The future of Stars on Ice? | Golden Skate

The future of Stars on Ice?

magictodo

On the Ice
Joined
May 30, 2014
Over the weekend, I went to Stars on Ice's holiday show in Reading, Pennsylvania.

The cast: Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Kurt Browning, Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu, Jeremy Abbott, Nam Nguyen, Alissa Czisny, and Ryan Bradley. Kaitlin Hawayak and Jean-Luc Baker were advertised but not there.

I LOVED it. Let's face it, I love any skating and am thrilled to see skaters up close. But I felt bad for the skaters ... the arena was maybe one-fourth full on a Saturday night? There were multiple sections empty. About a third of the on-ice seats didn't sell.

Stars on Ice only has two U.S. dates announced for next year. Meanwhile, I see video online from Javi's Spain tour (sold out an arena of 16,000 seats!!) the Eisgala in Germany, Stars on Ice Japan ....

Is this the end of the road for ice shows in the U.S.?? I hope not but I'm worried ...

If anyone has questions about who skated what, please ask. Gilles and Poirier did Starry, Starry Night and it was AMAZING.
 

Jeanie19

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Country
United-States
Over the weekend, I went to Stars on Ice's holiday show in Reading, Pennsylvania.

The cast: Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Kurt Browning, Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu, Jeremy Abbott, Nam Nguyen, Alissa Czisny, and Ryan Bradley. Kaitlin Hawayak and Jean-Luc Baker were advertised but not there.

I LOVED it. Let's face it, I love any skating and am thrilled to see skaters up close. But I felt bad for the skaters ... the arena was maybe one-fourth full on a Saturday night? There were multiple sections empty. About a third of the on-ice seats didn't sell.

Stars on Ice only has two U.S. dates announced for next year. Meanwhile, I see video online from Javi's Spain tour (sold out an arena of 16,000 seats!!) the Eisgala in Germany, Stars on Ice Japan ....

Is this the end of the road for ice shows in the U.S.?? I hope not but I'm worried ...

If anyone has questions about who skated what, please ask. Gilles and Poirier did Starry, Starry Night and it was AMAZING.

They don't advertise enough. A lot of skating exhibition or charity skates, I only know if them from Golden Skate, usually fan fests.
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
What is the actual artistic formula? Maybe that's the problem?

Too conservative and boring?

Too avant-garde and nobody understands?

Too childish?

Too garish and Las Vegas theatre like?

Those musical ice spectacles in Russia sell well to families, there are at least three shows running concurrently but they are stationary because of the technical demands, so only sustainable in really big cities.
Oberstdorf and Eisgala is for adult to senior couples wanting a traditional nice evening of high level entertainment equivalent to concert of classical music or a ballet performance.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
I am afraid that the popularity of Stars on Ice, or its lack there of, is simply reflective of the popularity of figure skating overall in the United States.:(
Nobody in the United States has heard of most of the skaters, very sad to say but true. I don’t believe that the format has anything to do with it, dedicated figure skating fans are going to these shows, and there are not enough of us.:sad21:

And I had actually made up my mind to go to Reading, and then an unfortunate trip and subsequent surgery intervened. I am sorry to hear that the attendance was so low. Oh well ....
 

magictodo

On the Ice
Joined
May 30, 2014
That's definitely true. It's hard to find out about ice shows, particularly ones organized by local clubs/rinks. This show I found out about because I follow Stars on Ice on Twitter. I still have to drive almost four hours away for it though, because Stars on Ice shows are almost never in large East Coast cities. Reading seemed like a super random place to pick.
 

aka_gerbil

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
I’ve attended the show in San Jose the last several years. I think affordability might be one of the factors hurting attendance. I am just taking myself, and granted I like center ice tickets about 5-6 rows up, but even the less expensive tickets are still expensive. For a hypothetical family of four, even in the “cheap” seats, it would be easily over $200 to go. That’s a lot of money.
 

Seven Sisters

Medalist
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
I also attended the show, which was excellent all-around. IMHO Kurt Browning’s two solo numbers—one a vintage type of Kurt number and the other a lovely, wistful take on Joni Mitchell’s River—were each, standing alone, worth the price of admission.

The interesting thing is that I brought my young adult daughter, who does have a dance background but who hadn’t seen any skating since, perhaps, Disney on Ice when she was a kid. She loved the show, and asked when the next one would be in our area, because, she said, she’d like to see more! I think that tells you that there IS a market for this type of show among young people, and among those who are not already hard-core skating fans. Are you listening, Stars on Ice?
 

luckyu2

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
It definitely has something to do with the bad promo. There was a show near where I live earlier in the year. I didn’t hear it until I went on GS a few months after. I live in a town where a lot of parents send their young kids to ice skate rink. None of us in the community knew about this show.
 

