2016 Team Challenge Cup - Gen Info/Pre-chat

Mathman · Aug 1, 2015

SunDae said:
If they want this event to have fans in seats, the only hope for North America is a tiny arena in a Small but convenient enough town. Otherwise, Japan should always host.

Population of Spokane is about 200,000 people. The Arena seats about 10,000 for hockey, arena football, and concerts. The attendance figures for U.S. Nationals in 2007 and 2010 were quite strong -- record-setting in fact. I don't know if they had a full house for ladies LP or not, but it was pretty well attended both times. If they expect a smaller house they can block it off to 5000 or 6000 good seats.

The problem is always to round up enough local support, sponsorships, corporate donations, city involvement, etc., to make a go of it. The ISU and the USFSA do not foot the whole bill, by any means. Chris mentioned the problems they had in 2010 when the State of Washington promised the event co-ordinators $100,000, but then backed out when the state government found itself in a budgetary bind that year, leaving the local organizing committee to scramble as best they could to meet the shortfall by beating the bushes for fresh support.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out that there are no other bids but Spokane's. It is possible that the whole event was concocted by the USFSA, who then approached the ISU and their figure skating go-to guys in Spokane to see if they could get something together. If you search for information about the event, the (Spokane) Spokesman-Review appears to be the only newspaper that has heard of it.

CoyoteChris · Aug 1, 2015

While the metro area and environs including CDA is quite large, I would see this as an event with a strong "out of town" draw. Or maybe that is wishful thinking. I am told the Japanese fans could attend this event for cheeper than attending an event in their own country. Don't know if that's true but if it IS here, I wish Toby and Barb the best. I hope the USFSA is still considering Vegas for future events.....I think that would really increase attendance.

Mathman said:
Population of Spokane is about 200,000 people. The Arena seats about 10,000 for hockey, arena football, and concerts. The attendance figures for U.S. Nationals in 2007 and 2010 were quite strong -- record-setting in fact. I don't know if they had a full house for ladies LP or not, but it was pretty well attended both times. If they expect a smaller house they can block it off to 5000 or 6000 good seats.

The problem is always to round up enough local support, sponsorships, corporate donations, city involvement, etc., to make a go of it. The ISU and the USFSA do not foot the whole bill, by any means. Chris mentioned the problems they had in 2010 when the State of Washington promised the event co-ordinators $100,000, but then backed out when the state government found itself in a budgetary bind that year, leaving the local organizing committee to scramble as best they could to meet the shortfall by beating the bushes for fresh support.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out that there are no other bids but Spokane's. It is possible that the whole event was concocted by the USFSA, who then approached the ISU and their figure skating go-to guys in Spokane to see if they could get something together. If you search for information about the event, the (Spokane) Spokesman-Review appears to be the only newspaper that has heard of it.

Mrs. P · Aug 1, 2015

CoyoteChris said:
While the metro area and environs including CDA is quite large, I would see this as an event with a strong "out of town" draw. Or maybe that is wishful thinking. I am told the Japanese fans could attend this event for cheeper than attending an event in their own country. Don't know if that's true but if it IS here, I wish Toby and Barb the best. I hope the USFSA is still considering Vegas for future events.....I think that would really increase attendance.

And flights from Japan are pretty easy peasy, lots of direct flights from Seattle to Toyko and other Japanese cities then an easy flight over to GEO.

CoyoteChris · Aug 1, 2015

GEG! GEG! Aren't you a pilot like me? :laugh:

Is there still time to nickname your beautiful baby Christine Diaz? No?
Well, I am going to tell Toby and Barb that the skaters will all just have to skate to POTO music! :cheer:

Chris counting chickens before they hatch
(very smokey here...hope the fire smoke doesn't reach you!)
http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/C...olverine fire_zpsorllctx1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Mrs. P said:
And flights from Japan are pretty easy peasy, lots of direct flights from Seattle to Toyko and other Japanese cities then an easy flight over to GEO.

Mrs. P · Aug 1, 2015

CoyoteChris said:
GEG! GEG! Aren't you a pilot like me?
Is there still time to nickname your beautiful baby Christine Diaz? No?
Well, I am going to tell Toby and Barb that the skaters will all just have to skate to POTO music!
Chris counting chickens before they hatch

Doh....I'm usually on top of the airport names...I mean arent' you impressed that I didn't call it SPO or something?! That I knew it was an unusual code?

CoyoteChris · Aug 1, 2015

You are very young so I would not expect you to remember that Geiger field (Now Spokane International) was a huge Army Airforce B-17 base during WWII. Hence the GEG designation.
(You always impress me!)
Stay away from smoke....no sunset tonight!
http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/C...lvarine smoke_zpsgypzqfbw.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
I am in the land of Mordor, where the Shadows Lie......cant even see Mt. Doom....err, I mean Mt. Spokane

Mrs. P said:
Doh....I'm usually on top of the airport names...I mean arent' you impressed that I didn't call it SPO or something?! That I knew it was an unusual code?

