agenthex wrote: If you've ever seen the two tone-ball in action it basically becomes a blur at anything but very low spin, and with a super-fast camera, reducing the speed to where the spin is discernible means everything else standing still. The motivation was good, but I at least found the execution lacking.
The fundamental problem is that most points don't produce epic rallies, and all but experts have no idea what's happening; the ITTF is right on this point. Sure you can explain after the fact given enough time (there currently isn't and doing so would really extend match times), Better commentary in that direction needs to be part of the show, but it's still a terrible experience to watch for nothing on most points. What I mean is that even in the best case, a nuanced spin/no-spin serve, it takes a very highly skilled operator/commentator on the level of the players to pick this up nevermind work the equipment & point out highlights before the next point starts. Again, imagine the experience of watching poker without the hole-cam and the commentators explaining what happened only after the action, and only of the discarded hole cards they can logically piece back together. The hole-cam made post-analysis much better, too.
Presumably the flow if this exist is that the info's visible but unobstructing, like the ball itself can be color-coded with the same technology, and your own focus gradually shifts entirely to the broader point if a rally starts. Also with general ball-tracking, path-tracing would make the point much more interesting for analysis. Let's be honest, how many club players nevermind general spectators really understand what's going on in pro matches? Does a few select slo-mo of the serves really help? These are important questions to not only ask but resolve.
IMO there are only a few key pieces of "hidden" information necessary to make TT a much better show for everyone. Spin is definitely one of them.
You have identified a fundamental problem quite well; table tennis as presently played at its highest levels is baffling to all but those very few people (virtually all international level players and coaches) acquainted with what's actually going on. And what's actually going on occurs so quickly that there is no time for a spectator unfamiliar with the sport to begin to acquaint him- or herself with what is going on.
And, unless there are not a few more "epic" rallies in present day world class table tennis, why would you think that a basic understanding of spin, which can be a hindrance, not necessarily a help to producing epic rallies, would be a factor in making table tennis more watchable?
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Lots of smiles and laughter all around.