I would like first to know how much does playing TT in USA, the amount of money every year needed to play table tennis in USA.
I think it's a major reason to decide people in playing.
And is it possible to have an equivalence at competition levels between USA and France ?
I think you are on to something here.
I know, in New York there is a range.
There are people who play at outdoor tables primarily. And that is free but the access is limited, the wait times are long, play time is not long and conditions are.....well.....subject to weather. There are a surprising number of people who play like this though. And, obviously, if that is primarily where they play, there is not much change in level and improvement that happens. Also, it seems that there is way more defensive play outdoors because of the wind. And playing outdoors quickly turns any rubber, including Tenergy, into an interesting anti-spin rubber.
Many of the Parks and Recreation Center facilities of NYC also have a few tables. Some people play there. The issue there is also the number of people wanting to play and be number of tables available. So, when you have 25 people wanting to play on 3 tables, there is more waiting than playing and the level of players is fairly low.
The positive side of the outdoor tables is that they are free. The downside is that there are more people than tables and the level of play is low.
Similar with the Parks and Recreation facilities. Use of the facilities throughout the entire city is about $150.00 per year but they have weights, swimming pools, basketball courts, cardio fitness machines. But the playing scenario isn't that great.
Then there are clubs like Wang Chen's or Robert Chen's. The facilities are not so good but the rate is pretty decent.
Wang Chen's cost $10.00 per day or $20.00 per month. Lighting, space, and number of tables isn't great. But that is still probably the best bargain in Manhattan. It is too far for me. But I would play there if I did not have other options. This is where the Infamous AGold trains.
Robert Chen's: the price is $10.00 for the day, $60.00 for the month; $70.00 for a month and you get 1 free lesson; $90 would include play for the month and 3 free lessons. I think I am not exactly right on the figures but I am close. There are only 3 tables. One is okay for matches. The floor is terrible, slippery, but the lighting is pretty decent. Not perfect. But pretty okay: Way better than Wang Chen's. Supposedly they will get a new flooring for table tennis soon. But, I am not going to hold my breath.
Then there are several good clubs out in Flushing. That would be a 1.5-2 hour trip each way for me. But the clubs are good. Good flooring. Good space for each table. Plenty of tables. And good lighting. The club that 42andbackpains plays at --NYISC--is pretty nice: great light, 90 foot high ceilings with rafters included, great floor, great space around every table. The Korean Club in Flushing that I went to a while ago is also pretty nice. Rates for many of the clubs in Flushing are something like $15.00 per day or $60.00-$90.00 per month.
Then there is SPiN. They charge by the table and by the hour. You can have as many or as few people at your table as you like. The rate will be the same. I think it is something like $50.00 for 30 min. LOL. Glad I don't have to pay full price!!!!!
But, SPiN isn't really a table tennis club. It is more like a nightclub with a table tennis theme. They like having a few players like me, guys who actually can play, around to impress the corporate suits. But they don't want too many people like me around.
One thing I will say for SPiN, with their approach that targets a corporate and affluent market, for recreational play and drinking, they have gotten more people interested in getting more serious about the sport than any other source I can think of.
So, in the USA where everything is for sale and everything can be marketed, you could be paying as much as $50,000.00 per year or as little as $0.00 to play the sport.
Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia
