Ice shows are losing popularity in Russia. And this is no longer a subjective opinion, but a real problem that industry representatives recognize. Recently, Ilya Averbukh gave two high-profile interviews (one to Evgenia Medvedeva and the other to Maxim Trankov), in which he indicated that a crisis is brewing in our ice shows. And he even told what contributes to it. According to the producer, Russia is now following the American scenario and may soon find itself at a point where most shows will have to be closed.
Is it really that bad?
Are spectators at ice shows overfed?
Ilya Averbukh founded the ice show industry in Russia. In the early 2000s, the figure skater founded a production company that has been creating numerous ice shows and performances for over 20 years. Later, in the second half of the 2010s, Evgeni Plushenko and Tatyana Navka began to develop in this same area. The skaters created their own production companies and significantly expanded the ice show market. And this is understandable: as the popularity of figure skating grew, so did the demand for ice shows. In addition, a large number of new stars appeared in Russia, who were replaced one after another. When famous champions began to be pushed out of the sport by young talents, ice shows became a logical continuation of their career for them. And fans were glad to be able to continue watching their favorites on the ice. This led to an increase in the number of projects from three producers at once.
Now you can watch ice shows almost all year round in major Russian cities. If they used to be something of a holiday, now they have lost the style of exclusivity and something unusual. The viewer does not lose anything if he misses a show – with a high degree of probability, it will be shown again. Ice shows began to be broadcast live and the audience got tired of them. Ilya Averbukh also notes this.
“There must be identification. This is the spectator’s motivation to come. But in the end this destroys the common market. Because when there is an ice show every week, you calmly say: OK, I’m not going today, I’ll go tomorrow, but I’ve already seen her there, I’ve seen her there… History is lost. Previously, we came to the city once and did not overfeed it. Now Averbukh came first, then Tutberidze, then Plushenko, then Navka. How many ice shows can one city withstand? And then we say: for some reason people have stopped coming…”, Averbukh complained on Evgenia Medvedeva’s BeS Comments programme.
Tatyana Navka and Ilya Averbukh
Photo by: RIA Novosti
This year, the crisis in ice shows has become particularly noticeable. Normally, at the end of the competition season, producers start big tours of Russian cities, with Moscow as their center. But this year, both Plushenko and Averbukh refused to perform in the capital and, in general, put the main emphasis on cities where ice shows are still a curiosity. The total number of shows also decreased: only Tutberidze, who tours with his students once a year, made a profit.
You can read more about this in the Championship study:
Are ice shows in decline? We examine the tour schedule of Averbukh, Plushenko and Tutberidze
The stars don’t try anymore?
The second reason for the crisis is that ice shows have begun to lose their uniqueness. All producers have more or less the same formats, the star cast wanders from one project to another, and the skaters do not show anything new; sometimes even the numbers are the same from one year to the next. Few people perceive the show as a way to try something new, to test oneself and to surprise the audience. Basically, athletes only use the baggage they have left after playing sports.
“For some reason, many of our skaters, especially the modern generation, have the feeling: we have done everything necessary in sports and in exhibitions, well… we can jump a couple of triples, accept us for that. And I have a big complaint against them in this regard, as a person who runs a lot of ice shows, as a producer. In fact, no one continues to develop and search for themselves. For example, Dimka Aliyev now does somersaults. Bravo. But the main position: we have already won everything. This probably comes from the public, because the public is spoiled, everyone is welcomed, everyone is loved, everyone is loved.
But where are these dances like Bobrinsky’s “Cowboy”? I looked ahead, but where are the numbers that continued this: so that champions also look for images in demonstration shows, find different forms, learn new elements and tricks. Currently, most people withdraw dividends in demonstrations. And I think that this is a big part of continuing a career, in which you are forced to develop. Moreover, you have time, you don’t have to chase quadruple jumps in demonstrations, but at least show 2 or 3 triple jumps. Here we do all the jumps in competitions, and then fight with a triple in exhibitions. I think this is wrong,” Averbukh argued in Maxim Trankov’s “Free Skate” podcast.
Ilya Averbukh
Photo by: RIA Novosti
And it is hard to disagree with the producer. When was the last time we saw something really new and experimental in a show? The current rapprochement of our stars aggravates the already brewing crisis of ice projects in Russia. Ilya Averbukh predicts the imminent decline of our shows based on the American experience.
“We are going through all the stages that happened in the United States 20 years ago. We all know that this was followed by a great stagnation. Part of the show was completely closed. I think we are also waiting for the moment when interest in such a large number of ice-related projects will subside. There will be 2 or 3 projects left,” Averbukh summed up.
Will Zagitova and Medvedeva save the entertainment industry?
Perhaps Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva, who are preparing their projects, will be able to improve the situation in the Russian ice show industry. The Olympic champion from Pyeongchang will present the ice show “Guardians of Time” in Kazan at the end of August, and the silver medalist of the same Games will celebrate her 25th anniversary at the CSKA Arena in Moscow. Both skaters promise to prepare something unique and innovative. Both Alina and Zhenya are currently planning their shows as a one-time event, but if their projects gain popularity, the girls will surely continue to develop in this matter. And this will definitely bring a new breath to the industry. Averbukh, Plushenko and Navka will have powerful competitors who will force them to reconsider the concepts of their shows and move towards development, and Medvedeva and Zagitova will bring their youthful vision and perspective to this industry.
Of course, it is too early to draw conclusions about the future projects of the Pyeongchang stars, but our figure skating will only benefit if Zhenya and Alina succeed.
What is known about Alina and Evgenia’s new shows?
