ISU Take Note! Five OTHER Ways to Save Money

So you may have heard that the ISU announced an already-controversial decision last week to shrink the judging panel at several major competitions in an effort to cut costs.

Me? I think there’s got to be a better way. So allow me to place my tongue firmly in cheek as I share with you “Five OTHER ways for the ISU to save money…”

5) Remember the Boston “Cheesefest”, where fans voted for the winners American Idol-style? Just do that for all Grand Prix events this season, with the in-house audience as the votecasters, THEN go back to the traditional judging (and number of judges) for Worlds. Hey, it’s not like it’s an Olympic year or something… and with the exception of Skate America, they’re not even going to be televised in the traditional fashion. Where's the harm?

4) Until further notice-- instead of real gold/silver/bronze medals, craft all the non-Olympic year medals out of delicious chocolate… maybe Godiva for gold, Lindt for silver, Hershey for bronze?

3) Three words: GET MORE SPONSORS!!!!
(Kinder version: Try harder to GET MORE SPONSORS!!!)

2) Change the rules so that judges are paid by the hour rather than the event, then shorten every program… by every skater… by one minute. It’ll put weak skaters out of their misery sooner, make strong skaters leave us begging for more, and just think of how it’ll help everyone in high altitude areas!

And 1) Request that Vera Wang design a line of “budget” competitive wear, with all skaters passing their costume savings along to the ISU. Five dresses to choose from for the ladies, three outfits for the men. Think of how much simpler it would make things for the skaters! Think how much it would bum out bloggers like me who might otherwise be dishing the skaters’ choices :-(
But hey, if Wang can do it for Kohl’s department stores, she can do it for skaters.

And with the help of this Clip of the Day, might I suggest the ladies’ choices look something like… this?