The Indicator from Planet Money What it costs to be an elite figure skater like the 'Quad God'
45 snips
Feb 12, 2026 
Lillian Carebake, an economics reporter with firsthand reporting and athlete anecdotes, breaks down why elite figure skating soaks up money. She walks through the $1 million estimate, how private coaching and ice time balloon costs, who ends up paying, and surprising line items like choreography and costumes. Short stories reveal the pressures and tradeoffs behind Olympic-level training.
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Ice Time And Coaching Are The Real Costs
- Costs spike when skaters need private coaching after mastering single jumps and competing locally.
- Ice time and coaching are the main expense drivers that limit who can advance.
Raising A 'Quad God' On Rink Time
- Ilya Malinin grew up in the rink because his parents were coaches, giving him huge early ice time.
- That access helped him land quadruple jumps as a teenager.
Daily Training Adds Up Fast
- Typical training days can cost about $90 for ice time plus $120 per lesson, with multiple daily sessions.
- These per-day amounts compound quickly into a career-cost barrier.