I was just thinking of a new topic... as I realize that here in Canada... our atheletes are really good, and train hard, however due to the fact that we just cant compete with the bigger stronger, faster teams from the US, we tend to not win as much.
That's another bowl of apples, I wont tackle right now.

Anyways... the point of the topic was... especially in Calgary...
Since our major sports team... (the Calgary Flames, Ice Hockey team...)
aren't doing so well... why don't the news channels, and papers themselves try to promote amateur sports here???
Wouldn't that be something logical to do?
I mean your team is out of the play offs, and you're only basically doing limited coverage of the sports anyways...
If they promoted such sports as badminton... wouldn't we have more money, to fund for better programs to get the kids into an active life style, and help promote healthy living, team work, and good sportsmanship???
In other words help raise the kids to become better, and healthier people?

I'm thinking it's better than seeing them out there on the streets taking drugs, and stuff.

Anyways... I'm sure that's what we'll be coming to sooner or later, because the bigger sports in our city have been losing support.
I see the University, and Colleges in action with their sports teams and it's great!!!
It's more exciting, as more people are in the crowds, cheering and supporting their own sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, cousins... I think you get the point.

I'm not saying sports don't have drugs or substance abuse cases... but at least it's an alternative to covering virtually nothing.
Look at how many people crowd into the gymnasiums weekly to play badminton?
Whether it's badminton season or not in the schools, there are literally hundreds of peole, numbering into the thousands if you count on a weekly basis, that are doing what they believe in while playing our great sport, and that's having fun! :)

I don't know... what do you guys think?


:) :( :o :D ;) :cool: :P :? :X

Yeah, it would be nice to see badminton coverage in the news. I was surprised when the MRC tournament was covered a 'lil bit (forgot the station - was it A-Channel? I was channel surfing when I accidentally saw the coverage)

Anyway, we badminton enthusiasts could let the news channels and papers know the badminton happenings of the area to help promote the sport.

I remember back when badminton became a full-fledged
Olympic sport, a freaking ignorant, and moronic
sportswriter from the Herald whined bitterly about it.

He compared badminton to ballroom dancing and basically
had no clue.

In 1985, when miracle of miracles, Calgary somehow
managed to host the World Championships, more people
showed up at a Calgary Cannons baseball game than at the
last day of Finals.
I don't think baseball is that big in Calgary. Hey, since
the Cannons have left the city, we should try hosting
another World Championship!!!! :)

In order for badminton to show up on TV, it has to catch
the attention of the average beer-guzzling armchair
quarterback first. This is what generates ratings.
The more exciting aspects of the game have to be displayed
and highlighted and this means the DOUBLES events.
The singles and mixed events are just too subtle for the
average viewer to appreciate.

There's got to be room somewhere in TSN's schedule to
show this right? I'm sure they can replace their weekly 5 pin
bowling broadcast or the World's Strongest Man Competition
from 1985.......

I still think a spoken agent like the IBF can do more to promote badminton than organizing some international tournaments. Golf is more subtle than singles and mix events but look at golf now, it wasn't a tv attraction until recently (tiger wood helped too). I do think IBF is reacting to complains rather than proactively and creatively promoting badminton, IMO.

I still think a spoken agent like the IBF can do more to promote badminton than organizing some international tournaments. Golf is more subtle than singles and mix events but look at golf now, it wasn't a tv attraction until recently (tiger wood helped too). I do think IBF is reacting to complains rather than proactively and creatively promoting badminton, IMO.

I still think an agency like the IBF can do more to promote badminton than organizing some international tournaments. Golf is more subtle than singles and mix events but look at golf now, it wasn't a tv attraction until recently (tiger wood helped too). I do think IBF is reacting to complains rather than proactively and creatively promoting badminton, IMO.

my pc didnt respond so i assumed no transmission

hey guys, i don't see your names in the alberta single ranking list. Do you guys play tournaments? Vince said he's ranked 90 but i didnt find it.

What college sports are popular in Canada? Do they get the same level of media coverage as with American college football, basketball and to a lesser extent, hockey or baseball?