CoyoteChris · Aug 2, 2015

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jul/30/public-invited-to-rally-for-skate-event/
I will see what I can do to make the rally...but time is tight....

ice coverage · Aug 7, 2015

New reports re the Spokane rally on Aug 6:

http://www.krem.com/story/news/loca...ompetes--host-us-figure-skating-cup/31238423/ (This one includes a news video of over 2 min)

http://www.krem.com/story/news/loca...s-to-host-global-figure-skating-cup/31270935/

gravy · Aug 7, 2015

golden411 said:
New reports re the Spokane rally on Aug 6:

http://www.krem.com/story/news/loca...ompetes--host-us-figure-skating-cup/31238423/ (This one includes a news video of over 2 min)

http://www.krem.com/story/news/loca...s-to-host-global-figure-skating-cup/31270935/

I'm curious as to why Seattle has been the only city revealed to bid for the Cup. I imagine one of the other two is in Europe while the other is in Asia.

AprilS · Aug 7, 2015

gravy said:
I'm curious as to why Seattle has been the only city revealed to bid for the Cup. I imagine one of the other two is in Europe while the other is in Asia.

I thought it's Spokane, not Seattle?

ice coverage · Aug 7, 2015

gravy said:
I'm curious as to why Seattle has been the only city revealed to bid for the Cup. I imagine one of the other two is in Europe while the other is in Asia.

No, US Figure Skating is hosting the event and is selecting the site.
It will be held somewhere in the U.S. -- even if Spokane is not selected.

The reason we know that Spokane hopes to be selected as the site is because Team Spokane (not US Figure Skating itself) is publicizing its efforts to be selected.

gravy · Aug 7, 2015

AprilS said:
I thought it's Spokane, not Seattle?

My mistake. :hopelessness:

golden411 said:
No, US Figure Skating is hosting the event and is selecting the site.
It will be held somewhere in the U.S. -- even if Spokane is not selected.

The reason we know that Spokane hopes to be selected as the site is because Team Spokane (not US Figure Skating itself) is publicizing its efforts to be selected.

Ah, good to know!

Mathman · Aug 8, 2015

I doubt that the "other two cities" exist. They are just trying to drum up publicity and local support.

ice coverage · Aug 9, 2015

Mathman said:
I doubt that the "other two cities" exist. They are just trying to drum up publicity and local support.

Agree that it's possible that the two other cities are phantoms. I would think that USFS would have wanted other bidders, but maybe none came forward?

In any case, agree that Star USA made the most of a news hook to attract publicity re Spokane as a promising site.

Another pre-rally article and news video:

Star USA vying for Spokane to host new skating competition
Author: Grace Ditzler, Multimedia Journalist
Published On: Aug 05 2015 04:50:30 PM PDT Updated On: Aug 05 2015 05:46:39 PM PDT
http://www.kxly.com/news/spokane-ne...kane-to-host-new-skating-competition/34561432

Could be kind of a chicken-and-egg situation ... meaning that Star USA's demonstrated ability to generate local news coverage would be a point in Spokane's favor in the site selection process (if any

), I would think.

ETA (on Aug 26):

Noticed today that the ISU page now reflects the new dates of Apr 22-24.
http://www.isu.org/en/single-and-pa...16/04/invitational-challenge-cup-invitational

ice coverage · Sep 10, 2015

"2016 Team Challenge Cup of Figure Skating" was mentioned in yesterday's USFS press release re its partnership with PrimeSport -- re VIP packages and official ticket-exchange sites for 2016 Nats, 2016 Worlds, and 2016 TCC.

http://usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=51378&type=media (Sep 9)

[But no official word on the location of Team Challenge Cup. As mentioned earlier in the thread, PrimeSport's old page indicating that it would be in Spokane was taken down.]

ice coverage · Sep 19, 2015

Just noticed that CBS [sic :shocked:] will broadcast Team Challenge Cup, according to the USFS website. (Plus it will be watchable on IceNetwork.)

http://www.usfsa.org/Events.asp?id=560

samson · Sep 20, 2015

^whoa to CBS airing the event! I wonder what that means? A good sign or...?

Meoima · Sep 20, 2015

samson said:
^whoa to CBS airing the event! I wonder what that means? A good sign or...?

Which is good and which is bad?

ice coverage · Sep 20, 2015

Sep 23 apparently is the announcement date of the host city, per the Spokane 2016 bid's Facebook page (which I just discovered

):

https://www.facebook.com/spokane201....106599.33677917903/10153681443202904/?type=1

ETA, more bits from the Facebook page:

... each team being led by a Team Captain… a “legend” in the sport of figure skating. The event will be broadcast nationally in the United States and internationally.
https://www.facebook.com/spokane2016/info?tab=page_info

samson said:
^whoa to CBS airing the event! I wonder what that means? A good sign or...?

Meoima said:
Which is good and which is bad?

I don't know whether CBS is good or bad ... but it is a surprise to me that a skating comp that is on broadcast television in the U.S. would not air on NBC (or ABC).

breathesgelatin · Sep 20, 2015

When was the last time figure skating aired on CBS? The 1998 Olympics? Well, there might have been some pro-am type stuff after that...

I could speculate further, but I should probably refrain...

2016 Team Challenge Cup - Gen Info/Pre-chat

Mathman

CoyoteChris

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

CoyoteChris

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

CoyoteChris

CoyoteChris

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gravy

¿No ven quién soy yo?

AprilS

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gravy

¿No ven quién soy yo?

Mathman

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samson

Meoima

Match Penalty

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