Seven Sisters

Medalist
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
It definitely has something to do with the bad promo. There was a show near where I live earlier in the year. I didn’t hear it until I went on GS a few months after. I live in a town where a lot of parents send their young kids to ice skate rink. None of us in the community knew about this show.

You are absolutely right about the lack of promotion. I only knew about this because I happened to see a post on the FSU board, which I check occasionally. I didn’t even see it discussed here!
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Totally agree with El about it reflecting the popularity of skating in the US - and I honestly don't think it has a thing to do with promotion. When I was still living in California I didn't miss a show for years. The past several years the show has been on MOther's Day and my family made it clear that going to SOI was not an option for me. I'm sure it was scheduled then because the Sharks were not scheduled to play hockey on that day. (SAP Center is their home ice) That and the price of the tickets has become exhorbitant. Unless or until US Figure Skating develops some elite skaters with charisma and sustained careers with a huge following , the casual public will not be interested. I've only missed about 4 years since the show originated and I can tell you from my opinion that the format, the music, the choreography has ALWAYS been excellent. It's just that the casual US fan doesn't know Poirer and Gilles, probably never knew Czsny, who is Nguyen?, and Jeremy Abbott and Kurt Browning aren't exactly current.

Maybe when Nats and Worlds are over and a few of the current stars join the cast (you can bet Nathan Chen and Jason Brown would bring people in) there might be better attendance., Gone are the days when skaters from countries other than Canada came to skate in that show. I remember watching Gordeev and Grinkov and Alexei Yagudin, etc.
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Totally agree with El about it reflecting the popularity of skating in the US - and I honestly don't think it has a thing to do with promotion. When I was still living in California I didn't miss a show for years. The past several years the show has been on MOther's Day and my family made it clear that going to SOI was not an option for me. I'm sure it was scheduled then because the Sharks were not scheduled to play hockey on that day. (SAP Center is their home ice) That and the price of the tickets has become exhorbitant. Unless or until US Figure Skating develops some elite skaters with charisma and sustained careers with a huge following , the casual public will not be interested. I've only missed about 4 years since the show originated and I can tell you from my opinion that the format, the music, the choreography has ALWAYS been excellent. It's just that the casual US fan doesn't know Poirer and Gilles, probably never knew Czsny, who is Nguyen?, and Jeremy Abbott and Kurt Browning aren't exactly current.

Maybe when Nats and Worlds are over and a few of the current stars join the cast (you can bet Nathan Chen and Jason Brown would bring people in) there might be better attendance., Gone are the days when skaters from countries other than Canada came to skate in that show. I remember watching Gordeev and Grinkov and Alexei Yagudin, etc.

Kurt and Jeremy may not be current, but they have one thing many of today's current skaters do not: They can perform which is what the show is about.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Hey - Kurt is my very favorite skater EVER and there is no doubt either of them are great performers - which means a lot to you and me and probably the majority of people on this board. BUT - they don't put butts in seats anymore for the average non-skating fan. And I think that's what this discussion was about.

Many of Kurt's iconic performances were choreographed for SOI.
 

MGstyle

Crawling around on the ice after chestnuts
Medalist
Joined
Sep 1, 2015
This is not my own opinion but a sheer observation - probably the decline of the popularity in the US is due to the lack of dominance in the ladies field. It is the most iconic part of all 4 categories of the sport for the majority of the public, and US ladies have been slugging around for a few years. No more charismatic champions like Kristie Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan or Sasha Cohen - Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold, with their typical glamorous all-american image kept it going for a few more years even if they weren't always among the medalists in big international competitions (but constantly considered "challengers to the apex"), and they don't have anyone like that either right now. Perhaps in a year or two, Alyssa Lieu may turn things around, cracking into the seemingly invincible Sambo bunch.
 

Rissa

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Gone are the days when skaters from countries other than Canada came to skate in that show. I remember watching Gordeev and Grinkov and Alexei Yagudin, etc.

Any idea why's that? Lots of Russian skaters current and retired, Fernandez, Lambiel, Kostner, Vasiljevs, Capellini/Lanotte, Morgan/Cipres have been doing shows in Japan and Korea. Uno, Sui/Han did shows in Korea too. Javier had Yuna Kim on his show. Everywhere, it's a mix. Why SoI doesn't invite Medvedeva or Zagitova or Sui/Han or Uno or Fernandez?
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
Any idea why's that? Lots of Russian skaters current and retired, Fernandez, Lambiel, Kostner, Vasiljevs, Capellini/Lanotte, Morgan/Cipres have been doing shows in Japan and Korea. Uno, Sui/Han did shows in Korea too. Javier had Yuna Kim on his show. Everywhere, it's a mix. Why SoI doesn't invite Medvedeva or Zagitova or Sui/Han or Uno or Fernandez?

