Did the ISU make an anti stuffie rule?

[TT_Fin]

Finlandia Trophy has special fan days for little skaters usually Saturday, where they can meet skaters in groups. I don't know if they get any presents.

I have been twice in live event here where Yuzuru was competing. I must admit our organizers were well prepared. They had adults with plastic sacks in many sides of the rinks so little skaters did not have to skate around the rinks, they just watched where the nearest was and put the stuffles in it. It varies a lot, but today there are not the smallest skaters who collect them. In Finland they are 8-12 years and in some places seems there are also older. I suppose they sent on ice children who have enough skating skills to be able to collect things efficiently.

But it is not only plushies which are thrown. I have been only in Finland's live events, so I have no idea how it works elsewhere. But here are on the lobby flowers for skaters on sale. Probably skaters have not much use for them, take them with or there are not many to whom to give them, because flowers don't last long - IMO old people's homes or places like those would be a place where they would like to get some. I am not sure, but I have a feeling local fed gets something for every flower bought. Those flowers are well packed, but some people bring flowers with and I have no idea how those are packed. I have some times bought flowers from a flower shop for people celebrating something and they are not packed tightly id I don't specifically request it.

 

[moonvine]

Finlandia Trophy has special fan days for little skaters usually Saturday, where they can meet skaters in groups. I don't know if they get any presents.

I have been twice in live event here where Yuzuru was competing. I must admit our organizers were well prepared. They had adults with plastic sacks in many sides of the rinks so little skaters did not have to skate around the rinks, they just watched where the nearest was and put the stuffles in it. It varies a lot, but today there are not the smallest skaters who collect them. In Finland they are 8-12 years and in some places seems there are also older. I suppose they sent on ice children who have enough skating skills to be able to collect things efficiently.

But it is not only plushies which are thrown. I have been only in Finland's live events, so I have no idea how it works elsewhere. But here are on the lobby flowers for skaters on sale. Probably skaters have not much use for them, take them with or there are not many to whom to give them, because flowers don't last long - IMO old people's homes or places like those would be a place where they would like to get some. I am not sure, but I have a feeling local fed gets something for every flower bought. Those flowers are well packed, but some people bring flowers with and I have no idea how those are packed. I have some times bought flowers from a flower shop for people celebrating something and they are not packed tightly id I don't specifically request it.

When I give Gracie her roses I expect her to enjoy them and leave them behind when she leaves. Except when I go to a comp at her rink and then hopefully she can keep them until they go bad.

In the US I have not seen any real flowers for sale at comps. They do have the lovely large artificial flowers for sale. I do seem to remember Gracie skating (at Nationals I think) and a bunch of young girls running down with single flowers for her? I remember Peggy Fleming saying something about it. So it’s been awhile. My first live skating event was Worlds in 2016.

 

[TT_Fin]

It is still possible to knit for skaters who come to Finland. I think it was 9th sep but it is 29th Sep. I'll see if I have a time to knit still a pair or two. (In Finland at basic shcool everybody, also boys, are teached basics of knitting and crocheting)

Let's knit again! - Finlandia Trophy

Former figure skater Mila Kajas-Virtanen launched this mitten campaign on 2015 for Finlandia Trophy. The purpose of this campaign was to bring fans closer to the skaters. We want to bring this successful campaign back to life! Knitting is cool! Covid pushed many of us to ditch screen time for...

www.finlandiatrophy.com

 

[PaulE]

Please forgive me for going off topic. But when I read the title "Let's knit again" it brought to mind a song of my youth: Let's twist again—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxQZQ86jJHg.

 

[yesterday]

Please forgive me for going off topic. But when I read the title "Let's knit again" it brought to mind a song of my youth: Let's twist again—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxQZQ86jJHg.

Spoiler

Come on everybody grab your yarn
Ah, you're looking good
I'm gonna sing my song and you won't take long
We're gonna do the knits and it goes like this
Come on let's knit again like we did last winter
Yeah, let's knit again like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Yeah, let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Knit again like we did last winter
Come on knit again, like we did last year
(Knit, yow)
Who's that, flyin' up there?
Is it a bird? No
Is it a plane? No
Is it the knitter? Yeah
Yeah, knit again like we did last winter
Come on let's knit again, like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Come on let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Come on knit again like we did last winter
Girl, let's knit again, like we did last year
Come on knit again, knittin' time is here

 

[Diana Delafield]

Please forgive me for going off topic. But when I read the title "Let's knit again" it brought to mind a song of my youth: Let's twist again—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxQZQ86jJHg.

I remember doing the Twist at parties and dances in the 1960s. Some of my friends' parents disapproved, but my parents were fine with it at parties at my house. They had been teenagers in the 1920s doing what were considered not-quite-nice dances then like the Charleston, Black Bottom, etc.

