System of tournaments in table tennis (World cup, Grand Slams, Opens)

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Possibly I didn't advertise widely enough. However it's running again in July 2015. There is a separate thread on the subject

Hey Heritage,

I saw your other thread.
You defiantly doing something different and imo it will help TT
But you are spot on, you need the TT community to support you, in order for your tournament/project to suceed.
Good luck

Now here is my opnion
Lots of TT players are very stingy in contributing - ie entrance ticket fee, or even being there.
I know it doesn't apply to everyone, but I would like all to hear me.
IE recently Dan did a Stiga limited edition blade for auction - guess how successful was that? but then when it is free, everyone submits votes as they wants freebies.

In South Africa, table tennis is a freebie sport, it is free to play (for many, as the coach will buy you equipment, pick you up from home and take you places, train you for free, feed you etc) and free to watch.
It is so free that it does not attract any spectator (real spectator, not players watching, as they don't have match on)

For any sport to become a sport, or a business model, it require to have spectator, especially spectator that is willing to pay.
When there is a transaction of money, then that means something has a monetary value and only when there is monetary value would it prosper.
Other than that, say if it is "free entry", then it requires to generate "full house" crowd, for sponsors to find it attractive enough to be part of it.

Now I feel this is a challenging part. I hope I can put my bet on TT spectators making up these numbers, but so far - the past 10-20 years, this has been a huge failure.

 

[agold]

For table tennis to be popular, you need children around the world to pick it up. For that to happen, you need parents to notice it as an opportunity. That doesn't involve a cool website or the highest quality cameras. Each and every ittf tournament should increase the prize money every year until they get to a certain prize (allocating money there, instead of, say, to perfecting the website). Then national organizations must do the same with their tournaments. Parents will want their children to play. There will be more coaches, more regional tournaments, higher paid (eventually) everything. Then television companies call and the website matters.

 

[Michal_Z]

Well it is a good idea to try to do it after tennis..
I was thinking about it and the idea of making some "major" tournaments with different playing style, which would be played not best of 7 but best of 9, that would be something! Also allowing (or expanding) doubles with mixed nations would be cool. I dont know why they stopped with this anyways..
I also think that during the final 2 days they should organise some exhibition stuff.. Like competition in exhibition, who can make best exhibition in 2-3 minutes.
And I would make also qualification for this so the public can also compete, amateur players or players like Dan and Editing sports.. that would be cool!
Not just table tennis but fun included too
How about that ???