Taufik Hidayat - The Independent Pro

[Jagdpanther]

From Taufik to BAM and Malaysian players.

[taneepak]

The time to become independent players is untimely, and I think Taufik and others mistimed this very badly.
We are heading into a very severe finacial crisis or giant storm. Sponsors like Yonex with Japan-based manufacturing gets a double blow from its strong yen and its tumbling exports due to reduced purchasing power for high end racquets. Even non-Japanese sponsors do not know if they will survive in a year's time.
With this I believe sponsors are now tightening their belt and keeping a tight control over those they sponsor. This applies not only to badminton but to all other sports, including F1 racing.
More than a decade ago I had a good investment banker friend who had a very rich Indonesian client, a billionaire, who used to sponsor tournaments in Hong Kong. I was told that he also helped a few top Indonesian players (I think of Chinese descent) finacially. But when the Asian financial crisis hit Asia, and it hit Indonesia and Malaysia particularly severely, this sponsor just disappeared and has since not be heard of. The current crisis is more severe than the Asian crisis.
I wish Taufik the newly independent the best and hope he can be spared any adverse impact of the coming storm.

[otaclub]

i hope that TH can get others sponsor outside Yonex..there will be more to come if he can show some "strenght" in the upcoming AE & Sw.O

[taneepak]

i hope that TH can get others sponsor outside Yonex..there will be more to come if he can show some "strenght" in the upcoming AE & Sw.O

In times like now the richer you are the harder you have fallen. Many millionsires and billionaires are now paupers, some resorting to suicide. Many companies' assets are perhaps completely worthless.
In fact I will not be surprised if Yonex is heading for a massive loss this year.

[pjswift]

In times like now the richer you are the harder you have fallen. Many millionsires and billionaires are now paupers, some resorting to suicide. Many companies' assets are perhaps completely worthless.
In fact I will not be surprised if Yonex is heading for a massive loss this year.

Looks like you may be right about Yonex.Yonex no longer sponsors the KOR team.LYD is now the envious vehicle for Victor.Congrats ,Victor!
Badminton is very much an underrated sport.Top badminton stars going independent is the way to go to lift up the commercial value of badminton.Yonex has gotten away with paying so little for badminton excellence and getting away with so much.The fact that its less lustrous competition is able to outbid it in these times is proof.
It's true that the 'solid' big boys fall the hardest because they have the most to lose. Just like in a tsunami, the richer coastal areas are at highest risk to lose everything while the inner areas remain unscathed in a direct way.So too in a financial tsunami, there will always be competition less hit and hence able to take advantage of situations like now to continue the relay.
In fact these times may be opportunities for badminton to figure as marketing platforms for brands that have never considered it before.They will realise that for an affordable investment,they can get better returns from badminton.
It's just like some brands actually do better in challenging times.The top luxury brands suffer but the next tier may reap from that fallout.
Can you imagine if LCW should go independent and a non-Yonex brand sponsors him? I wonder if Yonex pays LCW enough.

[taneepak]

Let us be clear on what is an independent. An independent player is one who is not part of the national team, is not paid or trained by the national team, and does not use any facilities of the national association. LCW will never be an independent, unless there is a policy change by the BAM. He may be sponsored by sponsors who are not sponsoring the national team. He may even be sponsored by more than one sponsors but he is still in the national team. I think Malaysia is rich enough to not force all its national players to be bound to any sponsor and yet allow them to be in the national team. This will come at a cost to the national association from loss of income from the major sponsor. If the loss of income is too large for the BAM, then LCW will have to continue wearing and playing Yonex.

[Krisna]

Taneepak is right that the timing for INA players to be independent [and playing internationally] is terrible! Taufik, Hendra-Alvent are fine because they have attracted the attention of the major brands... they can play in Super Series etc.

But as for the not so well known Alamsyah, Anggun, Rani, Endang, Andreas Adityawarman, Indra Bagus, Fransisca Ratnasari, etc. They should concentrate in becoming players who play in INA domestic tournaments! Get sponsors who want to get more brand exposure in INA tournaments. There are 14 tournamets in the PBSI calendar outside the INA SS... concentrate on them! Perform well in 2009 and 2010. Earn money along the way. Hope that in 2011 the world economy will have recovered and the sponsors will pick the best of the best of the INA domestic players and give them more money/funds to play in higher level international tournaments. A natural selection will happen.

