olympics' is not an option.
The goal here is to improve, rather than eliminate.

Yes! I like the team event since it gives skaters additional chances to medal or earn multiple medals!

For all the people who say they dislike the team event or are like "tEaM MeDaLs AreN't rEaL mEdALs," there sure are a lot of people invested in the PBP threads and weighing in with their opinions on whether a country should/shouldn't have swapped and who they picked to put in the event.

Adding actual scores instead of placement scores is an option - but if they insist on using placement scores, the FS placement scores should be 2-4-6-8-10 instead of 6-7-8-9-10 to make the FS more important.

My only concern with using actual points (if that's what you meant) instead of placements is that it gives the men a pretty high advantage due to their PCS factors being weighed heavier and their generally higher point totals. At least placements normalize things so all the disciplines are weighed evenly between each other.

 

[Marco]

We've talked about the points in the FS being changed to that or some version of it and doing that would have had ZERO change in the standings in either 2014 or 2018. I haven't run the numbers for 2022 yet, but I don't think it would have changed the overall result, or if it did, it would have flipped USA & JPN. Similar situation had ordinal been used instead of raw point totals.

Just because it wouldn't have changed the placements in the past doesn't mean it isn't a meaningful change. If there is more to gain / lose in the FS, more countries will be in contention heading in the FS and could have used different strategies.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I would like it to be eliminated. It is silly and meaningless.

 

[CantALoop]

For this thread only - 'Discontinue team event at the Olympics' is not an option.
The goal here is to improve, rather than eliminate.

I would like it to be eliminated. It is silly and meaningless.

@AxelAnnie did you even read the first two sentences of this thread?

You must be one of those people who comment on headlines without even reading the article. Shoo, shoo!

 

[Karen-W]

Just because it wouldn't have changed the placements in the past doesn't mean it isn't a meaningful change. If there is more to gain / lose in the FS, more countries will be in contention heading in the FS and could have used different strategies.

Well, but my point is that it really doesn't have the type of impact that you're envisioning, IMO. Neither does taking raw scores. I think the only way you get more countries in contention heading into the FS is to change how the skaters/teams qualify to the Final. As long as Japan is allowed to bring along it's last place dance team or China brings along it's last place woman, it will allow for skaters from stronger countries who have a genuinely weak skate in the FS to not have as dramatic of an impact on the final standings.

Imagine where Vincent would have placed in the FS if the skaters were Kagiyama, Kondratiuk, Kvitelashvili, and Grassl - that 3rd place might very easily have wound up 5th place. And Karen's 4th could have easily been 5th if Zhu had been replaced by Gubanova. And how would Japan have made up the loss of 6 easy points from dance if KoKo hadn't been dragged along into the Final on the strength of the other three disciplines shoulders? Imagine Russia trying to hold onto silver in 2018 without Kolyada in the Final (since he finished 8th in the SP).

I'll try to find the time to run the possible outcomes later on today, but I think this would have the sort of impact on the overall standings that would make it much more exciting and uncertain.

ETA - also consider how much less bruising to the ego it would have been for Sadovsky to not have made the TE FS and instead had a couple of days to regroup and shake it off for the Men's event. I doubt he'd be getting clobbered the way he is right now for three bad skates in a row, even if he'd once more failed to make the FS. And I expect that Zhu would have been better off not having to turn around the very ext day after her disastrous SP and skate in the Final.

 

[Bigbird]

Have it after the individual events. Unlimited number of substitutions in each discipline!

 

[Amantide]

I don't dislike TE but I wouldn't miss it (if it were to go way) the way I still miss today compulsory dance, for example. But since I don't have the option to discontinue it, I'll go with have it after the individuals and make the free skate programs count more in terms of points.

 

[orbitz]

A skater can only do one event - either the SP or the LP, not both. This will give more skaters the chance to earn a souvenir medal and also prevent some skater from being exhausted that could result in bad falls, ie. the Russian pair.

 

[screech]

1. Team event last
2. FP are scored 10/8/6/4/2
3. Tie breaker - instead of how it currently is, it should be the the total combined scores for the tied countries that breaks it. Or, the median points (of the 10, 7, 3, etc).

I'd mentioned in the qualification to team event thread, but it would be entertaining to see a top 10 in each diciipline overall skate, not the top 10 countries. So you could see a team consisting of Nathan, Kamila, Sui/Han and Chock/Bates versus Hanyu, Scherbakova, Tarasova/Morozov, Papadakis/Cizeron.

