OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Most of it was OK, but I found this answer highly laughable.

What are you hoping for from the Olympics?

Adham Sharara: My fear is the spectators because the sport in England is not as it used to be 15 years ago when it was very popular. We cannot promote our sport during or before the Olympics. This is the role of the organizing committee to promote all sports equally. So what I hope is that at least in the beginning word-of-mouth... people say "Oh, we went to table tennis and it was very exciting, the equipment is different" so more people come.

http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_fu ... ition_ID=&

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Or, it could mean different as in different from what they are used to in other sports. Let's face it, a table tennis bat is different to a tennis racket, especially if you've never played table tennis before. I doubt he was meaning within the sport itself. Though you could ask him.

The way the Olympic organisers are selling the tickets (not the ITTF or ETTA) I think it will be sold out. I'm not sure if the National Associations for each sport get some tickets which they allocate separate to the ballot though. I think someone from our club has bought one for the final and it's costing him £125 (which admittedly is the most expensive ticket price for the whole table tennis tournament). His comment was "how often will I get the chance to see olympic table tennis in person". However, at these prices - and even the much cheaper ones, the organisers are relying a lot on the "olympic brand image" to sell tickets and it being a once in a life time opportunity.

I went to the English Open in Sheffield, but in the current economic climate and at these prices, plus transport, plus accommodation, Olympics or not it's simply too expensive for me and unlike the English Open when your'e ticket was valid for the whole day, I think the olympics are split in to sessions rather than day tickets - may be wrong though, often am.

I don't think he's comparing table tennis bats to tennis rackets.

I think what he's saying is '15 years ago table tennis was popular in England but now it's not, however when people see the current brand of table tennis they will think it's exciting because the equipment is different.'

What I find laughable is 15 years ago the game was popular in England because of stars like Matthew Syed, John Hilton, Carl Prean and Des Douglas -- who all played styles that have been essentially eliminated by the ITTF.

If he's thinking today's TT is more entertaining than what those guys played, I beg to differ.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

I'm not so sure I'd include Desmond Douglas in that list of players.

I also think table tennis was popular back then in terms of "viewers" because the players you mention were "winners" or at least much higher ranked than current UK players and not necessarily because of their style of play. I think the general public like to support and watch the "best" in the sport, or at least people who can compete with the best, be that in Europe or the World. It just helps if those players are from your own country.

Paul Drinkhall, doesn't drawer thousands of people to table tennis matches in the UK. He doesn't play a defensive game, nor does he use pimples or anti spin. Use or type of equipment and style can only go so far in explaining viewing figures and interest, or the lack of it. And before we get too pesimistic let's not forget the Saturday and Sunday of the English Open were sell outs - probably due in no small part to the Chinese entries and their standing in the game, not equipment or style.

I included Douglas because he is considered a blocker, also a style now essentially gone.

Without getting into a discussion on the genericization of table tennis, I simply found Adham's statement to be ironic in light of the ITTF's agenda to eliminate the styles played by the former UK greats when table tennis was popular there.

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

I'd agree, there does seem to be a level of irony in it! The equipment is being pushed to be more the same, not to be more different LOL.

I like his intended magic trick of having a floating table with nothing supporting it underneath Will they play TT on the floor?

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