We get PBA bowling tournament coverage probably once every 4-6 weeks in the American midwest. Now I like to bowl on a lousy winter day, but no way is this sport even half as interesting to watch as badminton....

I had an idea on this line of thought that I will post as a new topic to attract more attention.

I have written to TSN suggesting they showing badminton but no luck. It's interesting, but I think they do have badminton tapes but for some reason they choose not to broadcast it. Prior to 1998 World Cup finals (football) and while waiting for the satelite signals from Europe, TSN broacasted the Uber Cup (??) being played in Hong Kong, a footage with interviews of Camilla Martin and her game against Susi Susanti. That lasted a few minutes and I immediately wrote to TSN about the footage and for them to consider broadcasting it. No luck, the guys never replied to my e-mail. Probably if all of you guys sent an e-mail to TSN or CTV Sports Net might make a difference.

i too have written to cbc and tsn but got no reply neither. I gave them ton of reasons but fell to deaf ears. I remember one of my friend had told me to watch sydney olympic badminton on CBC on one wednesday evening 9:00pm because he got it from tv times. Guess what, CBC cancelled in the last minute.

Actually.. CBC did broadcast the Canadian Open last year. I don't know how the viewership of that come out, but I'm sure it could possibly play a factor in why CBC is reluctant to show anymore badminton.

oh, that was an exhibition tournaments inside cbc building of some sort. It was a series of programs, 3 or 4 of them spreading over 2 weeks, to highlights other 'non mainstream sports' of canada and badminton was one of those sport it was shown. I dont buy tv times so i missed it.

I literally watched 15 hours of Olympics every night for
2 weeks(I was on vacation) and missed the badminton
coverage. It was on once at about 2:30 in the morning
on a Sunday. :-( I had fallen asleep.

Is this a trap? I like to be anonymous much as the people in this forum, so I can't tell you exactly where I ranked. I check the Alberta ranking recently, I ranked somewhere between 70-110, I let you guess. Kelvin and my partner are the only people who know who I am in this forum, so Kelvin know where I rank. If I know who you are, cooler, than I can be more specific. I feel I am in a disadvantage position if you know who I am, I know it's silly but that's how I feel. Let me know when you coming to VS, so I be sure to meet you and play you. Be warned, VS is very busy now, you have to be very aggressive to get on court unless you come on less busy day like Thursday or noon Sunday. Play you soon.

fair enough. You are more sneaky than i thought. Your deceptive shots must be pretty good. I will be busy this and maybe next month so i can't promise when i would show up one day. Why dont you play other clubs, like MRC, U of C, Indonesia Social Club, Northern Lights at Beddington school ? Maybe you live close to VS.

I know who you are now Cooler. hehehe...
So tricky are the both of you ;)
Anyways... you guys should rally up your partners and have a doubles game, meanwhile I'll be getting ready for a singles match with you guys, because I suck at doubles... Vince knows this.. hehehe. and I'm sure Cooler knows this now too, if he saw my poor performance. ;)

I re-read your post cooler... you're very cunning too, asking him to go play more, that way, you'll see someone who doesn't play at your places regularly, and identify that as vince.. .hehehe...

Uhm no.. They brroadcasted the finals for Men's Double, Singles and Mixed in the Canadian Open... There was no exhibition play broadcasted. I don't know what you are talking about. If you email CBC sports, you may be able to buy tapes of the Canadian Open from last year.

Well, maybe we r talking about the same things. I dont buy tv guides, i just know cbc had broadcast some tournaments played inside cbc's building. Anyhow, i didn't see that broadcasting.

well, it's hard to hide in this cyber world. I know it's only matter of time before you and vince dig me out. Two again one, you guys got a unfair advantage :(
So if you see a good looking "guy" showing up on courts one day accompanying by several loosely dressed gf's, you know who i am.

Actually, I'm pretty sure of who you are now.

As I know of one other person with your first name from my past. :)
Sure gave me a good lesson, about playing doubles when I was younger. ;)
hehehe...

It's ok, I wont say anything to either of you who is, who.
It doesn't matter anyway.
We're all in it for the game, that's all that matters. :)