Lost interest in WTT

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Advances in broadcast TV quality were much more impactful, IMHO. (SD-> HD->4K...)

Yeah, that is so true.
But then, they destroyed that with moving that 4k camera to on top of the umpire

 

[RGo]

You do realize why they changed to the larger ball??? It's supposed to make it easier for spectators to see the ball in hopes of attracting a wider audience. There wasn't anyone watching TT so ITTF had nothing to lose. I don't know the statistics before/after to know if the change helped or not.

So, this sounds entirely ahistorical to me. I started playing around the time when the 40mm ball was introduced, and I remember the argument for the change was to slow down the game and reduce spin. Hoping the result would lead to longer rallies which would be more attractive to viewers, not the increased visibility (which is negligible at best anyway).

 

[Gtsnake]

TT has zero spectators in 90% of the countries in the world, in 38mm era 40mm era and even now.
during a tournament, the tournament players who isn't playing and sitting in the spectator spot is not a spectator.

and then TV audience was on a decline - including in China.
Hence so much changes required from previous super leagues, ie to shorten the match time to around 90 mins, by introducing first to 7 points or 3 game matches.

Truth is, TT is dying as it is just too technical to master and not enjoyable for those who doesn't understand the technicality of the game.

ITTF made rule changes with IOC and audience in mind (IOC has sustainability goals, where speed glue had to go, and then wood is next). Audience with ball size, but that results in more injuries increase percentage than audience increase percentage in my opinion.

In junior level, there is so much more injuries too.

Very true. Sadly we live in a world where attention spans are less than 30 sec and anything complicated and difficult is passed over. Another reason why baseball is declining too. Then pickleball with very little skill required is exploding. I'd rather watch paint dry then a pickleball match.

 

[Gtsnake]

So, this sounds entirely ahistorical to me. I started playing around the time when the 40mm ball was introduced, and I remember the argument for the change was to slow down the game and reduce spin. Hoping the result would lead to longer rallies which would be more attractive to viewers, not the increased visibility (which is negligible at best anyway).

I agree with reducing spin but comparing rallies today to before it doesn't look like speed has changed much. At least not in my calibrated eye.

 

[blahness]

Yeah, that is so true.
But then, they destroyed that with moving that 4k camera to on top of the umpire

It's really a marketing problem imo like what Nextlevel said and WTT is really dropping the ball on this.

Some of the Korean TV shows with amateurs on have more exciting "matches" than the pro ones 😂 especially with good commentary, slowmos and dramatic angles.

 

[RGo]

I agree with reducing spin but comparing rallies today to before it doesn't look like speed has changed much. At least not in my calibrated eye.

But you made the point about comparing pre-2001 with post-2001 (or whenever the increased ball size came in exactly), not about comparing celluloid to non-celluloid balls, which was a way more impactful change than going from 38 to 40mm.

 

[NDH]

Very true. Sadly we live in a world where attention spans are less than 30 sec and anything complicated and difficult is passed over. Another reason why baseball is declining too. Then pickleball with very little skill required is exploding. I'd rather watch paint dry then a pickleball match.

At the risk of offending an entire (rather large) nation..... I think a lot of your comments are much more relatable in the USA 😅

Table Tennis is a horrendous TV sport for a number of reason - Many of which have already been stated.

One reason that hasn't, is because it simply looks like the players aren't very good to the rest of the world who have never played.

"Easy" serves that are pushed long or put into the net?

"Simple" forehand or backhand missed entirely?

Points that don't last very long?

It just looks like these players don't know what they are doing (of course, we know better!)

Now, compare that to the World Championship of Ping Pong, and it's a different story.

Long, intense rally's.

Buzzers for double points

A loud, close to the table crowd.

The whole atmosphere is much better, and it's a really good TV spectacle.

Tennis has long points with a lot of "simple" back and forth hitting - And people love watching/playing it.

Table Tennis in it's current format almost needs to be broken into 2 sports.

The sport of playing like we do now, and the sport of getting it on TV where the rules and equipment need a dramatic overhaul.

