Damien Éloi: Are the top players’ rubbers different?

[kapahoo]

But why would they not sell it to the public? Makes no sense.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

But why would they not sell it to the public? Makes no sense.

public is retail / generic version which they believe is the most suitable for the mass audience.
Pro spec might not always be friendly for all.

T05 Hard came from customized (hard sponged) T05
so some times it does happen.

 

[merlin el mago]

The trick about custom rubbers & blades isn't about quality, for rubbers is about top sheet type & sponge hardness, for blade is about weight and flex, each pro give the best combo for his game.

 

[kapahoo]

public is retail / generic version which they believe is the most suitable for the mass audience.
Pro spec might not always be friendly for all.

T05 Hard came from customized (hard sponged) T05
so some times it does happen.

Still makes no sense budiness wise. People will pay for what the pros have.
And also - quite a few of players are on a level that is almost pro.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Still makes no sense budiness wise. People will pay for what the pros have.
And also - quite a few of players are on a level that is almost pro.

I doubt there are few players that are on the level of pros that have customized equipment.
if they close enough to top 50s in the world, they are pro level already and should be in the WR100~200 range and if they are really that good, they would have a brand sponsor already. Maybe not to the tier of customized equipment. If you know any semi pro that are in top 50 level and does not have a brand sponsor and are unknown, then tell them I can be an agent for them.

business wise (assuming you know business), you don't want to have too many variations.
if 10 pros, each have there own,
do you want a business to have H3-1, H3-2 ..... H3-10?
It will be a disaster for inventory management.

Not to mention some pros already indicated times when there will use different harnesses, and different thickness sponge matching the playing conditions. so you will have H3-1a, H3-1b etc. total nightmare.

 

[piligrim]

I doubt there are few players that are on the level of pros that have customized equipment.
if they close enough to top 50s in the world, they are pro level already and should be in the WR100~200 range and if they are really that good, they would have a brand sponsor already. Maybe not to the tier of customized equipment. If you know any semi pro that are in top 50 level and does not have a brand sponsor and are unknown, then tell them I can be an agent for them.

Every player in top 50 or top 100 has sponsor? For sure not

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Every player in top 50 or top 100 has sponsor? For sure not

most of them should have
who doesn't?

 

[piligrim]

most of them should have
who doesn't?

I was sure many don't have ... I don't know how to check ..

 

[beeray1]

H3 on the FH and T05 on BH ??

Correct - this was 10 years ago so dignics was not a thing and the H3/Tenergy combo was still the most common

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I was sure many don't have ... I don't know how to check ..

if anyone in Top 50 or top 100, doesn't have sponsorship, then someone isn't doing their job

you can go through the world ranking list and match it with the 10 or 20 brands website and see who isn't on there, and then share the name with me and I will check on my side.

I am very certain they all sponsored
even players WR101 to 200 are likely sponsored too.

 

[piligrim]

if anyone in Top 50 or top 100, doesn't have sponsorship, then someone isn't doing their job

you can go through the world ranking list and match it with the 10 or 20 brands website and see who isn't on there, and then share the name with me and I will check on my side.

I am very certain they all sponsored
even players WR101 to 200 are likely sponsored too.

Not all brands have list of sponsored players on web sites. On Joola and Tibhar veb sites for example I didn't find it.

 

[tzifos]

There are also many athletes, in small countries that are not in the WR100 or 200 top players but because they are in the top 5-10 of their country they get small sponsorships, like free rubbers and blades, of course they choose what and in which hardness.

 

[Metaxa]

well, it does happen
think about it, the top star player getting special treatments.
if the player wins, they will have a lot more business.

Take Xiom for example with Hugo
or Kao Andro
or whoever else.

Victas was in Taiwan recently, and they ESN engineer (Victas staff working full time in ESN Germany) visits to help spec the players "customized" rubber.
the sample he brought had many different hardness variations alone and I was told, we can demand anything we want.

It is a lot more easier for the factory to have a batch at a unique spec than you think.
I had my own branded balls printed by DHS for example
its not impossible - it is more whether they want to or not and being the star player, if they not going to do it for you, then change brands.

Punishment! That they are going to adjust their rubbers/sponge mix and machines for perhaps 200 or 300 copies/player.
So why is Damien being so mysterious about it?

 

[dingyibvs]

I don't believe a word of it. I can't believe that they would adjust the composition of rubbers and/or sponges in the manufacturing process specifically for one particular player (or several players).
I do believe in test compositions for professionals, but in my opinion, this is only to establish a new line before commercialisation. Of course, there always has to be some kind of myth.
With wood, it's different. I do believe in that because it's reasonably easier to achieve (composition, balance, handle).

Uh, ZJK has said straight up that his Butterfly rubbers were a few degrees harder than commercial ones.

 

[tzifos]

So why is Damien being so mysterious about it?

He doesn't like to spoil the story "I play with XYZ rubbers as ABC player that is number SMTHNG in the world" that many believe. These guys bring the money to the companies.

 

[lodro]

Punishment! That they are going to adjust their rubbers/sponge mix and machines for perhaps 200 or 300 copies/player.
So why is Damien being so mysterious about it?

Sure why not, you would find that big manufacturers have a research and /or prototype division and the products for the common market is a completely different department.

Think formula 1 or MotoGP, Mark Marquez's
Ducati comes from a completely different department as the bike you can buy in the shops

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Punishment! That they are going to adjust their rubbers/sponge mix and machines for perhaps 200 or 300 copies/player.
So why is Damien being so mysterious about it?

Players are not allowed to tell the truth
Just like they cant openly admit they boost

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Not all brands have list of sponsored players on web sites. On Joola and Tibhar veb sites for example I didn't find it.

Team JOOLA - Table Tennis

JOOLA is an innovative leading brand, representing World #1 pickleball player Ben Johns and a multi-year Olympic sponsor for table tennis. JOOLA creates a variety of equipment, apparel, & accessories for pickleball and table tennis, both professional & recreational. Shop our paddles, nets...

joola.com

joola's list is incomplete
the USA website seems to have only some USA players on there,

PRO'S | TIBHAR

tibhar.info

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

There are also many athletes, in small countries that are not in the WR100 or 200 top players but because they are in the top 5-10 of their country they get small sponsorships, like free rubbers and blades, of course they choose what and in which hardness.

that is correct
you get different tiers of sponsorship
generally top 100 players will get full sponsorship

It will be so difficult to find one player in the top 100 or even top 200 that has no sponsorship what so ever.
the only chance is, if they are from small TT countries (mostly in Africa) and the table tennis business side is so bad, that brands won't sponsor players there. But even that, the likes of Stag goes into Africa and sponsor many.
and the only reason why they become 100-200 in the world is continental points. Skills wise, maybe WR300-400 player only.

 

[merlin el mago]

Punishment! That they are going to adjust their rubbers/sponge mix and machines for perhaps 200 or 300 copies/player.
So why is Damien being so mysterious about it?

No adjust the machine, simply they are selecting for each player.