I totally agree with you.
This plastic ball is a genuine failure and is quite a cash money grab for sure! I have been playing table-tennis at a fairly high level for over 20 yrs, and this is the worst move ever!It's basically like playing with kid's toys table-tennis set... Would be nice to launch a poll to have a real overview of who believes it is a real advancement for our sport.
Obviously there are always many sides to the story.
ITTF clearly did not plan the "time to market" correctly, but from a manufactoring processing point of view, this is a good move from a humanely perspective.
Unless you think it is wise that while we enjoy playing table tennis with celluballs, that the factory workers must put they lives at risks?
I know all these "western" countries that want to boycott inhuman activities, but while they complain, they are also beneficiaries of such acts.
I am happy that table tennis balls has finally moving away from celluliod materials. It is the best "humane" part of table tennis rule change ever.
But sadly, the R&D of plastic balls - which has been nearly 20 years if I'm correct, is still not where it used to be. I'm sure you as a 20 year long veteran of the sport should know all the ins and out of why this change is necessary - it is all over the Chinese media, but somehow not in the west.
And on another note, lots of these companies are looking at profit - ie even ITTF and ITTF's TMS, who charges a fortune to have ITTF approved equipment.
But if the volume - price index can be true in this case, sooner or later, the plastic balls will become more affordable, but then again, these TT companies rather want more revenue and more profit....
So, if you want to rant, make sure you rant in the right direction.
Unless you want the old balls back, and factories getting burnt, illegal for celluball to go on planes, and a huge logistically nightmare to fly celluballs around the world