How does Pro player earn money?

[coolchap]

Hi Friends,

How does Pro player earn money and what level of player someone has to be to get to level that they can earn money from playing?

Who takes care of all the expenses that player has to incur, and what level that are taken by Sponsors or state, country?


Thanks,
Coolchap

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

playing professionally in professional leagues.
the higher your level, the higher the league you can take part in, and a higher salary.

what is contributed by sponsor, state/country is all based on the players market worth, and the policies of each gov on the sports, and as well as the players ability to seek sponsors.
The player takes cares of it, just like they run a business and have income and expense, or hire managers to do it for them.

 

[BlopChock]

Surely all the guys and gals who have signature blades get royalties from sales of them, yeah?

Are there entry fees to participate in WTT events at any of the levels?

 

[lightspin]

What level of professional? And from what country? Many top 10 players from various countries don't make any money outside of coaching locally. If they want to play internationally, it is like setting money on fire. Even if they want to play in their own country, it is like setting money on fire but the fire isn't as big.

 

[coolchap]

What level of professional? And from what country? Many top 10 players from various countries don't make any money outside of coaching locally. If they want to play internationally, it is like setting money on fire. Even if they want to play in their own country, it is like setting money on fire but the fire isn't as big.

Omg 😱. Then how do all the players sustain full time? As by playing full time they cannot do any other jobs.

 

[jar]

I think some players earn money from league play in France and Germany, but most of them probably have to have additional revenue from sponsorships or coaching.

There are prize money in some tournaments in north America, but it will not be enough to live from that.

edit: for example, there was an international tournament in February in the city of Laval, Canada, and the open category 1st prize was 2500$

 

[Tyce]

It's a catch-22 for everyone outside the absolute top. You have to use your time to make money, so you can't use that time to train or recover.
Sponsoring and government funding is absolutely essential to reduce the amount of time wasted on work, otherwise it's impossible to get enough hours of training in.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Surely all the guys and gals who have signature blades get royalties from sales of them, yeah?

yes, and if you are at that level, the brands will be paying you a cash portion (retainer fee), on top of sponsorship gears.

Are there entry fees to participate in WTT events at any of the levels?

there are costs to take part in WTT, either national federations/gov will cover and you players need to cover themselves

 

[tabletennismaniac]

In very short, you can start to earn some money when you reach around 2000 TTR (something around 2400 USATT?).
From this level clubs in e.g Germany would be willing to pay you money for matches (somewhere around 200-400 euros per match).
When you are at this level people will also start accept you as good enough to do some coaching and sparring for money. I think if you find a club which needs you for a lot of games in the season and you do a lot of coaching - at least in some countries in Europe you can make a living out of that (I personally know few examples who does that).
To put you in a perspective - players around 2200-2300 TTR (3rd and 2nd Bundesliga) - crazy good players and in countries where the sport is not popular would be national team members, will not be earning that much more from playing.
Only absolute top are getting good money and if talking about state/goverment support - you will likely need to have a real chance of making olympics to get any kind of real support.
Even equipment sponsorship would be really difficult to get if you are not one of the top players in the world.
You will also be surprised that a lot of really good players (2200-2300 TTR) in Germany a not full time players and have day jobs.
P.S - my experience is only talking about Europe.

 

[Tyce]

I remember Bettine Vriesekoop had to work two jobs (which is unheard of here in general) to keep her finances up to support her career. And even then she lived a very sober lifestyle

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I remember Bettine Vriesekoop had to work two jobs (which is unheard of here in general) to keep her finances up to support her career. And even then she lived a very sober lifestyle

for those who don't know her, she is in her 60s
womens tt back then have little to no value and we can't really compare decades ago market to today.
Today TT earning potential is so much higher.

for me, some of my highest salaries is for women's players in Pro A.
I even have a good offer for university world champion Zhao Shang few months ago, but it was not attractive since she earns very top money every weekend in corporate tournaments in China. In fact some of those corporate tournament players earn more than top European leagues.

End of the day, if you looking at Europe or China, the TT Pro earnings are very attractive.
not to mention Chinese leagues, even the likes of Jia C mens brings out top dollar to bring over Bundesliga players.
the Jia C womens side took in Asians tough

 

[Tyce]

for those who don't know her, she is in her 60s
womens tt back then have little to no value and we can't really compare decades ago market to today.
Today TT earning potential is so much higher.

for me, some of my highest salaries is for women's players in Pro A.
I even have a good offer for university world champion Zhao Shang few months ago, but it was not attractive since she earns very top money every weekend in corporate tournaments in China. In fact some of those corporate tournament players earn more than top European leagues.

End of the day, if you looking at Europe or China, the TT Pro earnings are very attractive.
not to mention Chinese leagues, even the likes of Jia C mens brings out top dollar to bring over Bundesliga players.
the Jia C womens side took in Asians tough

Gotta be in the big countries though. TT is tiny here and someone like Eerland has to jump through hoops to make ends meet.
Getting paid for coaching is great, but not if there's hardly any audience to coach

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Gotta be in the big countries though. TT is tiny here and someone like Eerland has to jump through hoops to make ends meet.
Getting paid for coaching is great, but not if there's hardly any audience to coach

i'm sure she is getting good money at Linz

 

[Tyce]

Heheh nice one ☺️ I don't know how she manages to play there and live here. Great to see you met, hope you also had some time to talk and/or play because I think she's a great person.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Heheh nice one ☺️ I don't know how she manages to play there and live here. Great to see you met, hope you also had some time to talk and/or play because I think she's a great person.

yeah, she is a nice person.
and multitasking between table tennis and mommy duties

 

[AchyGeorge]

I remember Bettine Vriesekoop had to work two jobs (which is unheard of here in general) to keep her finances up to support her career. And even then she lived a very sober lifestyle

I bought her named blade back in the day! I think it was 5 ply wood all+. I have no idea what happened to it though, think it had purple details on handle?

 

[\_Kairos_/]

I bought her named blade back in the day! I think it was 5 ply wood all+. I have no idea what happened to it though, think it had purple details on handle?

Did she have more than one signature blade? I am only aware of one that has a blueish-white lens with red letters...

 

[AchyGeorge]

Did she have more than one signature blade? I am only aware of one that has a blueish-white lens with red letters...

Maybe… I feel sure it had her name on it, but I don’t seem to have it any longer, so can’t post a pic.

 

[\_Kairos_/]

Maybe… I feel sure it had her name on it, but I don’t seem to have it any longer, so can’t post a pic.

Was it perhaps one like this?

Butterfly Vriesekoop AN, Zustand 1, 1.Serie, 98g ! – Rare Hoelzer.de • Online-Shop

rare-hoelzer.de

 

[AchyGeorge]

Was it perhaps one like this?

Butterfly Vriesekoop AN, Zustand 1, 1.Serie, 98g ! – Rare Hoelzer.de • Online-Shop

rare-hoelzer.de

I remember it as being Joola… did she change brand at some stage, or is my memory completely faulty?