Major League Table Tennis (MLTT)

[ritersofly]

It seems like they are still struggling with converting the marketing/advertising into spectators. The only sizeable crowd was the finals in the same city, Chicago, and the Bay Area, where clubs organized field trips to the matches.

Portland was packed last season which is why they made it the season opener this time and while it wasn’t as packed it was still a good turn out, even if it didn’t look as impressive as the first season, but it was a bigger venue

New jerseys were on sale at the in-person kiosk, at least when they came to Portland. Maybe they are event-exclusive until S2 is over

nah pretty sure they’re working on making them available online both on their site and on Paddle Palace website

 

[Novarac23]

Portland was packed last season which is why they made it the season opener this time and while it wasn’t as packed it was still a good turn out, even if it didn’t look as impressive as the first season, but it was a bigger venue

nah pretty sure they’re working on making them available online both on their site and on Paddle Palace website

Ah that is good to know, hopefully we can grab one on paddle palace. I was hoping to go watch Pitchford play in Nov for the crocks but we’ll see

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Just saw that MLTT's Jiangshan Guo (USA), a female player who has stepped in for the Bay Area Blasters, beat both Natalie Bajor and Yoo Siwoo (very good player from S. Korea who beat Kihara) 3-0 at WTT Feeder Prishtina.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

Just saw that MLTT's Jiangshan Guo (USA), a female player who has stepped in for the Bay Area Blasters, beat both Natalie Bajor and Yoo Siwoo (very good player from S. Korea who beat Kihara) 3-0 at WTT Feeder Prishtina.

She did beat Iba Diaw at a New York tournament not too long ago. She plays a pretty active counter/chopblock game with long pips bh and she has very good touch

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

this weekend (Nov 1-3), MLTT is at Broward Table Tennis Club in Hollywood, FL. should be a fun one! Go Crocs!!!

 

[Novarac23]

this weekend (Nov 1-3), MLTT is at Broward Table Tennis Club in Hollywood, FL. should be a fun one! Go Crocs!!!

Yeah I hope Liam is playing! Excited to watch it! I even picked up new mltt jersey of crocs because of him 😂

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Just saw that MLTT's Jiangshan Guo (USA), a female player who has stepped in for the Bay Area Blasters, beat both Natalie Bajor and Yoo Siwoo (very good player from S. Korea who beat Kihara) 3-0 at WTT Feeder Prishtina.

She did beat Iba Diaw at a New York tournament not too long ago. She plays a pretty active counter/chopblock game with long pips bh and she has very good touch

And now she just made it to the final of WTT Feeder Prishtina where she will face Sakura Yokoi!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

they should host a game into a shopping centre, like what T-league team does
that would be great for promoting the sport

 

[PoppaChubby]

Yeah I hope Liam is playing! Excited to watch it! I even picked up new mltt jersey of crocs because of him 😂

He'll be in Frankfurt round of 32 vs Dima, so he won't be there.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Bay Area Blasters play today. Since Jiangsheng Guo is playing in Feeder Prishtina and Lily Zhang is playing in Frankfurt, I assume Kheith Cruz will be playing the female position.

 

[Novarac23]

Oh yeah good point Frankfurt is on and Pitch is playing there.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Bay Area Blasters play today. Since Jiangsheng Guo is playing in Feeder Prishtina and Lily Zhang is playing in Frankfurt, I assume Kheith Cruz will be playing the female position.

Kheith will be the woman player. Then probably the three Bay Area players Tao, Jinbao, KTH, and since Pereira won't be there they may need to lean on a free agent unless rolling with both of Jouti/Lashin

 

[ThePongCommenter]

they should host a game into a shopping centre, like what T-league team does
that would be great for promoting the sport

Probably for financial reasons but seems like a lot of the matches this year are being held in table tennis clubs versus Season 1 where it was all venues where you can get foot traffic from the general public. Not good for attracting the outside audience which MLTT stated as a goal.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Father Time has caught up to Eugene

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Tao the chopper destroyer starting now with Aida... could be looking at a good start for the Blasters

edit: or not...

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Probably for financial reasons but seems like a lot of the matches this year are being held in table tennis clubs versus Season 1 where it was all venues where you can get foot traffic from the general public. Not good for attracting the outside audience which MLTT stated as a goal.

yeah, it is tough.
most leagues/clubs does it with the aid of sponsors.
it doesn't seem like MLTT clubs have deep enough pockets for now, so its one of those - first egg or first chicken questions.
without audience, sponsors won't be interested. within sponsors, you can't get audience.

I am all rooting for league to succeed in USA!

However, I do wonder if they should copy the Indian UTT, which is done and dusted inside 2 weeks, to get overheads low.

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

had an awesome time on day 1 of MLTT weekend here at Broward table tennis club. Crocs might not have won but the match was a lot of fun and the first matchup of the day was really incredible. I think the club environment is a lot of fun and looking forward to more great action this weekend. Come out if you are in the area or check it out on YouTube!!!

