Thankfully, it's usually 2 court. But with 9 rubbers to get in, 3 hours can be tight if there are too many 3rd sets!
[MENTION=65533]fauci[/MENTION] [MENTION=1]kwun[/MENTION] Re camera viewing angle: I've complained about the flat top down view before, much preferring an angle where the net tape is shown just outside the baseline, for better depth perception and perception of shot angle, speed etc. But the problem lies in the location of the camera in the venue. Places like INA open, KOR open, HK open are the worst due to the stadium seating that forces the camera to be placed quite high off the playing surface. All England is the best.
I think they should simply do the best they can to bring a truely three dimensional game to the TV viewers. I think everything could be adjusted as long as there's a will.
This score tinkering worrys me a bit. I think they have it correct now so please don't change it! In the planned formats games will be so short that the main events and finals will go from big and engaging events to obsurd sideshows. The trial formats offer little chance for players that get a poor start to come back in the game and have a chance of winning probably making the games quite predictable. A lot can happen in the span of 21 points that can allow a good fluctuation of play. I think many of the above comments regarding the presentation and overall image of the sport are spot on. I have seen a few lower camera angles represented on some of the utube videos that are much more engaging than the overhead view that is currently the standard and perhaps some investigation in to things like that will make it more popular to general viewers. Some work on the over all image of the sport is certainly needed as well, here in the uk it is still regarded as a game a pair of grannies play patting it back and forth to each other. While it can be played like that of course there is so much more to the game which needs portrayed in the right manner to get over to people to sheer speed and variety in the game.
the reason i pointed out that image and presentation is key, is how to make people care. it is very simple. like most professional sports here in the US, ppl care. they might be completely clueless (imagine what's the percentage of ppl watching superbowl knows how the scoring works? probably less than 50%), but they care because their home team is playing. and honestly, most of them like american football and baseball are just boring. if people don't care about something, they can be as excited as badminton, and no one will care. BWF can make it faster harder and even more exciting, people will still not care. if they are curious, they will care. if somehow we pique their interests they will start caring. the product we have, badminton, is already the best in the world, the work now is to showcase it to the world in a proper manner. and make them care.
To improve the "entertainment value" of badminton, BWF is already on the right track with the following. 1. Hawk-Eye instant replay system most recently installed. Beneficial to everyone involved, including players, umpires, spectators, viewers, and even commentators. 2. Speaking of commentators, we must truly thank Gill Clark, Morten Frost, and even John Burgess(!) for keeping us viewers entertained with their thoughtful analysis and occasional humorous banter. 3. BWF with their weekly release of Badminton Unlimited videos in 2014, these have been very useful in showcasing the life and victories and struggles of the pro badminton players. They help immensely with making us care more about the players and their game.
Another thing to consider is the culture of badminton which is mostly Asian. The majority of the players demonstrate no personality whatsoever, so they'll be very hard to market. Interviews tend to be limited or none so it's difficult for the outside world to connect with the players. As far as presentation goes, watching paint dry is sometimes a better option.
how about some innovative marketing. hate to borrow from tennis again, but wouldn't it be cool if someone do something like this for badminton? [video=youtube;9Eabp3Jpy-I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eabp3Jpy-I[/video]
I absolutely agree with Kwun. The priority is marketing. Changing the scoring system etc.to suit tv etc are all wrong priority. Look at Tennis, their scoring system has never change and nothing more complicated than Tennis scoring system. Ask someone to explain why 30 then 40 points just doesn't make sense. But TV, media love them regardless of how the scoring system is.
There's an interesting difference in perception. Here in Europe, many club players and students I've met in university courts are so keen on playing matches that they would not have the patience to spend a couple of minutes with you practicing some basic strokes. Winning a match seems to be the only thing about the sport. While many Asian guys I've met would discuss with you how this or that could be improved and would spend time with you practicing especially if they find out you can play decently well. I know many in Asia would spend big money on coaching lessons to strive for improvements, but to many here it's only a game for fun.
What good is the camera angle when it isn't even shown on television in the first place . You cannot make people care about badminton through the technical aspects of it or the intrinsic game qualities. People care about personalities and home players ... Badminton is so popular in "Asia" it's stuck behind paid sports channels where the majority of people can't even watch it . An idea I've had for a while and maybe even posted in the past is a Thomas/Uber or Sudirman style international league club competition. This way the teams are not bound by nationality yet they represent an area/city to attract some engagement from the locals. "Singapore Lions vs Copenhagen Mermaids, Shanghai Grasshoppers vs Jakarta Eagles" Of course this takes a lot of the solo aspect of the game out of it but that is leading nowhere up anytime soon
If you ask someone on the street (in the UK) to name a badminton player, I think most non-badminton people (even some who play badminton) would struggle to name any. Compare this to other sports and you'll hear them name at least one or two of the top players. Part of this is down to coverage. I could name you one or two darts players despite not following darts at all, simply because it's aired on TV for free here in the UK (on BBC). I find if you tell someone you play badminton, they normally say they enjoy badminton and are quite good, only to find out they've managed to hit a shuttle in the back garden or something similar. I think this is possibly because they are unaware of exactly how good the standard gets in badminton, due to lack of coverage. The club idea is an interesting one, I think they're trying that here in the UK with this new national badminton league. The only badminton my friends ever mentioned was the punch up between the two ex-partners which they seemed to enjoy. Has anyone ever thought about combining badminton and wrestling?! haha. It would definitely increase viewing figures!
Changing the scoring system just for the sake of shorter match time is a stupid logic to develop the sports, this is just to make the sports a fast food and will definitely kill the sports. Imaging if a WC finals just be finished in a 20 min match? Imaging if the TC finals last nite just be finished in a 2:1 3 match competition and each in 20 mins? Where is the excitement? Where will be the chance of young players' (like Daren Liew, Ueda, even Momoto, and MAS' MD2) participation? I don't appreciate the way of thinking of BWF management, and cannot believe that these thoughts were endorsed by the current chairman who was even an top ex-player....
I like the current system. Badminton is exiting as it is! At least for those who like the game. And people who don't like it, will not all of a sudden like it with another point-scheme... The product itself has to be promoted better. Changing the scoring is pointless... (I like the Mixed triples!! Def worth to try in training for those who haven't done it before! It's really funny, fast, demanding...)
