What Happened to the World Professional Figure Skating Championships?

[gkelly]

Into the early 1990s (i.e., before eligible skaters could earn prize money and earn money from skating in shows etc.), figure skating in the US was largely marketed more as entertainment -- movement to music, pretty costumes, pretty athletic women in short skirts -- than as serious sport. With human interest details often given more importance in the commentary than rules and technical details.

For that kind viewing product and the kinds of consumers it attracted, pro-style skating was often more attractive.

Of course Olympics, Worlds, and Nationals had high stakes on their side. But the average amateur fall competition broadcast would typically be less fun to watch than the average pro competition.

As first the emphasis on jumps and later with IJS on all technical aspects came to have more obvious impact on results than overall impression, and as the Internet has made technical information more available to interested fans, I think a lot of the TV coverage also, gradually, became more sport focused. Which is great for those of us fans who take skating seriously as a sport, but probably of less interest to casual viewers who would have preferred pro "competitions" to eligible ones.

I put "competitions" in quotes because with the small-field invitationals especially with celebrity judges, I considered them more to be shows structured in the format of a competition.

 

[Teenes]

You may find this old but very extensive and well-written article interesting:

Skate Today ~ The Rise and Fall of the Pro Skating World

Skate Today

web.archive.org

Wow, my old article! It was quite a surprise, but a gratifying one, to find someone linking to work I did 13 years ago! Thanks!

 

[Plusdinfo]

I’m not sure how exciting a watered down event technically would be to the current generation of fans.

Quicky, easy answer from me: I'd rather watch Stephane Lambiel and Jeffrey Buttle skate at their current ages than Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu at theirs. I'd rather see a 2019 Samantha Cesario performance than a 2019 Alyssa Liu program. I can be very impressed by technical content, but that's hardly a reason to watch a program if there's no excitement to it, no understanding of music, and/or poor execution of movement.

Skaters have such short competitive careers as it is that not having competitions for them in retirement cuts fans off from the sport's participants and, by extension, kills a reason for a person to become a fan.

 

[Japanfan]

The audience for show skating is not the same as for competitive skating. By combining the 2 approaches in one competition they created a product that wasn't pleasing to either camp.

I agree with this, as one who is a fan of competitive skating. I'm not particularly a fan of show skating, although I do enjoy a show once in a whole (preferred Champions on Ice with its solo performances to shows with group numbers). I find the 'flirty girls/flirty boys' numbers in shows get old real fast.

I watch exhibitions some times on TV, but do fast forward through a lot of programs. When I go to a competition live I go to the gala if it's convenient, and usually enjoy it because I've become invested in the skaters during the competition.

Quicky, easy answer from me: I'd rather watch Stephane Lambiel and Jeffrey Buttle skate at their current ages than Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu at theirs. I'd rather see a 2019 Samantha Cesario performance than a 2019 Alyssa Liu program. I can be very impressed by technical content, but that's hardly a reason to watch a program if there's no excitement to it, no understanding of music, and/or poor execution of movement.

There are plenty of programs with excitement, musicality, and good execution in competition, IMO. Not all of course, but many of the competitive skaters have their own unique skills/orientations. And I enjoy the technical content of competitive skating, particularly the big tricks - though I love ice dance also.

I guess I just enjoy competition. It's way more exciting to me than shows/galas. Sure, there are plenty of mediocre performances and some terrible ones. But there are also plenty of wonderful surprises, also.

 

[screech]

Quicky, easy answer from me: I'd rather watch Stephane Lambiel and Jeffrey Buttle skate at their current ages than Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu at theirs. I'd rather see a 2019 Samantha Cesario performance than a 2019 Alyssa Liu program. I can be very impressed by technical content, but that's hardly a reason to watch a program if there's no excitement to it, no understanding of music, and/or poor execution of movement.

I think that's a reason why the Japan Open can be entertaining - you get current names, as well as 'pros'. Yeah, the current guys usually win, but then you get the gems like Nobunari Oda.

There has also been the "Medal Winners Open" a few years (though not since 2016). Looking at the results on Wikipedia, in mens the first outing had:
1. Jeff Buttle
2. Kurt Browning
3. Ilia Kulik
4. Takeshi Honda
5. Alexei Yagudin
6. Philippe Candeloro

 

[Plusdinfo]

There are plenty of programs with excitement, musicality, and good execution in competition, IMO. Not all of course, but many of the competitive skaters have their own unique skills/orientations. And I enjoy the technical content of competitive skating, particularly the big tricks - though I love ice dance also.