 

[PoppaChubby]

yeah, it is tough.
most leagues/clubs does it with the aid of sponsors.
it doesn't seem like MLTT clubs have deep enough pockets for now, so its one of those - first egg or first chicken questions.
without audience, sponsors won't be interested. within sponsors, you can't get audience.

I am all rooting for league to succeed in USA!

However, I do wonder if they should copy the Indian UTT, which is done and dusted inside 2 weeks, to get overheads low.

The other issue is the US sports mentality, it's focused on 3 or 4 sports + College and High School. It's also deeply gendered. It's their roots.

Soccer works for the girls in NCAA, then most of the big stars have to go overseas. Same in volley-ball even if it's a sports invented by the USA: NCAA girls get all the praise, way more than the boys, but they have to travel overseas after that.
The MLS is very slowly getting au audience, but it's for... men, so they have to pay for euro stars: Ibrahimovic, Henry, Messi, Giroud this season. There's of course the NWSL but it's like the WNBA for US people, it's not the "real thing".

They are trying the same thing as table tenis with rugby... in a country that has the NFL and the Super Bowl event. Recruiting ex-international stars to help grow the thing, but it's not how it works. You have to build a strong TT, Soccer, Rugby community first with clubs developping young talents, it always starts with the kids. Kids in south Africa or New Zealand play rugby since they are 7 or 8 (with very restricted contacts).

The MLTT would work if only there was a TRUE youth development program in schools, high schools and college, and it's not the case at all. This is how USA works: no money for those sports for kids. It works in Europe because a socialist system, France for example, injects money from people's taxes. As a french I have paid for the Lebruns titles, seems silly for some people all over the world, but that's also why french people are sometimes being rude with their own athletes, we're like anyone: we want the payback.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

The other issue is the US sports mentality, it's focused on 3 or 4 sports + College and High School. It's also deeply gendered. It's their roots.

Soccer works for the girls in NCAA, then most of the big stars have to go overseas. Same in volley-ball even if it's a sports invented by the USA: NCAA girls get all the praise, way more than the boys, but they have to travel overseas after that.
The MLS is very slowly getting au audience, but it's for... men, so they have to pay for euro stars: Ibrahimovic, Henry, Messi, Giroud this season. There's of course the NWSL but it's like the WNBA for US people, it's not the "real thing".

They are trying the same thing as table tenis with rugby... in a country that has the NFL and the Super Bowl event. Recruiting ex-international stars to help grow the thing, but it's not how it works. You have to build a strong TT, Soccer, Rugby community first with clubs developping young talents, it always starts with the kids. Kids in south Africa or New Zealand play rugby since they are 7 or 8 (with very restricted contacts).

The MLTT would work if only there was a TRUE youth development program in schools, high schools and college, and it's not the case at all. This is how USA works: no money for those sports for kids. It works in Europe because a socialist system, France for example, injects money from people's taxes. As a french I have paid for the Lebruns titles, seems silly for some people all over the world, but that's also why french people are sometimes being rude with their own athletes, we're like anyone: we want the payback.

for tt to succeed any where, it needs to be in schools.
probably 90% of Taiwanese elementary school has table tennis.
I have used the same approach to help tt in south africa and many more schools have tt now.

the barrier of entry is much lower than many sporting codes.
i wonder if any progress is made in the USA in terms of TT in elementary schools

you are right, most kids adapt to specific sports from young.

 

[PoppaChubby]

for tt to succeed any where, it needs to be in schools.
probably 90% of Taiwanese elementary school has table tennis.
I have used the same approach to help tt in south africa and many more schools have tt now.

the barrier of entry is much lower than many sporting codes.
i wonder if any progress is made in the USA in terms of TT in elementary schools

you are right, most kids adapt to specific sports from young.

I've been living all my childhood in a tiny french village, 3 000 inhabitants only, only my father was working, 5 siblings. There I've exeprienced Judo at a club, gymnastics school and club, handball at school, TT at school+club, football/soccer of course school+club, basketball school+club, volleyball club, tennis club, all those sports BEFORE I was even 13. Mind you, I've even try fencing at some point ! my broters and sisters also did sports and music, we had a piano, tuba, without being that rich.

But we've got Teddy Riner and Florent Manaudaou that always cry France is not a sport nation you know, typical grumpy french mindset. Sports cost nothing for kids here, because of the taxes, not the same at all in the US. It's tough for kids born into underpriviledged situations, there's always those storytelling with Shaq' doing thing with Reebok to make BB shoes cheaper for kids, but it clearly hides the reality of the situation.

Here a kid with 150 bucks can get a YEARLY TT club tuition and competition + blade and rubbers. In the US it's 150 bucks... monthly.