Major League TT

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I don't have high hope for MLTT.

I think we need grassroot movement. Growing the sport from the grounds up.

But that shouldn't be the responsibility of MLTT
MLTT is just like MLB or NBA

a lot of grassroot in sports is schools from an early age.
school brings most of the coverage to grassroots and from there you have clubs or academies that excel further where the school can't.

They can help with visits to few here and there, but the actual running and developing of the school sport should be an independent body/unit with its sole responsibility in schools

 

[JJ Ng]

But that shouldn't be the responsibility of MLTT
MLTT is just like MLB or NBA

a lot of grassroot in sports is schools from an early age.
school brings most of the coverage to grassroots and from there you have clubs or academies that excel further where the school can't.

They can help with visits to few here and there, but the actual running and developing of the school sport should be an independent body/unit with its sole responsibility in schools

That is why instead of spending money on MLTT, they should have spent money on starting an afterschool program in say NYC, LA or Houston.

 

[ben1229]

That is why instead of spending money on MLTT, they should have spent money on starting an afterschool program in say NYC, LA or Houston.

That's true, if they have aftershool program should be perfect.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

That is why instead of spending money on MLTT, they should have spent money on starting an afterschool program in say NYC, LA or Houston.

who is they? Flint Lane?

He already started 2 clubs in Princeton and Naples.

If any, clubs in NYC and LA or Houston should do stuff in their own cities and not a club owner from Princeton or Naples right?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

That's true, if they have aftershool program should be perfect.

Flint's Princeton club have summer camp programs. Naples is opening soon and I would believe he would do the same.
So I would assume they have some junior or youth program going on, but obviously not in the cities that JJ ng listed

 

[Tiz]

who is they? Flint Lane?

He already started 2 clubs in Princeton and Naples.

If any, clubs in NYC and LA or Houston should do stuff in their own cities and not a club owner from Princeton or Naples right?

Exactly and I would add they kids need heroes to be attracted to a sport, so this league may solve 2 problems for the current situation in the US: 1) give pros a a possibly remunerative place to play (remember Ariel Hsing and many others preferred college to TT), 2) give kids some models to follow

 

[JJ Ng]

Exactly and I would add they kids need heroes to be attracted to a sport, so this league may solve 2 problems for the current situation in the US: 1) give pros a a possibly remunerative place to play (remember Ariel Hsing and many others preferred college to TT), 2) give kids some models to follow

Ariel Hsing eventually went into management consulting?

I just don't think table tennis players' salaries will be that attractive.

Table tennis will always be a niche sport in the US, whether you have heroes to look up to or not.

US women's soccer team has won the world cup but it is still hard to make soccer popular on TV.

 

[Der_Echte]

Ariel Hsing eventually went into management consulting?

I just don't think table tennis players' salaries will be that attractive.

Table tennis will always be a niche sport in the US, whether you have heroes to look up to or not.

US women's soccer team has won the world cup but it is still hard to make soccer popular on TV.

Tell those Fraus and Fräuleins who should be supporting women's sport to the hilt that they should buy hundreds of USD of fan gear, attend the matches, and tell the TV survey people they watch the stuff on TV...

... but we know DAT aint gunna happen.

 

[Der_Echte]

But that shouldn't be the responsibility of MLTT
MLTT is just like MLB or NBA

a lot of grassroot in sports is schools from an early age.
school brings most of the coverage to grassroots and from there you have clubs or academies that excel further where the school can't.

They can help with visits to few here and there, but the actual running and developing of the school sport should be an independent body/unit with its sole responsibility in schools

Yup on ur analysis.

In USA, it comes down to convincing momma who secretly and openly controls the budget and cash flow that she should pay much money to equip and train their kids to do TT, instead of 12-15 other sports that have more national cultural appeal.

Heck, in USA, even friggin' CORNHOLE has a national audience, 100 USD screen printed uniforms, TV cameras and commentators, and rabid fan base.

Maybe a 60 second MMA fight on or under the table before TT hostilities begin would ad TV ratings.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Ariel Hsing eventually went into management consulting?

I just don't think table tennis players' salaries will be that attractive.

Table tennis will always be a niche sport in the US, whether you have heroes to look up to or not.