I didn't hash out my post to make my thoughts fully clear; I just threw some lines in, so I'll comment on the above quoted bit:

I agree that there are competitive performances with excellent musicality, excitement, and execution. I've even found them in Hanyu and Chen once each (just threw in their names to match Lambiel/Buttle with two current names). However, one of my points was replying to the question about whether fans would pay/take the time to see skaters without the very best technical content, maybe even little technical content if in their late thirties or something. Yes, I would! I don't see Shoma Uno skate and then think, "Man, if Ryan Bradley were in a competition on TV tonight, I couldn't possibly watch him since he's nowhere near that kind of a jumper." As so many write on this platform, if you are invested in a skater because you like what they offer and/or you've met them live, you're likely to want to see them even when they are past their physical peak, even when they are not doing the "amateur" competitions.

For me, it shouldn't have to be Grand Prix-level skaters and then just shows if lucky in retirement. There should be other things like the Japan Open, of which I am aware, but even with that, I prefer competitions that are all post-eligible skaters. I never took to pro-ams, as I viewed that almost like having men compete against women in terms of apples to oranges. Skating world, let us have "pro" competitions, for goodness sake! Even if there are three per year, I do think they would have an audience.

P.S. I apologize if some people are rolling their eyes at the terms I used. I am not sure what the latest phrases are assigned to those who are competing with the Olympics in mind as a goal versus those who have posted a retirement announcement on social media and moved past that phase of life!

 

[glorybox64]

I’ve also been wondering whether folks like Ashley Wagner, Johnny Weir, Surya Bonaly and Adam Rippon might be able to capitalize on their respective viral attention in recent years by jumpstarting at least one or two pro competitions or even more elevated/artistic (ie not Disson) shows. Still active names like Lambiel, Buttle, Abbott, Sato and others currently doing shows could round out the lineups. Skating feels closer to the mainstream in many ways than it has for some time — just look at all the love Jonathan Van Ness’ skating training and friendship with Michelle Kwan has gotten. If someone could convince Michelle to sign into something with some of those marquee names above also on board, I feel like it might stand a shot. Maybe even in a wildly different format like a Netflix, Amazon or Bravo competition reality show?

 

[Fiero425]

I remember that. Pat Lipinski said Tom Collins knew how to take care of the younger skaters and made sure they had activities and things to do to keep them occupied and stimulated. She said Tara was left on her own on SOI and they didn't have much experience having a cast member that was so young, so she didn't enjoy her time there.

Then why did Tara's people convince her to make the change? It never seemed to make sense if you're happy some place, but can be made to make a change for money! I'm sure that must be what it was about! Well she made more, but for a shorter time since she was so unhappy and felt alone! Idiotic; she was the reigning Olympic Champion back then! The world was her oyster!

 

[VGThuy]

To be fair to them, they probably didn't realize it'd be so different from their experiences with COI.

 

[Fiero425]

I’ve also been wondering whether folks like Ashley Wagner, Johnny Weir, Surya Bonaly and Adam Rippon might be able to capitalize on their respective viral attention in recent years by jumpstarting at least one or two pro competitions or even more elevated/artistic (i.e. not Disson) shows. Still active names like Lambiel, Buttle, Abbott, Sato and others currently doing shows could round out the lineups. Skating feels closer to the mainstream in many ways than it has for some time — just look at all the love Jonathan Van Ness’ skating training and friendship with Michelle Kwan has gotten. If someone could convince Michelle to sign into something with some of those marquee names above also on board, I feel like it might stand a shot. Maybe even in a wildly different format like a Netflix, Amazon or Bravo competition reality show?

Desire isn't enough PEOPLE! Someone's got to pay the bills, get contracts signed, and actually get time slots to telecast the finished product! Diehard fans will pay to go see them, but the real money comes from TV! This isn't '98 during the BOOM; hasn't been that way for a long time! The USA stunk year in and year out internationally for a while! The Amateur ranks have to have a following to crossover to the Pros so they can get a slice! Maybe with Nathan Chen it might promote more exposure of figure skating!