 

[coppertop1]

Drop the lowest placement after the SP.

 

[Seerek]

I'm leaning toward using total scores.

Using that methodology in Beijing, China wouldn't have made the final 5 (Italy would have).

Japan would have won silver.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

All I can think of is add an open bar!

 

[escaflowne9282]

My changes:

1. The Team Event happens after the Individual Event.
2. The top 10 skaters from unique countries in each individual event are tapped to compete in the Team Event - so if, for example, New Zealand has two skaters finish in the top 10 women and Moldova three ice dance teams, only the highest-placed New Zealand woman and Moldovan dance team are tapped for the TE, and the 11th-placed woman (if she's not also from New Zealand) is the final entrant.
3. Skaters are assigned to one of 10 four-person teams by almost-random draw, with the caveat that there cannot be two skaters/pairs from the same country on any team.
4. Free skates/dances only.
5. Points are distributed from 1 for lowest place to 10 for highest place in each category. Highest points total wins. Tiebreaker is total actual points scored across all four disciplines.
6. Medals are made of chocolate and skaters are invited to eat them on the podium.

I laughed at first but ,TBH #6 seems like a good idea instead of all the plushies ! They would get wrapped chocolate medals until the medal ceremony in the plaza .

 

[VGThuy]

Just to throw out a completely radical idea. I’d make it longer. More than ten countries compete and there will be a mixed group of those who don’t have teams but qualified for the Olympics in the individual to show off their SPs. It’ll be less tv friendly but whatever. Every country gets three skaters for every discipline and they compete. For the final, top ten or eight move on. Same format. SP scores in first round count but are factored by 1/3 either raw score or factored placement and the LP is 2/3. All scores count. Twist - only the top 24 from each discipline move on to the individual where they skate their SP and LP again.

 

[mjb52]

A skater can only do one event - either the SP or the LP, not both. This will give more skaters the chance to earn a souvenir medal and also prevent some skater from being exhausted that could result in bad falls, ie. the Russian pair.

I think the problem with that only the stronger federations have the kind of depth that would allow them to do it, so it would actually make things less competitive. I like that idea in theory, but I don't think it's consistent with the divide in the sport right now between the top federations and everyone else.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I would like to see one or more mixed country teams for the nations that are still trying to develop all four disciplines. I'm not sure how you would setup the rules for this. Maybe only 2 countries max per team?

 

[AxelAnnie]

@AxelAnnie did you even read the first two sentences of this thread?

You must be one of those people who comment on headlines without even reading the article. Shoo, shoo!

Oh - I must not have read the first two sentences.

Your conclusion has nothing to do with your comment. Thanks though. It takes a village....more or less.

 

[love skating]

I would like to see one or more mixed country teams for the nations that are still trying to develop all four disciplines. I'm not sure how you would setup the rules for this. Maybe only 2 countries max per team?

They do mixed country teams for the Youth Olympics (probably cause there aren't enough countries to field full teams), but I'm not sure of the rules as far as country make up or how they get selected.

 

[miffy]

I like the idea of using the SP as the qualifier then starting the points again in the free.

I also agree with moving it to the end of the event.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Just let Synchro teams compete. That's it.

 

[overedge]

If it's retained, either the skaters should be different skaters than those competing in the individual events, or the programs should be different programs.

My preferred option is the one that shall not be named. And no, I didn't participate in any of the threads about who should be doing which part of the event, because frankly the event bores me in its current format. So I don't care who is in it.

 

[Karen-W]

If it's retained, either the skaters should be different skaters than those competing in the individual events, or the programs should be different programs.

My preferred option is the one that shall not be named. And no, I didn't participate in any of the threads about who should be doing which part of the event, because frankly the event bores me in its current format. So I don't care who is in it.

I don't see it going away, based upon the comments of the team captains at the final press conference of the TE, and I don't see the IOC/ISU bringing in additional skaters to compete in the TE given the IOC has forced the ISU to reduce the # of figure skating competitors in dance & pairs to make room for the TE-only Quota spots.

 

[overedge]

I don't see it going away, based upon the comments of the team captains at the final press conference of the TE, and I don't see the IOC/ISU bringing in additional skaters to compete in the TE given the IOC has forced the ISU to reduce the # of figure skating competitors in dance & pairs to make room for the TE-only Quota spots.

The question is about our opinions, and my opinion is that it should go away.