Although I suspect that if that were to ever happen, the Table Tennis sport we currently play would eventually fade away and be replaced by the TV sport.

 

[Gozo Aruna]

Any larger radius of ball, TT will become padel / pickelball.

 

[latej]

Table Tennis is a horrendous TV sport for a number of reason - Many of which have already been stated.

One reason that hasn't, is because it simply looks like the players aren't very good to the rest of the world who have never played.

"Easy" serves that are pushed long or put into the net?

"Simple" forehand or backhand missed entirely?

Points that don't last very long?

It just looks like these players don't know what they are doing (of course, we know better!)

These are great points. Especially because without hearing it, it would simply not occur to me, how the hell can someone see it that way. And after hearing it is obvious that well, perhaps even the majority sees it that way ;-)

LOL, "players don't know what they are doing".

But the question is, does it hurt us? And another question, is it really so that TT is declining more than other sports? Perhaps it is even declining less?

 

[NDH]

These are great points. Especially because without hearing it, it would simply not occur to me, how the hell can someone see it that way. And after hearing it is obvious that well, perhaps even the majority sees it that way ;-)

LOL, "players don't know what they are doing".

But the question is, does it hurt us? And another question, is it really so that TT is declining more than other sports? Perhaps it is even declining less?

I don’t have any facts on the issue, so this is all my own observation and opinion.

I guess I’d ask why any sport becomes popular?

It’s either a great TV sport which drives more people to take up the hobby as an amateur.

Or it’s a very accessible sport that people can pick up and play pretty easily.

In its current form, Table Tennis will never achieve the TV popularity - It’s simply not fun to watch and won’t make people want to play it.

In the UK, accessibility is decreasing as well.

They used to play it in schools and “working men’s clubs”, but you very rarely get it in schools now, and the working men’s clubs are disappearing.

There is also a significant lack of coaching available, so kids simply don’t have the ability to improve and enjoy the game more as they improve.

Despite trying to encourage my family to watch TT, the only time they’ve ever shown an interest is when the Ping Ping was on Sky Sports.

 

[jammmail]

I don’t have any facts on the issue, so this is all my own observation and opinion.

I guess I’d ask why any sport becomes popular?

It’s either a great TV sport which drives more people to take up the hobby as an amateur.

Or it’s a very accessible sport that people can pick up and play pretty easily.

In its current form, Table Tennis will never achieve the TV popularity - It’s simply not fun to watch and won’t make people want to play it.

In the UK, accessibility is decreasing as well.

They used to play it in schools and “working men’s clubs”, but you very rarely get it in schools now, and the working men’s clubs are disappearing.

There is also a significant lack of coaching available, so kids simply don’t have the ability to improve and enjoy the game more as they improve.

Despite trying to encourage my family to watch TT, the only time they’ve ever shown an interest is when the Ping Ping was on Sky Sports.

I agree - the problem is (certainly in the UK) is its a niche sport that can be quite clique and not very 'professional/mature' - its seen as a pastime rather than a sport.

I do think the lack of elite competition in the UK plays a part in terms of coverage and popularity though - there are plenty of sports i watch because its a showcase event in the UK and wouldn't watch the rest of the year. I don't understand why London isn't on the WTT tour for example?

The connection of youngsters to stay in the sport also as you alluded too plays a part. Theres a lot of good youngster drift away from the sport when they get to 16/17/18+ that i feel doesn't happen so much from other sports. Table Tennis isn't cool and in the UK at local level is mainly played by older guys. What teens/young adults wanna hang out in a village hall on a cold evening with no one there age?

 

[Gtsnake]

But you made the point about comparing pre-2001 with post-2001 (or whenever the increased ball size came in exactly), not about comparing celluloid to non-celluloid balls, which was a way more impactful change than going from 38 to 40mm.

Yes, that too.

 

[Gtsnake]

Any larger radius of ball, TT will become padel / pickelball.

As long as they don't make TT balls full of holes it will still be better.

