Why aren't there any "big" current figure skating superstars?

Question

Sure there are some good upcoming skaters . . . but no one whom I would really consider to be a huge "superstar" - just yet anyway. My non-skating friends can't even name any current skaters . . . it seems Michelle or Sasha still linger in everyone's minds.

Is it because skating isn't on the networks anymore?

Is it because of the new judging system?

Is it something else?

What are your opinions on this?

Thanks al!!

Answer 1

I agree with you 100%

Iam 15 and love figure skating and iam passionate about it.

But sasha cohen is the skater that is most reconised.

There is a skater called madline macnab, shes a great skater, i think shes 14 or 15.

There are no knows big figure skaters that are 19 or so like sasha.

I think the world is realing to much on technolagy and its developing the world rather then people develping it. Things such as wii's are now peoples sport and getting an over developed arm.

We need more skaters to look up to!

More skatiers to start!

More talent to show!

Answer 2

figure skating stanks

Answer 3

yeah I know what you mean.

My opinion is that ice skating is quite unpopular especially i countries where we don't have natural ice rinks.

Indoor man made rinks are often grotty and far between (isn't there something like only 60 in the UK?!) and also the kit is expensive so people often don't want to fork out and also it is more of a seasonal winter sport.

The people who have the time, money, live near one or are prepared to travel are ice skaters and they are rare so the competition is not very fierce so there are less and less big skating names.

Sports like football etc. are cheap and easy and so are popular and so there is fierce competition so the top names are famous and actually the top names and they are good.

Answer 4

It may be because of the new judging system but i just think because skaters like Michelle and Sasha have such a unique ability to perform gracefully on the ice. Skaters and the public are looking for an even more, talented upcoming figure skater on the scenes. A skater that can out do the ability and passion of previous Skaters! That must be hard for any one to do, but i cant wait to see it happen :D It could also be that we just haven't given younger skaters the chance to catch up. Performances are becoming even more technical and achievable as times go on ... i mean in the 80's a triple was UN-imaginable and now look at whats skaters are achieving! ^^

Answer 5

That's a great question.  I think a lot of it has to do with the rise & fall of skating popularity after the big whack.  I remember that none of my friends knew anything about skating and had no interest in it before that, and then, suddenly, everyone was interested in skating.  Perhaps now we are seeing the natural decline of that interest.

Plus, no American won gold in the last Olympics, which seems to be the only skating competition that draws the interest of the general public.  I've never understood that...I love watching Nationals and Worlds.

For some reason, the general American public only seems to notice American skaters (this may be true in other countries as well).  So while Yu-Na Kim and Mao Asada are huge skating stars (especially in their own countries), they go by unnoticed here.

Finally, Sasha and Michelle had successful competitive careers for several years, which kept them in the spotlight.  While other successful skaters, ie. Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes, retired right after their Olympic wins.

I think some of today's skaters have great potential.  We just have to give them time to develop, and maybe one of them will be the next big thing.  :)

Answer 6

caroline zhang and marai nagasu are stars in the making we are just "in-between" stars now. But yes, there will never be ANYBODY like sasha.

Answer 7

I guess I don't think any of the current top US skaters have really endeared themselves to the public.  It's not really their fault and it's not that they aren't great skaters, they've just gotten lost in the shuffle (maybe it's the media's fault).  In my opinion, we had a small rush of skaters that washed in after Michelle Kwan's wake.  Michelle had been on the "front lines" for so long and we all watched her grow up.  She was our next "hope" coming off of Olympic and World success with Yamaguchi, Kerrigan, Harding, etc.  Also, it's possible that figure skating's popluarity has gone down a bit after all the Harding drama, Lipinski's win, the judging scandal and Kwan's withdrawing.  We have had some great skaters in the past few Olympics, so maybe it's just taken for granted now.  I thought that Sarah Hughs' Olympic win sort of went unnoticed by the general public, but that also may have something to do with how our last few Olympic champions have essentially disappeared form the map after their Olympic win.

I think now in the public's mind, all but Sasha don't really have individual identities.  I think Sasha sticks out because to us skaters, she's a beautiful skater.....to the public, she's popular with the guys because she's just plain beautiful.  The Kimmie's and Emily's don't quite have the spark or appeal that Sasha does.  And most often, what does the public focus on the most?  The ladies, so any great male skaters, pairs or dancers go even more unnoticed.

I think skating's getting a little less publicity these days.  I'm not exactly sure why, maybe because there isn't any soap opera drama at the moment, but I think part of it is because there isn't a specific skater that when the public sees them they know who they are and what sport they're affiliated with.  I think that sometimes the sports popularity comes and goes.  Ever notice that there are always more people in the group lesson programs during Olympic years?  People forget about skating all the other times of the year.  I probably couldn't name a great current tennis star right now because I don't really keep up with tennis and if the athlete's name isn't plastered all over the media, they probably go unnoticed to me.  I think the same is happening with current skaters.

I could be wrong.  :)  At least we still love it and I guess if it's not as popular at the moment, that leaves more open ice for us!!  hahaha

Answer 8

I agree completly Sasha is the onlt skater  my non skating friends recegnise. my fav. skate is Kimie Misner

Answer 9

I somewhat disagree, I think that Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes, Evan Lysaeck, Johnny Weir are a few skaters that come to my mind when I think of big super stars in the sport (USA superstars). I think that depending on the area in which you live can depend on the popularity of the sport. I honestly don't think that the new judging system has much to do with the popularity of skating. It seems to me that people enjoy watching the skating and then just seeing who's in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, not really how the whole judging system works.

Answer 10

Because American figure skating hasn't been this poor in depth every since 1962. At least men's skating has Jeremy Abott who could do Triple Axels cleanly in a few years and Stephen Carriere who does godly good Abt spins (dammit!! He took my idea!! haha).

Davis and White are a promise in Ice Dancing in a few years and maybe if McLaughlin & Brubaker (or whatever they are called) could rack up more points than just a miserable 150 if their coaches would stop whining about how the system only makes no sense in America (and yet Canada has no problems) and boost their point totals to a competitive 180.

And in ladies.. Boy, poor Meissner, but that's what happens when you're wasting time with a poor coach. She should switch coaches like Weir did, preferently with a coach who isn't American and who knows the system. Zhang isn't a bad skater technically (if she'd stop doing underrotated jumps) but she has no artistry and Mirai Nagasu won't be eligible to compete until around 2009-2010. And Ashley, she's an "okay" skater, but the poor girl isn't that bright. >_<

America needs a Yu-Na Kim and to get their coaches to stop bitching and start learning the system. It's here to stay, either continue whining or learn how to take advantage of it. Any competent coach should force their students to learn how to do left-handed spins. All you need is a clean 2 revs on a left handed spin and it's an instant level 1 up. It's like the ISU is giving away candy points!!!

I'm learning my left handed sit spin and if I can start to get used to the feeling, I could pull 5 revs on it.