dlp
11-18-2002, 05:05 PM
Firstly I am speaking from a UK perspective. Currently there is about an hour of All England highlights on terrestrial TV and some patchy coverage at Olympics/Commonwealths. To the general public in comparison to the major tv sports badminton receives zero airtime. Even fans find it hard to catch the sport on TV.
Now what difference does this make to the overall grass roots standard in a country.
Let me use tennis as an example, due to the coverage of Henman / Rusedski and Wimbledon everyone knows the basic concepts of the game. They understand the scoring, the names of the shots, perhaps the tactics used by the players and even to some extent can picture correct techniques.
Now you go to a school or leisure centre and watch beginners play. They can't score, they don't know the lines, have no idea of the different shots, I've often seen tennis serves employed, or players only hit the shuttle underarm!!! So a badminton coach is starting from a level of absolute zero, or worse still a preconception that badminton is just like tennis.
I attended an under 13 tournament at the weekend and for all the efforts and enjoyment of the children the number that had any idea of how the game is played was very small, and it wasn't a beginners event, players travelling from other counties. I imagine very few could name England players or could try to copy them.
I'm not just complaining about the lack of UK TV here, but asking what influence the lack of TV has on the base badminton standard.
Let me use an example, I have never played tennis in my life, yet I have a strong image of how the shots are played, I could score the match, stand in the right place. Now lacrosse I have never played or even seen on TV, I have no idea about the size of teams, the rules the pitch, anything! This is where the average UK person comes at badminton from!
Now what difference does this make to the overall grass roots standard in a country.
Let me use tennis as an example, due to the coverage of Henman / Rusedski and Wimbledon everyone knows the basic concepts of the game. They understand the scoring, the names of the shots, perhaps the tactics used by the players and even to some extent can picture correct techniques.
Now you go to a school or leisure centre and watch beginners play. They can't score, they don't know the lines, have no idea of the different shots, I've often seen tennis serves employed, or players only hit the shuttle underarm!!! So a badminton coach is starting from a level of absolute zero, or worse still a preconception that badminton is just like tennis.
I attended an under 13 tournament at the weekend and for all the efforts and enjoyment of the children the number that had any idea of how the game is played was very small, and it wasn't a beginners event, players travelling from other counties. I imagine very few could name England players or could try to copy them.
I'm not just complaining about the lack of UK TV here, but asking what influence the lack of TV has on the base badminton standard.
Let me use an example, I have never played tennis in my life, yet I have a strong image of how the shots are played, I could score the match, stand in the right place. Now lacrosse I have never played or even seen on TV, I have no idea about the size of teams, the rules the pitch, anything! This is where the average UK person comes at badminton from!