 

[Wadawada123]

I am realiving this post in hope of instilling the excitement back into you, did you see the most recent Asia championships !? Despite Ma Longs' "sad" games this year, he built a time machine and went all the way back to the Ma Long he always had within him.

anddd

, the Goat never left, I truly hope we can see more of this style of playing very soon, and no, he doesn't play like everyone else, Ma Long is unique , always testing new techniques and placements

 

[Crillo]

I agree to some degree but not completely .. there are still personalities in the sport .as well as varying style of play ...

Truls Moregardh
Mima Ito
The lebrun brothers
Simon Gauzy
Aruna Quadri
Harimoto
Anders Lind

I agree with your list and I think WTT needs characters like Lebrun and Truls etc. Yes they show feelings and emotions.. I love it! Unique playing styles is a plus! Harimotos choooleeee is refreshing. If WTT truly wants crowed and BIG international sponsors the sport needs to be fun and the stars should be polarizing.

 

[Brs]

I used to love watching table tennis matches on YouTube etc. But I've started to feel that international table tennis in general is past its peak. However, there are 3 main trends that I see, all interlinked, that have been happening for a while, but it seems more pronounced after covid:

- I feel there is a lack of personalities in the sport. Perhaps because they come from a different culture, but even people like Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Ding Ning etc seemed way more charismatic and memorable than the current crop of Chinese players. I bought the Zhang Jike blade years ago, because I thought he was epic. I can't imagine doing the same for a Wang Chuqin blade! Again though, maybe that's just because I follow it less now.

- The sport is way more Asian-centric. Europe had a solid group of players in Timo Boll, Samsonov, Michael Maze etc but one by one as they retired no one seemed to replace them. Now it seems more of the competitions are in Asia or the Middle East too. For me personally, I'm just less excited about the Oman Open with 3 people in the crowd, even if I am just watching it online and the prize money attracts all the top players.

- Convergence of styles. Yes, this has been happening for a while. But I feel a few years ago there was the odd chopper, or someone with a unique flair or style like Xu Xin. Or cool serves like Kenta Matsudaira. Now it seems everybody really does play the same.

Interesting perspective. I pretty much only watch table tennis now and have given up all other sports viewing (football, baseball, tennis).

So between us we balance out:

 

[ma23]

Every top player is playing like crones, no more variation in styles (JPen, CPen, Chopper, Players like Koki Nowa and Kenta.

 

[kaikaii]

I agree with your list and I think WTT needs characters like Lebrun and Truls etc. Yes they show feelings and emotions.. I love it! Unique playing styles is a plus! Harimotos choooleeee is refreshing. If WTT truly wants crowed and BIG international sponsors the sport needs to be fun and the stars should be polarizing.

It's true but I can't help feeling they just hit a wall and then can't advance further, and fall into irrelevance. I always think of players like Adrien Mattenet, Marcos Frietas, Ovtcharov soon (perhaps even Harimoto in the future), who had a similar path.

 

[RGo]

It's true but I can't help feeling they just hit a wall and then can't advance further, and fall into irrelevance. I always think of players like Adrien Mattenet, Marcos Frietas, Ovtcharov soon (perhaps even Harimoto in the future), who had a similar path.

This is the weirdest comparison... Yes, a bunch of mid-30s players have or will fall off. That's the nature of any sport.

Although, your definition of irrelevance is utterly bizarre to me: Yes, Ovtcharov hit a wall but generally, you can't go much higher than world rank number 1 while being close to making the Olympic finals only recently. Also, didn't Freitas just win a WTT tournament and make it to 2nd place in the European games? How is that being irrelevant?

 

[kaikaii]

This is the weirdest comparison... Yes, a bunch of mid-30s players have or will fall off. That's the nature of any sport.

Although, your definition of irrelevance is utterly bizarre to me: Yes, Ovtcharov hit a wall but generally, you can't go much higher than world rank number 1 while being close to making the Olympic finals only recently. Also, didn't Freitas just win a WTT tournament and make it to 2nd place in the European games? How is that being irrelevant?

Yes, they are in their mid-30s now, but their decline started long ago. You can't say with a straight face that Ovtcharov has ever been the true world no.1🤣