Why did refrigerated ice rinks help turn skating into a major sport?

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Historic champion — figure skating Katarina Witt, competing for East Germany, became the first woman since Norway's Sonja Henie (1928, 1932, and 1936) to win consecutive Olympic gold medals, doing so in 1984 and 1988.

The development of refrigerated ice rinks was the catalyst that transformed ice skating from a seasonal pastime into a major sport and form of entertainment. By allowing for the creation of artificially frozen ice surfaces within large arenas, these rinks removed the dependence on natural weather conditions, enabling the sport to spread to regions with warmer climates.1

This technological advancement facilitated the growth of organized skating, leading to the establishment of national governing bodies and the International Skating Union (ISU). Furthermore, the ability to host events in indoor arenas fostered the rise of ice shows as popular 20th-century family entertainment and provided the consistent conditions necessary for the development of competitive figure skating and other ice sports.1