Thank you for sharing your personal thoughts in this article.
One part stands out for me:
”When, in Notte stellata, he said he wanted to sacrifice his happiness for skating, and for the mission he has taken on his shoulders to be close to those who suffer, I said ‘No’. It’s OK to be close, to help as much as you can, but not to cancel yourself out for others. I am happy that he changed his mind and chose to share his life with a person he loves and who loves him.”
I’ve seen many comments from fans about his sudden marriage news, not that I looked for them, but they were all over many sns platforms. The way he presented himself as someone who sacrificed everything and anything for his skates had imprinted in the minds of many of his followers for many years. He showed them his hard work, dedication, passion, clear purpose, determination, and even injuries to achieve his dreams. He set a clear vision, worked tirelessly towards it, and that inspired others to do the same. They knew the road to success wasn’t easy and everyone rooted and cheered for him. They were all extremely happy when he received good results.
Being a fan isn’t easy. Being a fan isn’t unconditionally loving something. It’s loving of what makes something great and emotionally connected. Hence there had to be something more than just enjoyment. It required some hard work, and at times, it could be very stressful, hurtful, and heartbroken, especially the last four years of his competitive career. Fans also have sacrifices. Being connected with fans in every single step of his journey is necessary. I’m not talking about exposing his privacy. I understand he isn’t an idol. He had clearly stated he’s an athlete. However, his pro career is beyond being a figure skater. He’s an artist. Yes, family is a great foundation. Without them, he can’t build anything. But his career wouldn’t be successful without his audience. A lot of this takes planning and thought to keep his audience engaged and connected. He has a wide range of fans and many of whom are actively connected with him online. Keeping them engaged and emotionally connected is his job.
I had no doubt that everyone who followed him wanted him to be happy and get married someday. But the sudden announcement made it impossible for some fans to connect the missing dots. He was alone, and then suddenly married. Again, I’m not talking about exposing his privacy or his family members. There’s no reason the connection between him and his fans needs to end with figure skating. By sharing more of his passions and his life with fans creates an opportunity to strengthen the emotional connection. He could have shared slowly that he wished to have a family in the most subtle way through interviews or behind the scenes. He might have done that through some of his skating programs but they were difficult to interpret as everyone has their own particular way of understanding the meaning or significance. He had said he wanted to take care of his heart during his determination conference but it may be interpreted differently because of the situation where everyone was only focused on his career.
So simply put, a positive fan experience is critical to the success of his career, though I’m not sure if he needs or wants to expand his fan base.
Thank you for allowing me to express my two cents while I have this thought!
