2019 U. S. Figure Skating Championships
- Thread starter MFarone
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
OK, below is what I think I remember re 2018 Nats in San Jose. Again, a big disclaimer that I am **not** saying that anything was/is a norm.
Plus I have no idea as to what will or will not be in effect at 2019 Nats.
Anecdotal memories from 2018 Nats:
Shuttle access for volunteers:
Other volunteer "perks" at 2018 Nats, IIRC:
For senior competition sessions, the venue was SAP Center. IIRC, junior free skates and junior FD also were held there.
Some (but not all) of the senior practice sessions were at SAP.
Solar4America Ice was the other venue.
Some of the senior practice sessions were at Solar.
IIRC, Solar was the competition venue for junior SPs and junior SD + everything for novice and below.
The main official hotel was the Marriott. Secondary official hotel was the Fairmont (IIRC, about two blocks away from the Marriott).
Both were within walking distance of SAP Center. (Long-ish walk, IMO. But do-able.)
Both hotels were not within walking distance of Solar.
One set of shuttles made a loop among Fairmont, Marriott, and SAP Center. (Once every half hour, IIRC.)
Another set among Fairmont, Marriott, and Solar. (Only once every hour, IIRC??)
Volunteers had access to both shuttles.
For my volunteer shifts at Solar, I was completely dependent on the shuttles (did not have a car of my own). My own hotel happened to be on the same block as the Fairmont, so it was a quick walk to/from the shuttle stop there.
To move back and forth btwn my hotel and SAP, it usually was faster for me to ride the shuttle, but sometimes I did walk -- especially if I had just missed one and would have had to wait 29 minutes for the next one.
BTW, there was no shuttle btwn Solar and SAP. It was not possible to finish a volunteer shift at Solar and get on a shuttle directly to SAP to catch a competition session.
Some (but not all) of the senior practice sessions were at SAP.
Solar4America Ice was the other venue.
Some of the senior practice sessions were at Solar.
IIRC, Solar was the competition venue for junior SPs and junior SD + everything for novice and below.
The main official hotel was the Marriott. Secondary official hotel was the Fairmont (IIRC, about two blocks away from the Marriott).
Both were within walking distance of SAP Center. (Long-ish walk, IMO. But do-able.)
Both hotels were not within walking distance of Solar.
One set of shuttles made a loop among Fairmont, Marriott, and SAP Center. (Once every half hour, IIRC.)
Another set among Fairmont, Marriott, and Solar. (Only once every hour, IIRC??)
Volunteers had access to both shuttles.
For my volunteer shifts at Solar, I was completely dependent on the shuttles (did not have a car of my own). My own hotel happened to be on the same block as the Fairmont, so it was a quick walk to/from the shuttle stop there.
To move back and forth btwn my hotel and SAP, it usually was faster for me to ride the shuttle, but sometimes I did walk -- especially if I had just missed one and would have had to wait 29 minutes for the next one.
BTW, there was no shuttle btwn Solar and SAP. It was not possible to finish a volunteer shift at Solar and get on a shuttle directly to SAP to catch a competition session.
Other volunteer "perks" at 2018 Nats, IIRC:
Uniform jacket that volunteers were required to wear when on duty (and required to remove when not on duty). White windbreaker with event logo.
Volunteers who worked at least three shifts were given a voucher for two single-session tickets. Volunteers who worked at least six shifts were given a second voucher (meaning a total of four single-session tickets).
As I mentioned in a previous post, there had been a lot of mixed signals from LOC and USFS about practice sessions, but in the end, my volunteer badge was sufficient for access to practices both at Solar and SAP.
(Underlining here that I am talking only about 2018 Nats, but both SAP and Solar had volunteer lounges that were well stocked with snacks galore; also, coffee, tea, and some cold beverages. At meal times, hot food.)
Volunteers who worked at least three shifts were given a voucher for two single-session tickets. Volunteers who worked at least six shifts were given a second voucher (meaning a total of four single-session tickets).
As I mentioned in a previous post, there had been a lot of mixed signals from LOC and USFS about practice sessions, but in the end, my volunteer badge was sufficient for access to practices both at Solar and SAP.
(Underlining here that I am talking only about 2018 Nats, but both SAP and Solar had volunteer lounges that were well stocked with snacks galore; also, coffee, tea, and some cold beverages. At meal times, hot food.)
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
Just noticed that "GEICO" has become the title sponsor of 2019 U.S. Nats. (Sorry if I am the last to realize??)
Good news, considering that 2018 Skate America did not have a title sponsor.
The GEICO sponsorship for Nats came to my attention as I belatedly flipped through the 2018 Skate America event program.
And I see now that GEICO has been added to the logos on the event website (don't think it originally was there?).
Added also in a few places on the USFS website, such as:
Plus the Oct 24 Fan Zone article re Hubbell/Donohue refers to "2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships."
ETA:
Good news, considering that 2018 Skate America did not have a title sponsor.
