City hosts badminton contest The world team badminton championships are to be held in Glasgow - the first time it has been held in Scotland in a decade, it has been announced. The Sudirman Cup tournament will take place in 2007, bringing millions of pounds of revenue to Scotland. Sports minister Frank McAveety welcomed the news and said it would showcase Scotland to a worldwide audience.
Was there any information leaked about where in Glasgow they might be held? 2007! I'll probably miss them; I sure don't want to be still in Scotland in three years time.
While that seems like the obvious choice, I thought they might have considered hosting them at the Gorbals Leisure centre or at one of your fine churches; who minds that you can almost touch the ceiling with your racquet and the lines are painted across the feet of pianos round the odd radiator and occasionally on the backwall itself? .
That's why the Academy was built! I have the sneaking suspicion that there are not enough seats if people turn up en mass!
Congratulations Scotland and to you too, Dill! As far as we are concerned here, you are the voice for Scotland, so please keep us updated from time to time on the progress of this project till its completion in 2007. Maybe kwun and Janet will make a special effort to represent BF with kwun Jr tagging along as well. Your lack of confidence in the seating capacity, however, comes as a great disappointment. I was hoping the whole world will have an excuse to converge in Scotland and the Cup's timing should coincide with Scotland's world famous annual tattoo! Then I would be very tempted to visit as well, that is if all goes well. Maybe you should round up the baddie boys and petition for a larger indoor stadium!
I'm not sure about the capacity but it can't be far off 500-750, oh well At least we've got some world class badminton coming to Glasgow and what better way to let the beginners and kids see how the game is in reality! Let's hope it is marketed well! There has been a lot of critisisms recently because the funding is waining in Scotland and is only covering certain things and full squads are sometimes to many to fund for competitions but this time the money used to send the delegation to Indonesia and bring back the competition can not only bring revenue but market Scotland as a badminton country, we do not have world class players but we can all dream!
Loh - here is your first update! I think the one on the far left is pretty but her dad (second from the right) failed me on one of my coaches awards Hilary Atkinson (BADMINTONscotland Bid Co-ordinator), Joe Aitken (Glasgow City Council Head of Events), David Barr (President BADMINTONscotland), Dawn Hodge (UK Sport Major Events Consultant), John Swanson (Glasgow City Council Head of Sport and Leisure), David Williams (Chief Executive EventScotland), Carole Barr (President's wife), Colin Atkinson (BADMINTONscotland facilities & technical adviser), Paul Bush (EventScotland International Event Programme Manager). Photography by Raphael Sachetat
Hi Dill Thanks for your first update and an introduction to Scotland's badminton personalities on the management side. You're pretty efficient and I wonder how come they deny you your coach award. That must have been sometime ago and I hope you have been compensated since then. Maybe you will appear in the picture as we approach nearer 2007. Why not make it happen?
http://www.scotbadminton.demon.co.uk/scottishbadmintonunion.htm according to this article the event was held at scotstoun leisure centre, not sure if this is the same place.
i had the same thought! the moment i saw the announcement about Glasgow and Madrid, i asked Janet, "want to make a Europe trip?" .... but no answer. i think it is nice to have the big tournaments in different countries every year, avid badminton fans will be able to follow them and visit different places all the time. so i wish i can be retired and be able to do that!
UPDATE 2: Cheung and James, The Sports centre is on the left hand side of the first picture and the new Academy is on the right hand side if you virtually split the photo down the middle. The sports centre is where the World Championships were held. Loh, The second picture is the inside of the main hall, the Academy is split into two sections (i) the first has 4 courts all in a row which joins onto the second hall (ii) the second hall shown in this picture has two rows of three courts, which you can just see in the photo. If you look you can see the rows of pull out chairs and there is another set along in front of the other row of three and another in the first hall with the four courts. If the seats are pulled out you lose the first court in each section limiting from 10 courts to 7. I still don't think there are enough seats. This is what you get for £3.5 million.
I expect they will just do the same as they did for the Scottish open - that is, reduce the number of courts. I don't see it how it could be a problem; at the All England 2004, there were usually only 2 matches on at once. The courts at the Badminton Academy are the best I've played on; it's a pity that the only two good (and purpose-built) badminton venues in Glasgow are so remote and difficult to get to.
After reducing to two courts, they may be able to put extra temporary seating. But, it means booking your tickets early for the finals. The headlines will say "Sudirman Cup is a sell out success in Scotland"....
Ha..Ha.. I can see the papers now " both atendees were more than happy at the seating arangements" they were that close to courtside they could smell the glue melting as the shuttle flew past their faces at speeds of up to 3,000mph" Aparently there is plans to put up marquee's and to use the sports centre next door as in 1997, but there are rumblings that certain other city centre venues will have to be used.