“So, with that said, we went back to the drawing board and said, what can we do in the U.S.? So when the U.S. and China actually went together and were bidding for the world championships, back-to-back as an anniversary of the ‘ping-pong diplomacy’ 50 years [after], so we had Chengdu 2022 and Houston 2021, they were actually bidding, let’s say, together.
“So we said at that time that’s a perfect event to have there and we convinced the [ITTF Annual General Meeting] to vote them forward … But in 2021, luckily in Texas, during the pandemic, we could have spectators, so we had actually a very good [event] – spectators and the atmosphere – they really got it. It was a show and it was really very good.
“We had taken also learnings from the world championships in Houston, so the main table and how it is presented now in our high-level Smash events is actually inspired from the Houston event.”
So the U.S. has been a springboard of sports out of the pandemic for the ITTF, and Sorling added:
“In the last two years, in December, I have been to U.S. Open, [2023] in L.A. and [last] year in Las Vegas and it’s very crowded. There is, I can see, a big push and that there is also better results from the players, so we are actually investing in U.S. as one of our most important markets with big potential.
“We are happy that LA2028 takes place; but it’s not, let’s say, the reason [for the U.S. Smash]. We saw already in ‘16 when we went to Philadelphia, we have also very big Asian communities. Around L.A. there is a lot of China associations, but not only about China, but let’s say the platform, we know that we will have spectators there. We know that table tennis is a sport that is for everyone and we are also now trying to build up, to have events. Because what we do now with the Smash, it’s every year. It’s not coming there once, like the world championships, or the World Cup, but with the Smash we go back.
“So the plan is to go, we will have the Smash in Las Vegas and the only one challenge we have is we wanted to stay in Vegas or go to L.A.? That’s what we are discussing and we will try now and see how in July it is in Vegas, but it’s a priority market … it’s a market where we have a lot of potential.”