For the most part no one is going to know who they are. I’m willing to bet a person could ask a 100 people in the US who is Nathan Chen and less than 10 would know. The US National Men’s long hasn’t sold out since I’ve been attending Nationals (which hasn’t been that long).
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
The Holiday shows are always a better show with a better cast. They need to take that and run with it in the US.

The choreography is getting old, they need to change over who is doing the choreography.

Charlie White did Rock the Rink and it was much better than the group choreo we have been seeing out of Jeff in SOI in years, the choreography is the same thing set to different music, so bland and predictable.


The only interesting fun group number they have done in years was the 90's program from this last Spring tour and the holiday shows happening now.

There are plenty newer established choreographers that could take the reins. Charlie, Jeremy Abbott, Adam Rippon (though the latter is doing many more other things than choreography), but those are just some examples.
 

Amei

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Any idea why's that? Lots of Russian skaters current and retired, Fernandez, Lambiel, Kostner, Vasiljevs, Capellini/Lanotte, Morgan/Cipres have been doing shows in Japan and Korea. Uno, Sui/Han did shows in Korea too. Javier had Yuna Kim on his show. Everywhere, it's a mix. Why SoI doesn't invite Medvedeva or Zagitova or Sui/Han or Uno or Fernandez?

I imagine its very difficult to get skaters from other countries to come to the US to do an x amount of week circuit tour for the following reasons:
- the flight to get to the US from Europe/Russia/Asia to the continental US is expensive.
- There are comparable tour options now available in their home country or closer to home. In the early 90's it was probably a lot more lucrative for Soviet skaters to come to the US and skate in shows, I think the Russian economy has changed enough where (based on what I see on social media) these skaters are doing nice for themselves financially at home.
- Language barrier how many of the skaters that you mentioned are comfortable in speaking English? The only skater that you mentioned that I've heard speak English is Medvedeva (disclaimer I've not gone actively seeking interviews to listen to them speak English). Even if they have a translator supplied as far as growing a US fanbase through touring its probably a bit difficult if someone else having to translate to them in their native language and then get it translated back to the fan their responses.
- Speaking in terms of the ladies, a lot of the stars on the competitive circuit are teenagers, who have school commitments in the off-season, and if you are talking about teenagers traveling that most likely means a parent/guardian traveling with them - who picks up their tab?
- The lack of appeal in the US of figure skating? It's easy to see on TV that audiences at US figure skating competitions is quite low, I imagine if Medvedeva got 2 offers, 1 from SOI in Japan and another in the US and was only able to do 1 that she would go to Japan - who wants to skate in shows night after night to near empty arenas?
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
I suspect the reasons for the show's death in the US are complex. Our society has changed....many sports are less popular.....At any rate, before I was hooked on competition, in 2002, we really liked ice shows, espeically Champions on Ice. We would get on the ice seats.
Here is the cast of COI from 2002. 93 shows in 85 cities. 27 skaters..and the arenas werent empty.....
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
I suspect the reasons for the show's death in the US are complex. Our society has changed....many sports are less popular.....At any rate, before I was hooked on competition, in 2002, we really liked ice shows, espeically Champions on Ice. We would get on the ice seats.
Here is the cast of COI from 2002. 93 shows in 85 cities. 27 skaters..and the arenas werent empty.....

Chris, this is not all directed at you, you just gave me a jumping off point. :rock:

Yes, and SOI had 3 month almost every night a show in a different town on their tours then. Varied cast of Russians, Canadians, Americans, Finns, Germans, Brits, and more. The US was still swept up in the craziness that was the Nancy/Tonya drama.

When that died down, so did the sport, COI died of bankruptcy. SOI monopolized on that and hiked prices and toured less cities. The format of the shows greatly changed.

When existing tours open their eyes and realize what the fans in the US really want and stop assuming what we want on the tour or that we will settle for mediocrity, then and only then would a tour close to those of the heyday of the 80s and 90s/00's really happen. Otherwise, arenas keep getting more and more empty for these events because it and the crazy ticket prices. My father used to get me tickets to see the tour every year growing up and we thought 50 dollars for the two of us to attend with decent seats was expensive then! :laugh: SOI ice seats are now well over 150 dollars per seat! :hslap:

The cost and monotony of group programs that don't pull people in is helping kill skating tours in the USA. Canada does not have this problem and that is why they fill or almost fill every arena, and probably why SOI isn't even bothering with a US tour in the Spring (other than CA).

It's sad. I hate to see the sport that is my life die, I grew up watching these amazing tours with skaters from all over the world and I strived to be just like them, and now that I and others are: The goal we wanted as kids is gone other than going overseas or across the border.
 
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