 

[snowflake]

It is still possible to knit for skaters who come to Finland. I think it was 9th sep but it is 29th Sep. I'll see if I have a time to knit still a pair or two. (In Finland at basic shcool everybody, also boys, are teached basics of knitting and crocheting)

Let's knit again! - Finlandia Trophy

Former figure skater Mila Kajas-Virtanen launched this mitten campaign on 2015 for Finlandia Trophy. The purpose of this campaign was to bring fans closer to the skaters. We want to bring this successful campaign back to life! Knitting is cool! Covid pushed many of us to ditch screen time for...

www.finlandiatrophy.com

I didn't know the mittens was still going on. Maybe it's just advertised in Finland.

I sent a pair like 5-6 years ago. What I remember it was expensive to post them from Sweden. Fun though so I think I'll contribute again.

 

[TallyT]

I have been twice in live event here where Yuzuru was competing. I must admit our organizers were well prepared. They had adults with plastic sacks in many sides of the rinks so little skaters did not have to skate around the rinks, they just watched where the nearest was and put the stuffles in it. It varies a lot, but today there are not the smallest skaters who collect them. In Finland they are 8-12 years and in some places seems there are also older. I suppose they sent on ice children who have enough skating skills to be able to collect things efficiently.

I think most of the major competitions knew when they were going to have a massive number and prepared accordingly, you can see the kids at 2018 PC speeding out as soon as he finished and the big plastic bags full of Poohs... and remember, it became that huge partly because Yuzu's own Pooh tissue holder inspired so many fans (the Pooh-based fan art is also amazing). Few fans had that specific a 'tag' for fans. I doubt it will get that huge again for quite a while or unless/until another skater with all the right star qualities inspires....

 

[moonvine]

Spoiler

Come on everybody grab your yarn
Ah, you're looking good
I'm gonna sing my song and you won't take long
We're gonna do the knits and it goes like this
Come on let's knit again like we did last winter
Yeah, let's knit again like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Yeah, let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Knit again like we did last winter
Come on knit again, like we did last year
(Knit, yow)
Who's that, flyin' up there?
Is it a bird? No
Is it a plane? No
Is it the knitter? Yeah
Yeah, knit again like we did last winter
Come on let's knit again, like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Come on let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Come on knit again like we did last winter
Girl, let's knit again, like we did last year
Come on knit again, knittin' time is here

Spoiler

Come on everybody grab your yarn
Ah, you're looking good
I'm gonna sing my song and you won't take long
We're gonna do the knits and it goes like this
Come on let's knit again like we did last winter
Yeah, let's knit again like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Yeah, let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Knit again like we did last winter
Come on knit again, like we did last year
(Knit, yow)
Who's that, flyin' up there?
Is it a bird? No
Is it a plane? No
Is it the knitter? Yeah
Yeah, knit again like we did last winter
Come on let's knit again, like we did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin'?
Come on let's knit again, knittin' time is here
Knit 'n purl 'n left 'n right we go again
Oh baby make me know you love me so and then
Come on knit again like we did last winter
Girl, let's knit again, like we did last year
Come on knit again, knittin' time is here

Omg! I love this! I’m in stitches!!!

 

[4everchan]

Stuffies are a fun tradition that could even, to import from another thread, help marketing. Unique to skating. Way to show appreciation. And if they also go to a sick kid, so much the better.

I fail to see the demographics of non-fans who may be converted to figure skating because of plushies. If anything, some people may not think of figure skaters as "serious" athletes with all these shenanigans. I know. Not the consensus opinion here and I am going to look like a grinch, but plushies is usually something given to children, not athletes... That's just me, on top of causing a risk for skaters, and delays when there is a rain of poohs... of people throwing them on judges, camera people or other fans... on top of the waste when they do indeed get wasted on top of the fact that stuffies are not usually environmentally friendly... it seems to me that there are way more logical and sensible arguments against them rather than for them.

 

[TallyT]

it seems to me that there are way more logical and sensible arguments against them rather than for them.

The words logical and sensible have no place in modern fandom, I have learned that one well and truly over the years

I did suggest upthread that there are unlikely to be 'rains' in the foreseeable, not even if and when the Russian girls come back, and also that for the number being thrown now, giving them to children in the audience would be a goodwill/PR gesture, a fluffy reminder of a fun day at the rink. They are also a small, sweet gesture from fans towards often very young, or middle ranking, skaters who don't get the crowds and the publicity.

 

[4everchan]

The words logical and sensible have no place in modern fandom, I have learned that one well and truly over the years

I did suggest upthread that there are unlikely to be 'rains' in the foreseeable, not even if and when the Russian girls come back, and also that for the number being thrown now, giving them to children in the audience would be a goodwill/PR gesture, a fluffy reminder of a fun day at the rink. They are also a small, sweet gesture from fans towards often very young, or middle ranking, skaters who don't get the crowds and the publicity.

There are different types of fandom. You are speaking from a very specific point of view here, which is extremely far from my own experience as a fan of skating.