[otaclub]

Taneepak is right that the timing for INA players to be independent [and playing internationally] is terrible! Taufik, Hendra-Alvent are fine because they have attracted the attention of the major brands... they can play in Super Series etc.

But as for the not so well known Alamsyah, Anggun, Rani, Endang, Andreas Adityawarman, Indra Bagus, Fransisca Ratnasari, etc. They should concentrate in becoming players who play in INA domestic tournaments! Get sponsors who want to get more brand exposure in INA tournaments. There are 14 tournamets in the PBSI calendar outside the INA SS... concentrate on them! Perform well in 2009 and 2010. Earn money along the way. Hope that in 2011 the world economy will have recovered and the sponsors will pick the best of the best of the INA domestic players and give them more money/funds to play in higher level international tournaments. A natural selection will happen.

very wise advice..
i hope this also can live up the INA's domestic tournamentt

[Athelete1234]

Interview from a radio program in Indonesia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Jsy...eature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qplda...eature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSu5B...eature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukPdr...eature=channel

[akrylik]

In my opinion, Taufik's independent status can be used as a major breakthrough in the popularity in badminton for reasons below.

Firstly, Taufik Hidayat has engraved his name in the badminton books as a legend at the start of the millenium. This status can be used to attract big sponsors. The sponsors I refer to is not the usual Yonex, Kason or the badminton regulars. For clothing equipments, it is in my opinion possible for him to obtain a contract with a sport manufacturer giant such as adidas, or Nike. When either of these two brands join the badminton world, the other will as proven compete in the same field. Due to the power of advertisment these two brands posses, badminton will in the near future be popularized as a sport not played on a lazy Sunday family picnic afternoon, but the explosive, powerful indoor sport it is. The advertisment campaign for Yonex is far too poor as a top brand in a sporting event. Even in major countries where badminton is played, I have not once seen a TV advert on the Yonex products. Therefore, a contract with adidas or Nike by a major player, such as Taufik is probably essential to the expansion of badminton as a world sport.

Secondly, ..............

I'm too lazy to finish the post lol; I guess that's the major thing I want to say.

[pjswift]

In my opinion, Taufik's independent status can be used as a major breakthrough in the popularity in badminton for reasons below.

Firstly, Taufik Hidayat has engraved his name in the badminton books as a legend at the start of the millenium. This status can be used to attract big sponsors. The sponsors I refer to is not the usual Yonex, Kason or the badminton regulars. For clothing equipments, it is in my opinion possible for him to obtain a contract with a sport manufacturer giant such as adidas, or Nike. When either of these two brands join the badminton world, the other will as proven compete in the same field. Due to the power of advertisment these two brands posses, badminton will in the near future be popularized as a sport not played on a lazy Sunday family picnic afternoon, but the explosive, powerful indoor sport it is. The advertisment campaign for Yonex is far too poor as a top brand in a sporting event. Even in major countries where badminton is played, I have not once seen a TV advert on the Yonex products. Therefore, a contract with adidas or Nike by a major player, such as Taufik is probably essential to the expansion of badminton as a world sport.

Secondly, ..............

I'm too lazy to finish the post lol; I guess that's the major thing I want to say.

Excellent point.
Yonex' most vulnerable product's probably the shoe.The high end is overpriced while the low end quality is like disposables.It will be interesting to see if Nike or Adidas decides to enter the badminton shoe segment.
However, ESPN's regular badminton coverage (since 2 or 3 years back?) indicates Badminton has made substantial progress. At least ESPN viewers now know that professional badminton is an explosive indoor sport demanding the highest fitness with the quickest reflex.

[jymbalaya]

Excellent point.
Yonex' most vulnerable product's probably the shoe.The high end is overpriced while the low end quality is like disposables.It will be interesting to see if Nike or Adidas decides to enter the badminton shoe segment.

I figured that Yonex's most vulnerable product was their rackets. Their shoes are actually quite excellent IMO, low end to high end. I have used A lot of them too. As for overpriced, its not really/that much, especially for what you get.

As for taufik, i hope his quest is going well for him. It would be kinda cool to see him in a gatorade commercial...

[koo_fan]

In my opinion, Taufik's independent status can be used as a major breakthrough in the popularity in badminton for reasons below.

