When the World Figure Skating Championships are staged in Boston for the first time this week, Japan’s "fervent followers will be flocking to TD Garden," according to John Powers of the BOSTON GLOBE. At a time when skating is "struggling to regain its popularity" in the U.S., the sport "is booming in Japan." U.S. skater Ross Miner, who performs frequently in Japan, said, “It’s like trying to get Adele tickets. You have to be on top of it from the very beginning.” Powers notes many Japanese fans "find it easier to travel overseas for their skating fix, happily spending several thousand dollars for tour packages." Skating Club of Boston Exec Dir Doug Zeghibe estimates that the Japanese represent 12% "of non-US ticket buyers" and 8% overall. He said, "They began buying tickets from Day 1.” Japan Times columnist Jack Gallagher said, “The sport’s popularity is at an all-time high." Powers notes the "paragon" now is 21-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu. Gallagher said, “He’s a national hero, without question. A lot of people see him as a symbol for this millennium. He is revered.” Powers notes what "sets Japanese fans apart from their counterparts elsewhere is not only their obsession with their sequined stars but also their technical savvy." Miner: “They know skating. They have a serious appreciation and understanding that’s strange for a sport that takes a lot to learn." Powers: "Japanese fans crave a personal connection with their favorites" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/30).
COOL AS ICE: In K.C., Nick McCarvel in a special writes with the World Championships "back on U.S. ice for the first time" since '09, many in skating are eyeing K.C. as Sprint Center gets set to host the '17 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 10 months. Event Exec Dir Katherine Holland said of K.C. landing the '17 Championships, "This is a middle-market city that can act and feel big-market.” Holland said that "trying to bid for the nationals" in '18, an Olympic year, "wasn’t out of the question" (K.C. STAR, 3/30).