The GEICO sponsorship for Nats came to my attention as I belatedly flipped through the 2018 Skate America event program.
http://www.omagdigital.com/publication/?i=533490#{"issue_id":533490,"page":53} listings on season's TV schedule
http://www.omagdigital.com/publication/?i=533490#{"issue_id":533490,"page":59} promo page for Nats
http://www.omagdigital.com/publication/?i=533490#{"issue_id":533490,"page":59} promo page for Nats
And I see now that GEICO has been added to the logos on the event website (don't think it originally was there?).
Added also in a few places on the USFS website, such as:
Plus the Oct 24 Fan Zone article re Hubbell/Donohue refers to "2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships."
ETA:
The GEICO title sponsorship evidently is something quite new.
In the October issue of Skating magazine, the promo page for Nats does not show any title sponsorship.
The most recent post on the Facebook page for Nats is from July:
(And at that time, the event logo did not show a title sponsor.)
Promotional mini-video published on Oct 26 (by 313 Presents):
In the October issue of Skating magazine, the promo page for Nats does not show any title sponsorship.
The most recent post on the Facebook page for Nats is from July:
(And at that time, the event logo did not show a title sponsor.)
Promotional mini-video published on Oct 26 (by 313 Presents):
2019 GEICO US Figure Skating Championships
https://youtu.be/yVXysd-wlVE (15 seconds)
https://youtu.be/yVXysd-wlVE (15 seconds)
The people mover does not go all the way to the arena, but the Qline does: https://qlinedetroit.com/ (I have not taken the Qline myself, just found this information online.)
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
- Country
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Ok, some questions for yall. I have hotel reservations at Holiday Inn Express and Suites Southfield. What is the best way to get to the venue from there? Does anyone know what the situation with handicapped seating is? I had no problems in Boston but had big time problems in KC - they told me they did not expect so many handicapped people would want to watch figure skating:shocked:
Is there a deadline to join FOFS in order to be able to buy tickets to the breakfast, and when is the breakfast usually held? Is that the best place to get autographs? Anyone who is staying at the same hotel want to meet up?
I hope they have those skate radios so you can listen to commentary in the arena like they did in KC.
Is there a deadline to join FOFS in order to be able to buy tickets to the breakfast, and when is the breakfast usually held? Is that the best place to get autographs? Anyone who is staying at the same hotel want to meet up?
I hope they have those skate radios so you can listen to commentary in the arena like they did in KC.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
deleted
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
i requested ice monitor shifts for nationals this afternoon so now i'm super hyped :hap57:
did they let you keep the jacket?
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
Yes, the 2018 Nats jacket was mine to keep.
In general, I do want to be verrrry careful to avoid creating an expectation that 2019 Nats perks will be the same as 2018.
But the jacket is an exception -- I think that USFS does want volunteers to be readily identifiable, and I cannot think of anything to be gained for USFS to make volunteers give the jacket back after the event. (It is a nice little souvenir, but I assume that USFS pays a low-ish cost per unit and would have no use anyway for worn jackets from past events.)
Especially because you are hoping to get assignments as ice monitor, I will add the following unsolicited two cents:
YMMV, but my own preference is for a size that is roomy enough for multiple layers underneath.
The volunteer jacket would need to be your outermost layer, and it is possible/likely that ice monitors would be instructed to keep their jackets zipped up.
Any additional layer(s) of your own for warmth would need to fit underneath the zipped-up volunteer jacket.
The volunteer jacket would need to be your outermost layer, and it is possible/likely that ice monitors would be instructed to keep their jackets zipped up.
Any additional layer(s) of your own for warmth would need to fit underneath the zipped-up volunteer jacket.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
thank you for the advice!! i'm getting soooo jittery and excited to find out...
were any volunteers required to make a visit before the competition to run through everything? i didn't see any info on this for this year, but i think i may have read something on this for past nationals. i would think they would want things to be crystal clear and experience no confusion upon the event, especially for those working in the arena.
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2014
I’ve heard that both Crown Plaza and Courtyard are official
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2015
I applied to be a volunteer and added several shifts to my requests. I couldn't find anything about how many I had to choose time-wise, but followed up with a contact that if I needed to be added to more to just let me know because I would be happy to. 
I'm in Chicago so I couldn't pass this up!
I'm in Chicago so I couldn't pass this up!
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
- Country
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Yasss! Just got my championship weekend package ticket. I already had the pairs short and will be buying the ladies short separately. Here I come Gracie, Alexa and Chris, Jason, and Kaitlin and Jean Luc....please all wrap yourselves in bubble wrap right now..NO INJURIES...
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2010
I think the Westin may be one of the options for the skaters.
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2015
Has anyone heard if shifts have been officially set? I'm still waiting on a confirmation email, and also need to figure out how long to book my hotel for since I signed up for some shifts early in the week and may need to arrive before Jan 20. This is my first time so I didn't think to really look at the dates of the stuff I signed up for I guess.... whoops.
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2015
Looks like I got ice monitor for one of the smaller events at Detroit skating club on Tuesday as well as Ice monitor for Championship Pairs short on Thursday!
I put down options for a lot so I'm surprised they only pulled two slots for me, but I'm still going so I'm excited. Now to figure out if I can afford tix for a few events.
I put down options for a lot so I'm surprised they only pulled two slots for me, but I'm still going so I'm excited.
Now to figure out if I can afford tix for a few events.Similar threads
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