Children at the rink... well... Sorry to break the news to you, but they are not usually that many... Watching figure skating live is "many hours sitting down in a cold place" I would say that the few children I see from time to time at these events are young skaters themselves or a part of skating families. Already fans.... and the ones at ACI were just happy to take selfies with Memola and others stars, which seems a much nicer souvenir than a plushie for a 12-13 year old young skater (or budding fan)
Where we agree, we most likely won't see rains of poohs or other plushies in the future, and I thank the skating gods for that. YMMV

 

[icewhite]

Well, it should not be too hard to ask the ones most affected - the skaters. If there's a majority of skaters who want the plushies done with, of course I def wouldn't argue against it. I just can't imagine it, I really think most like it. But, yeah, pretty easy to make a poll among them.
I googled to see if there was such a poll already, and googling "do figure skaters like the plu-" it wanted to ask if they like plus size models.

Okay, but then it gave me this article https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/figure-skaters-stuffed-animals which states that no adult wants a stuffed animal. Which is just not true, source: own experience. And especially seeing how many of them have little poodles, tissue boxes in forms of animals and manga characters and all kinds of other mascots and character keychains and whatnot I think there are many skaters who actually like such stuff. And even if they don't I think they appreciate the support and love shown by this.

But... we need that poll to terminate the discussion.

 

[4everchan]

Well, it should not be too hard to ask the ones most affected - the skaters. If there's a majority of skaters who want the plushies done with, of course I def wouldn't argue against it. I just can't imagine it, I really think most like it. But, yeah, pretty easy to make a poll among them.
I googled to see if there was such a poll already, and googling "do figure skaters like the plu-" it wanted to ask if they like plus size models.

Okay, but then it gave me this article https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/figure-skaters-stuffed-animals which states that no adult wants a stuffed animal. Which is just not true, source: own experience. And especially seeing how many of them have little poodles, tissue boxes in forms of animals and manga characters and all kinds of other mascots and character keychains and whatnot I think there are many skaters who actually like such stuff. And even if they don't I think they appreciate the support and love shown by this.

But... we need that poll to terminate the discussion.

Skaters are not the only ones affected though. It's really the venues who have to deal with the logistics.

 

[icewhite]

Why Do People Throw Stuffed Animals At Figure Skaters? It’s Complicated

Did you know flowers were banned after 9/11?

www.ksby.com

this article says the world record is held by a hockey game...

and look at what cyclists get as prizes:

'I've won what?!' Nine of the weirdest podium prizes in cycling

Win a bike race and you might not get any old trophy for your mantle. From showers to tridents, we take a look at some of the weirdest prizes awarded to cyclists on the winner's podium

www.cyclingweekly.com

(These are just some examples, they really get the craziest things. Not in huge amount, but in case people fear skaters are not taken seriously.)

You may also know the Tour de France lions:

 

[4everchan]

There is a difference between an organizer giving souvenirs to athletes on the podium or after an event, and fans throwing them to random athletes of their choice at any time. At the Olympics, they often give a mascot plushie to the podium winners too. When it is planned and controlled and outside the competition, why not. This is why I have no beef against drop-off boxes for skaters like ACI did some years.
The reality is that organizations will need staff or volunteer to deal with this. At this point, everything costs so much money that organizers of events are probably happier without paying staff to manage these things. I mean, organizers who previously had free streaming are starting to charge for them... I know where my priorities are. Free streaming over plushies please.

 

[icewhite]

There is a difference between an organizer giving souvenirs to athletes on the podium or after an event, and fans throwing them to random athletes of their choice at any time. At the Olympics, they often give a mascot plushie to the podium winners too. When it is planned and controlled and outside the competition, why not. This is why I have no beef against drop-off boxes for skaters like ACI did some years.
The reality is that organizations will need staff or volunteer to deal with this. At this point, everything costs so much money that organizers of events are probably happier without paying staff to manage these things. I mean, organizers who previously had free streaming are starting to charge for them... I know where my priorities are. Free streaming over plushies please.

Okay, wow, I don't think they are charging for the streams because getting rid of the stuffed toys is so expensive...

but whatever, obviously we totally disagree about this topic.

 

[el henry]

Free Streaming AND Plushies please.

 

[4everchan]

Okay, wow, I don't think they are charging for the streams because getting rid of the stuffed toys is so expensive...

but whatever, obviously we totally disagree about this topic.

I didn't say they were.. just pointing out that in an era where human resources are crazy expensive, why pay for what can be seem superfluous?
PS : it's good we disagree on a topic. We cannot agree on everything

 

[4everchan]

Free Streaming AND Plushies please.

can we really have all we want?
Free streaming, scoreboxes that work properly (i know you don't want the scorebox but most people like them, especially the new fans), good judging, great programs and costumes (no einaudi experience and Poto please) ?

I bet that if backflips were allowed, it would bring more new fans than plushies