There's heavy talk of a joint Indonesian-Malaysian super-league set to take off later this year. Apparently, it's loosely modelled on the Indian and Chinese leagues. Team structure and media management will follow the Indian system. The competition format and regulations will follow the Chinese system. The new league (which hasn't been named yet) will be bankrolled by Indonesian billionaire Erick Thohir. He has major holdings in television, radio, web and print (including sports magazines and newspapers). Thohir is not new to commercial sport - he co-owns Inter Milan and has a prominent stake in the Philadephia 76ers. The league's exclusive corporate sponsor is very likely to be Li Ning. Li Ning has offered to bring both Lin Dan and Chen Long into the new league. If that happens, the new super-league will outclass the Indian league. Players, wages, prize money, team composition, etc have not been decided. A game is 11 points - and the match winner is decided on a best-of-five-games basis. The format has the five standard discplines (MS, WS, MD, WD & XD) and an extra discpline tentatively named 3D. An alternative name being discussed is XT (Mixed Triples). 3D (or XT) features three players-a-side, with one of them compulsorily a female player. Also, the teams are all required to have at least five nationalities on their player rolls. Right now, the big hurdle is the lack of a large-enough tournament window to stage the league. I'm told that the dates of the Singapore Open are being adjusted to make room for the league. The league's name is a thorny issue as the idea is to have a 'travelling' league. The matches will be held in different cities in both Indonesia and Malaysia. (And in return for shifting the Singapore Open, the city might be included as one of the match venues.) I must confess that, at this moment, I do not know enough to make sense out of all the rumours. If other members have more information or explanations, please do enlighten us further.
BO5 with 11 points per game... I don't like the sound of that. How long is the break between the games in the Chinese league? Also the footage of the 3D or XT I saw didn't get me excited.
Total number of points over 5 games x 11 points = 55 (compared to 3 games x 21 points = 63). The difference is greater over shorter matches. Greater variability with 5 games. Suits the higher intensity players rather than defensive style. It makes sense to have a super league. There was talk of a Malaysian badminton league but at the top level, the window of free time doesn't exist for the players. Three badminton leagues in one year is about the maximum. Of course, this doesn't exclude leagues involving lower ranked players. Can we get leagues exclusive to players outside the top 20?
Hm..Interesting....wenever heard anyhting yet...Li Ning guy was here 2 days ago...anyway...it wont be easy..You cant get Chineseplayers just like that even thru Li Ning...It is different ball games...If PBSI isnot involved then it is hard to see they will do it....Even on BAM's side...there is no talk..not sure if the news is true...As we speak...we are organizing DjarumSuperliga in bigger scale....we know what it takes...
Thank you for the reply Yes, it is indeed early days. Neither the PBSI nor the BAM has been 'officially' approached yet. I will post more information as soon as I get any.
