2007 U.S. Championships Set All-Time Event Ticket Sales Record
 (1/24/07) - U.S. Figure Skating announced today that the 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash., Jan. 21-28, has set the all-time ticket sales record, surpassing the previous record set in Los Angeles in 2002 of 125,345. Ticket sales for the 2007 event to date are at 146,311. Walk up ticket sales will be added to that number throughout the week, and the final number will be available Sunday, Jan. 28.
“This is a sure sign that interest in figure skating is high and on the rise,” U.S. Figure Skating President Ron Hershberger said. “This year’s U.S. Championships really illustrate that a top-notch, well-run event will tap into figure skating’s huge fan base, as well as introduce new people to the sport. This event shows us the true potential and reach of figure skating moving forward. The Spokane local organizing committee and the entire community deserve a standing ovation for their efforts in truly embracing this event and the sport of figure skating.”
The 2007 event started strong with a sold out crowd of 4,000 at novice compulsory dance at the event’s secondary arena, the Spokane Convention Center. In fact, every session taking place at the Convention Center sold out and most were standing room only. At the Spokane Arena, the junior ladies short program on Sunday, Jan. 21, was welcomed by a crowd of 6,865, with all subsequent events through Tuesday evening tallying ticket sales above 6,000.
“Our goal from day one was to set a new attendance record, and we’re ecstatic and very proud of the community here in Spokane to have done so,” Team Spokane 2007 Chairman Toby Steward said. “I really believe that you get out of an event what you put into it. We’ve had a strategy and a plan from the time that we put the bid together in the spring of 2003. It comes down to the people involved and the pride they’ve taken in hosting this U.S. Championships; we have a phenomenal team.”
The senior ladies free skate on Saturday, Jan. 27, is sold out, as is the Exhibition of Champions on Sunday, Jan. 28, which sold out in May 2006. The senior free dance and senior pairs free skate are both nearing capacity, which at the Spokane Arena is 10,095.
Potential factors contributing to the 2007 event’s success are numerous. The local organizing committee, headed by STAR USA, Inc., has organized events in Spokane for 17 years, creating invaluable relationships throughout the business community. Among STAR USA’s events was U.S. Figure Skating’s 2002 Skate America international Grand Prix event, which holds the record for Skate America ticket sales at 28,664 over the four days of competition.
Spokane was one of the first sites chosen after the creation of the U.S. Figure Skating Events Advisory Board (EAB) in 2003, which seeks out and examines bids submitted to host U.S. Figure Skating events. Spokane showed success with 2002 Skate America, had an excellent infrastructure in place, demonstrated organizational skills, enthusiastic volunteers and a true interest in hosting the best event possible. In addition, the EAB decided that a mid-size market with considerable community support would be a good fit for the year after the Olympics, when new stars are emerging and the sport embarks on a new Olympic quad.
In building community support, Team Spokane gave local sponsors the opportunity to activate on multiple platforms, encouraging them to brand their businesses with the event and the sport of figure skating. Options included engaging local nonprofits and schools, sponsoring a specific day of competition, hosting special events, participating in FanFest, decorating store fronts and other opportunities to build ownership.
The LOC began marketing initiatives immediately after receiving the event in 2004, traveling to the Olympic Winter Games, World Championships and three other U.S. Championships to drum up awareness and interest. Special marketing efforts included everything from a one year out celebration to a Zamboni parade to creating a “Figure Skating Friendly” campaign with local restaurants and shops. Also new this year was the creation of a FanFest at the secondary arena, a lounge for fans to meet and get autographs, watch live interviews, check results and receive free samples from local sponsors. As interest continued to climb, so did local media coverage, which has been unprecedented for this event.
“We shared our vision with the community very early on,” Team Spokane 2007 Executive Director Barb Beddor said. “We’ve worked hard to keep the event fresh and in the forefront of people’s minds. We looked at the fact that we were hosting the year after the Olympics, and rather than seeing it as a setback, we seized the opportunity to use the Olympics as another marketing tool to drum up interest right on through.”
The 2008 U.S. Championships will be in St. Paul, Minn., Jan. 20-27. The 2009 U.S. Championships will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, Jan.18-25. |