Big-Time Skating Could Glide into Hershey

[Skatewind]

Big-time skating could glide into Hershey (http://pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1067164861255870.xml)

[SkateFan123]

I read that article. It's a good article. It's a great area.

With the Code Of Points, secret judging, last minute venue changes and fans requiring an FBI criminal background check to get a bus pass, I wonder how many will actually front the required money so Hershey can run the event.

My 2006 tickets were bought in January of this year at a cost of nearly $900 each! I'm not sure fans will pay big bucks so far out to only have the details of the event change.

But good luck, Hershey!

[Skatewind]

This is an article regarding USFS Nationals, which does not utilize either Code of Points or secret judging. Hopefully, if they start bringing Nationals to some of these smaller venues, they will reduce the tickets costs.

[blades]

Originally posted by Skatewind
Hopefully, if they start bringing Nationals to some of these smaller venues, they will reduce the tickets costs.

are you on some medication we should know about???...;)

[Skatewind]

:) :) No, but I can remember when the all events tickets cost $100.

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by Skatewind
This is an article regarding USFS Nationals, which does not utilize either Code of Points or secret judging. Hopefully, if they start bringing Nationals to some of these smaller venues, they will reduce the tickets costs.

You are correct but it's only a matter of time before they do use COP which includes secret judging. The USFSA was forced to use it at Skate America.

Never the less, why would Hershey want to lower prices significantly. They have seen how much people will pay for skating.

I'm entited to my opinion, which is just that...my opinion. Please don't hang me for it.

I think that as more and more issues continue to arise in the sport, more people will be turned off by the sport. TV ratings are alreay lower than in past years. Next year, the ISU goes into contract negotions with ABC and I think the following year the USFSA does the same thing. (Don't hang me if I am off a year here.) If ratings are down it will affect the contract price.

We all know that tv money has helped our skaters, particularly those at a lower level. But the organizational officials have benefitted too. They are dangerously close to losing some of the big dollars.

I hope Hershey does get the event. It's a great area rich with several good skating clubs. I just hope they can afford it. Atlanta is loosing lots of money and they are a much bigger area than Hershey. (That's why the venue change at the last minute and only one bus for fans and skaters together and that is straight from the USFSA.)

Now, again, please don't lynch me for my opinion. Thanks!

[Skatewind]

Nobody's lynching anybody, simply pointing out facts. Skate America is an ISU GP event. US Nationals is not & has a completely different governing body.

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by Skatewind
Nobody's lynching anybody, simply pointing out facts. Skate America is an ISU GP event. US Nationals is not & has a completely different governing body.

Sorry Skatewind, if I implied you were lynching, didn't mean it that way but in the past around here, people have been deleted from the boards for stating their opinion.

I know there are two governing bodies. But the ISU has made it difficult to not support its efforts. It has terminated people who support anything other than COP. The ISU has made it perfectly clear that if you support anything else, you're gone.

This year it was too soon and way to costly for all counties to impliment COP at the region, sectional and national level events so those who decided to stick with the old system were allowed. I doubt that will last.

Unfortunately, US Officials are in a position where they must back the ISU or not be welcomed. (Reminds me of how some people on skating boards feel. But again, I am not suggesting you have that mentality.)

It will be interesting to see if Hershey gets the bid and how it turns out. By the way, if Seattle gets the bid, they are likely to face the same situation as Hershey. From what I read on other skate boards, many are not going to pay so much so far in advance.

Does anyone else find it annoying that Seattle can even bid for 2007? That rule change bugs me. There are now no assurances that any section can not keep the event in their area year after year. I liked it when Nationals rotated between all three sections.
Again...just my two cents.

[Schmeck]

From info on another thread, it was stated that there's just one hotel within walking distance, a lack of restaurants nearby, and that the whole area gets clogged with traffic whenever an event is held at the arena - doesn't sound like an optimal place for nationals to me!

Plus, when we drove through the area one night on our way home from Florida, we nearly gagged on the smell of burnt chocolate, yikes!

Schmeck, who thought it was kind of funny that the article mentioned Sarah Hughes (and Michelle, but who knows?) competing at 2007 Nationals

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by Schmeck
From info on another thread, it was stated that there's just one hotel within walking distance, a lack of restaurants nearby, and that the whole area gets clogged with traffic whenever an event is held at the arena - doesn't sound like an optimal place for nationals to me!

Plus, when we drove through the area one night on our way home from Florida, we nearly gagged on the smell of burnt chocolate, yikes!

Schmeck, who thought it was kind of funny that the article mentioned Sarah Hughes (and Michelle, but who knows?) competing at 2007 Nationals

I lived just outside Hershey for awhile. The smell of chocolate is pretty heavy!

You are correct, there are not many walking distance hotels but then when you fly into Harrisburg Int'l, you'll have to rent a car to get to Hershey or have a big cab bill. There is not much to do after skating ends within easy distance. The restaurants and bars in the area close pretty early. Hershey is basically a quiet town with a fun theme park that's only open in the summer and a chocolate factory.

I can't see me wanting to take a week off work to spend the entire week at Hershey. I have no clue where the secondary venues will be. The nearest rink is a considerable distance for those without a car or those who do not want to give their social security number, driver's license info, data of birth, race and sex to submit to an FBI criminal background check. (The USFSA Security Director, Tom Burg, has emailed me that this type of security will be the way of the future.)

In Atlanta, I will have a car, stay outside the city at a savings of $210 per night over my original pre-FBI criminal background check plan, and take public transportation to the main arena. There is not much public transportation between Hershey and Harrisburg!

And I am not shelling out money until whoever gets the event has contracts SIGNED for secondary venues and busing.

I have a friend who went to Reading, made her reservations long ago, got a call the day she was leaving saying the hotel can't honor her reservations because her room was needed for officials for Skate America. (The estimated number of rooms was miscalculated.) So moving forward, since I have tickets for big event through 2006, I'll decide only after all the details are under contract before deciding to go. I don't care how inexpensive the tickets are because of smaller arenas! It's not worth the stress and hassles of dealing with all the last minute changes.

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by Bondo
Umm, am I missing something here...what is the FBI check about?

It's required to get a bus pass to ride the bus between venues. This is required because the LOC in Atlanta had to change the secondary venue to one nearly 30 miles from the main venue. Originally, they advertised all venues were within walking distance of each other.

This is from their web site. Read the form...the last page is the disclaimer regarding the FBI check.

http://atlanta2004.org/accommodations/bus.htm

Do you know of any other sport requiring athletes and officials to ride the same bus as fans? Perhaps the USFSA will step in and provide a second bus system so fans and athletes will not be on the same bus and therefore drop the requirement for the FBI check.