Firstly, Taufik Hidayat has engraved his name in the badminton books as a legend at the start of the millenium. This status can be used to attract big sponsors. The sponsors I refer to is not the usual Yonex, Kason or the badminton regulars. For clothing equipments, it is in my opinion possible for him to obtain a contract with a sport manufacturer giant such as adidas, or Nike. When either of these two brands join the badminton world, the other will as proven compete in the same field. Due to the power of advertisment these two brands posses, badminton will in the near future be popularized as a sport not played on a lazy Sunday family picnic afternoon, but the explosive, powerful indoor sport it is. The advertisment campaign for Yonex is far too poor as a top brand in a sporting event. Even in major countries where badminton is played, I have not once seen a TV advert on the Yonex products. Therefore, a contract with adidas or Nike by a major player, such as Taufik is probably essential to the expansion of badminton as a world sport.

Secondly, ..............

I'm too lazy to finish the post lol; I guess that's the major thing I want to say.

I just love this post! (^_~)

Taufik is a brand, that'd be my stand too.

[jutawin]

In years ago, Taufik released his autobiography book by title 'MAGNET BULUTANGKIS'.
The book's title mean Taufik can attract many people to love badminton..

[cooler]

I figured that Yonex's most vulnerable product was their rackets. Their shoes are actually quite excellent IMO, low end to high end. I have used A lot of them too. As for overpriced, its not really/that much, especially for what you get.

As for taufik, i hope his quest is going well for him. It would be kinda cool to see him in a gatorade commercial...

it is possible that pjswfit has poor workfoot and doesn't appreciate a pair of good badminton shoes. If u remember camilla martin, she wear yonex low end shoes, the shb 50's most of the time. When she came to calgary to play, she ask yonex canada for shb 55, not 65, not 95, etc

as for nike or adidias sponsoring taufik on shoes alone, i believe yonex sponsor players from head to toes. The adidias/nike shoe deal has to be bigger than what yonex could give for the entire package. It's possible but it has to be a big shoe deal.

i could be wrong but i'm more realistic. To the international sponsors, who is bigger, stand alone taufik or the china/MAS/denmark/INA team???? If ur gonna jump into a sport, who do u pick, a soon to retire player or a team that don't retire and represent a lot more people? if i'm ceo nike/adidias, why would i bankroll a guy who have constant spats with pbsi and coaches? Who is willing to forfeit all england over personal grievance?

[huangkwokhau]

it is possible that pjswfit has poor workfoot and doesn't appreciate a pair of good badminton shoes. If u remember camilla martin, she wear yonex low end shoes, the shb 50's most of the time. When she came to calgary to play, she ask yonex canada for shb 55, not 65, not 95, etc

as for nike or adidias sponsoring taufik on shoes alone, i believe yonex sponsor players from head to toes. The adidias/nike shoe deal has to be bigger than what yonex could give for the entire package. It's possible but it has to be a big shoe deal.

i could be wrong but i'm more realistic. To the international sponsors, who is bigger, stand alone taufik or the china/MAS/denmark/INA team???? If ur gonna jump into a sport, who do u pick, a soon to retire player or a team that don't retire and represent a lot more people? if i'm ceo nike/adidias, why would i bankroll a guy who have constant spats with pbsi and coaches? Who is willing to forfeit all england over personal grievance?

It can be a character..TH has marketing appeal...look at John Mcenroe...!
If LD retires....you do not think big companies will not sponsor him too? he is famous for throwing racket and punching coaches too....so why do you think Yonex still want to keep TH and pay him big Buck.. VICTOR wanted to sponsor TH as well..even China's Li Ning has approached TH recently....question is why those companies still want to bankroll TH in badminton eventhough he is not in INA team?? he has characters...others DONT!!!

[cooler]

It can be a character..TH has marketing appeal...look at John Mcenroe...!
If LD retires....you do not think big companies will not sponsor him too? he is famous for throwing racket and punching coaches too....so why do you think Yonex still want to keep TH and pay him big Buck.. VICTOR wanted to sponsor TH as well..even China's Li Ning has approached TH recently....question is why those companies still want to bankroll TH in badminton eventhough he is not in INA team?? he has characters...others DONT!!!

if u read my previous posts (somewhere), i never said TH couldn't get deals - deals like local and national level. Yonex is big in badminton but not really big in world scale. I'm talking about real international conglomerate biggies like nike, adidias, UPS, fedex, federal express, sony, coke, pepsi, Mcdonalds, etc. U can laugh at LD all u want, he is sponsored, indirectly and/or directly, by LN, pepsi and fedex.