US women's soccer team has won the world cup but it is still hard to make soccer popular on TV.

many sports salary is not enough.
Some will move on, some will stay
Ariel and Erica didn't stay, Lily did.
For Ariel and Erica, 1 olympics was enough.
For many players (around the world), 1 olympics is enough.

I would agree if MLTT was around earlier, maybe, just maybe, there is something for the young 20 years old to aim for.
Back then, it was only coaching, and obviously Ariel chose another path. She actually spent a season in the super league in China and then came back to the USA and "retired" without retiring. She just went to university and that was it.

TT is a niche sport in 95% of the countries of the 200 member ITTF member list.
You from Canada, it is worse there right? can't even fill a 10 man senior team. and they don't even have internationals.

In USA, it is still a pretty strong club model, and I think that is how the club can make money.
The moment you go into schools, then maybe, that model becomes a lot more complicated.

In Taiwan, it is both a school model and after school model (where players seek 1 on 1s - and that is where coaches earn they money). In the recent completed Elite Youth TT Tournament (Where singapore cadet team took part and all loss around in the round of 32), there was 4500 entries for the qualifications, of which 460 qualified for the finals. Of the 4500 that entered, maybe 10 fold more didn't enter and of the 45k kids playing, i'm sure 33% do 1 on 1 coaching. Taiwan is obivously a first world tt market, and which has a strong school structure and is really up there and actually better than the likes of China who is only focused on sports school.

So you need someone who can go into schools and look at short term loss, for long term gains.

Some times, I feel, you don't anything fancy to start. If a TT Fan is serious, he/she can do it and get in a coach to run the show.
Each person contributes, then the community will be healthy.
Each person buys a ticket to watch MLTT, MLTT could survive. It requires TT Fans, not just TT players.

 

[Metaxa]

The players in MLTT don't play in 5-6 national league
Many of them don't even play in 1

Sure they do, I clarify for a moment, at least 1 player from the Chicago team played in 5 different (international)/national clubs/teams last season, competing at the highest level and in some he even played champion in that particular country.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Sure they do, I clarify for a moment, at least 1 player from the Chicago team played in 5 different (international)/national clubs/teams last season, competing at the highest level and in some he even played champion in that particular country.

half the roaster seem to be from USA and few from Canada and some from the rest of Americas.
Other than those, maybe they would have some home leagues some where in the world (In Europe/Asia).
But many of them are not your fancy globe trotters or big income earners.

So of the 64 players, around half is not really globetrotters and the other half is - for flying in lol

However, most top tiers (other than Chinese) do play min 3 to 4 leagues, and then another 8 to 12 WTT and extras with the forms of world cup/champs.

league is a more set income for players, since there is a base/participation fee.
unlike WTT, unlucky draw or off game and you KO on day 1 and income is zero while incuring expense and time wastage.

I actually prefer good leagues systems over WTT (in fact most high income pros sports, are league systems)
TT is trying to copy Tennis....
The current success of TT in the world is all "league system", like in Germany, China and Japan (the ones that actually have audience).
How they think changing things to singles system will win....I don't know, since there is not a single country where "singles system" can bring in money to the player.

 

[Metaxa]

half the roaster seem to be from USA and few from Canada and some from the rest of Americas.
Other than those, maybe they would have some home leagues some where in the world (In Europe/Asia).
But many of them are not your fancy globe trotters or big income earners.

So of the 64 players, around half is not really globetrotters and the other half is - for flying in lol

However, most top tiers (other than Chinese) do play min 3 to 4 leagues, and then another 8 to 12 WTT and extras with the forms of world cup/champs.

league is a more set income for players, since there is a base/participation fee.
unlike WTT, unlucky draw or off game and you KO on day 1 and income is zero while incuring expense and time wastage.

I actually prefer good leagues systems over WTT (in fact most high income pros sports, are league systems)
TT is trying to copy Tennis....
The current success of TT in the world is all "league system", like in Germany, China and Japan (the ones that actually have audience).
How they think changing things to singles system will win....I don't know, since there is not a single country where "singles system" can bring in money to the player.

