Figure skating is traditionally the most popular Winter Olympic sport, but its national governing body is facing facts: Its fan base is too old, and youth membership growth is modest.
With that in mind, U.S. Figure Skating will launch a comprehensive rebranding campaign this week, targeting young people interested in trying a new sport. The body spent more than $1 million on the campaign, according to Chief Marketing Officer Ramsey Baker, which will run through May 2018, three months after the Pyeongchang Games.
The U.S. has won a figure skating medal in 18 consecutive Winter Olympics, and organizers think a team led by Sochi stars Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold is poised to continue that run. USFS directors and executives intend to take advantage.
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With stars like Gracie Gold, U.S. Figure Skating is rebranding to reach a younger demographic.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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“If we haven’t prepared ourselves in all the other ways related to the organization, and where we are with the potential consumers, fans and participants, we’re going to miss an opportunity to capitalize on that success,” Baker said. “You can’t wait for athletes to win a medal and then say, what are we going to do?”
You’ll see less about the “artistry” of the sport in the future, he said. The sport has always sold its unique blend of athleticism and art, but that term falls flat with kids, according to market research commissioned by USFS and performed by Insight Strategy Group, specifically chosen for its lack of experience in Olympic sports. “When we changed it to ‘self-expression,’ the younger demographics responded,” Baker said.
Kids also see the sport as a solitary pursuit, Baker said, so the campaign will emphasize the team aspect of figure skating.
The campaign is called “Get Up,” and its flagship TV spots tell stories of teenagers learning life lessons — as in, getting up when you fall — and developing relationships through figure skating. Tea & Water, a creative and marketing agency, developed the campaign, and Supply, a Colorado-based firm, advised the media strategy.
In each of the past three years, figure skating has added members, who are mostly youth sports participants. But its total membership of 181,703 is still off 7.5 percent from the 2006 Turin Olympic year.
The body must balance its youth outreach with its current interests. U.S. Figure Skating’s sponsors include several brands that target an older, wealthier audience, like Viking River Cruises and Consumer Cellular, a mobile provider with an exclusive marketing arrangement with the AARP. Its average fan is 39, but TV ratings skew much older.
Along with an age problem, the sport has a gender imbalance. Nearly six out of every seven figure skating fans are women, as are three out of four USFS members. However, that strong feminine association is a non-issue to people under the age of 18, Baker said.
“Looking at how people 18 and under look at gender and gender issues, it’s not even a consideration to them,” Baker said. “It’s not an issue.”
The TV spots will debut on Wednesday and mostly air on NBC, NBCSN and UniHD broadcasts. The 2016-17 Grand Prix season begins Friday with Progressive Skate America in suburban Chicago.
The campaign also will run on the USFS-owned icenetwork.com and its social channels.