As far as I know, the Chicago player almost never plays WTT tournaments, only competition in 5 different countries.
What I already wondered in my first contribution, I don't know if all those playing options, both competition and WTT, benefit the players.
"All about the money" but I fear more injuries to more players.
The big advantage is that there will be a much faster flow of young players.
I fear that WTT will eventually "destroy itself" with all those tournaments worldwide and now with the MLTT they are to much possibilities.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

As far as I know, the Chicago player almost never plays WTT tournaments, only competition in 5 different countries.
What I already wondered in my first contribution, I don't know if all those playing options, both competition and WTT, benefit the players.
"All about the money" but I fear more injuries to more players.
The big advantage is that there will be a much faster flow of young players.
I fear that WTT will eventually "destroy itself" with all those tournaments worldwide and now with the MLTT they are to much possibilities.

WTT is not a profit making competition.
Fan only made USD 170k last year, and he was the top earner.
any one outside top 30 in the world won't even make enough to cover taking part in WTT
I still remember that one feeder Lily won, she won USD350 in prize money. Her entry fees was more than that lol.

playing league in 5 countries is the way to go
there isn't that much matches in league, compared to WTT. WTT is normally back to back nowadays, and if you play singles, doubles and mixed doubles and don't loose too early, that is easily 10+ matches within 3 days, and then you travel and the same again. So inside the space of 2 weekends, or say 10 days, you travel 3 times, and have 20 matches.

leagues - is a lot more relaxed.
If you just look at that, league will have less injuries

 

[Metaxa]

WTT is not a profit making competition.
Fan only made USD 170k last year, and he was the top earner.
any one outside top 30 in the world won't even make enough to cover taking part in WTT
I still remember that one feeder Lily won, she won USD350 in prize money. Her entry fees was more than that lol.

playing league in 5 countries is the way to go
there isn't that much matches in league, compared to WTT. WTT is normally back to back nowadays, and if you play singles, doubles and mixed doubles and don't loose too early, that is easily 10+ matches within 3 days, and then you travel and the same again. So inside the space of 2 weekends, or say 10 days, you travel 3 times, and have 20 matches.

leagues - is a lot more relaxed.
If you just look at that, league will have less injuries

That's exactly what I mean. Most players who play WTT have sky-high expenses. I don't think sponsors and/or national organizations can continue to finance this, not to mention the organizers. If you see what the spectator numbers were in the Feeder of Olomouc...Too much from everything.
I see in the long term that the WTT-circus will have to adjust its formula and then the MLTT seems to me to be a good example. If they could roll this out globally with top 100 players, I think this would be a better choice.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

That's exactly what I mean. Most players who play WTT have sky-high expenses. I don't think sponsors and/or national organizations can continue to finance this, not to mention the organizers. If you see what the spectator numbers were in the Feeder of Olomouc...Too much from everything.
I see in the long term that the WTT-circus will have to adjust its formula and then the MLTT seems to me to be a good example. If they could roll this out globally with top 100 players, I think this would be a better choice.

WTT circus has rating points - for world ranking for seeding for Olympic Games and such.
So, there will still be a good amount of players that is keen.

secondly, you also need some world ranking to show your worth.
Do you pay top dollar for an unknown/unranked Taiwanese player that is based on my word to your ears?
or you go and check, now there is a kid that is ranked 30 odd in the world and has wins against x, y, z,

Even though WTT is a nightmare, it is still the core of Pro table tennis in many ways and that is why pros still need to take part in the international circuit.
It has just been so much tougher since the change of point validity period.

MLTT is a good idea, but how many players benefit outside of Americas. less than 30?
I wanted to arrange a couple of Taiwanese to go, but I gather, let MLTT take its course.
I do know a couple of 2650+ level players that could play there any time, as they are out of the Taiwanese senior line up (or have no intention to continue). But then again, they could just go to Europe, as things are just so much more establish there.

WTT event host does loose money. This is why countries like Japan isn't too keen to host.
Taiwan also vouch to wait till 2025 and see how it goes with the rest who started in 2022 (monitor for 3 years).

 

[Dr Evil]

...
Each person buys a ticket to watch MLTT, MLTT could survive. It requires TT Fans, not just TT players.

The fans are almost all players. TT just isn't a good spectator sport without an appreciation for techniques and tactics.