TT Promotion - Is this the way forward?

[Annie]

The Indian Premier Cricket League have had a face lift (or was it a nip and tuck?), they have adopted the concept of having Cheer Leaders to entertain the crowds and to motivate them to cheer their teams on.

Take a look at this (but promise you'll come back!)............

:static::static::static: Click Here (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041803577.html?hpid=topnews) :static::static::static:

So what's the consensus? Should Table Tennis consider adopting this kind of promotion?

[JKC]

I might find myself coming out of semi-retirement and attending the odd GP myself again, but could find concentration difficult.

[Annie]

I'm sure the Lady with the very long legs would make an excellent Table Tennis player! :resent:

[The Windmill]

They were absolutely rubbish cheer leaders but who cares. Might not be the same in Newcastle, with the amount of fat lasses about

[Annie]

I'm sure DaveR could handle any Newcastle Lady in the name of TT!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/hungarianwonderwoman/TTT/cheerleader2.gif

[JKC]

Have you got the 'after' picture when he dropped her on his head.

[Annie]

I've posted that on another site :resent:

But seriously does anyone think we should be looking at adopting more commercial tatics to promote the sport?

[Tinykin]

I don't know about promoting the sport as such, but we could improve on our presentation of the sport. Eg, at almost any tournament the presentation is usually an afterthought. The finals themselves are stuck on any available table. Then the winner is simply called over to the officials who then stick the medal into his/her hand and say "well done" then off you go. Can anything be more dispiriting after putting in all that effort?
There are exceptions of course. "Big up" to the Cheltenham Crew whose junior 4-star event is probably the best presented.

[Guy]

I would like to through out a thought for opinions on whether or not this would spark some interest to existing players and possibly be a way to get more players.
When I was in junior high I played Badminton and the tournaments I would attend in Michigan and Canada would be a 3 day affair so that Friday evening would be open to have the players (senior and juniors players) get together for a buffet/potluck type of dinner and dancing.
Also in the mid 80’s I took up Racketball here in Arizona and the tournaments would do the same with the dinner and dance on Friday’s. I will have to say I no longer attend tournaments for Badminton and Racketball so don’t know if this practice still exist.
If I remember correctly this was always an option for the players and an additional fee was part of the entry in Racketball.
This would certainly give the players a chance to socialize with other players and it would be for the players not the spectators.

[Jose]

Yes, I definitely think the sport needs promotion and it needs a professional approach. The sport needs "selling", and to sell the sport the presentation has to improve considerably in national and local events. (I think it will be easier when all this equipment situation is settled. At the moment trying to explain glue and different rubbers is not easy for commentators and would be a nightmare for a sponsor.)

We also need different kinds of events to sell - big internationals like we used to have with the European League matches, English Opens, Euro Asia, Euro Top 12 for instance. On the other hand, the Junior British League in Wolverhampton with 36 tables in the venue full of kids, coaches and parents all involved over two days was a tremendous sight - it would have sold itself but there were no prospective sponsors or cameras in sight, so far as I am aware. I agree with Tinykin, proper presentions need to be made at events, with a podium and backdrop for pride in the achievement and good pictures.

We have a sport with all the attributes for skill, fitness and a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages and abilities. The sport needs to work with professional sponsorship and presentation consultants, with people from within the sport who have ideas and commitment to bring about change and an appreciation by the general public of the benefits of table tennis. This may sound like pie in the sky but, in my opinion, it is only through aiming for the top that progress can be made. I always say, think out of the box first and then work on achieving whatever is possible. Perhaps we need some national seminars for anyone with ideas, to be addressed by professionals giving some advice on the way forward. This is how we got started with the Women in Table Tennis campaign in the 1980's. We invited women politicians and Sports Council leaders as speakers and came up with a plan that introduced the Women's British League and improved the situation of women in the sport at the time. We need some young people with new ideas too.

And yes, some kind of promotion like fireworks or cheerleaders to start an event off would get some attention for the sport. The TTK Greenhouse girls dancing at the Royal Albert Hall recently would have been ok if they had been using bats and doing a dance that reflected the table tennis movements and perhaps playing Magic Ball. All of this activity needs sponsorship but without professional presentation, sponsorship is unlikely to be attracted.

Anyhow, these are my ideas. Perhaps idealistic, but you have to try!

[Annie]

Yes, I definitely think the sport needs promotion and it needs a professional approach. The sport needs "selling", and to sell the sport the presentation has to improve considerably in national and local events. (I think it will be easier when all this equipment situation is settled. At the moment trying to explain glue and different rubbers is not easy for commentators and would be a nightmare for a sponsor.)

We also need different kinds of events to sell - big internationals like we used to have with the European League matches, English Opens, Euro Asia, Euro Top 12 for instance. On the other hand, the Junior British League in Wolverhampton with 36 tables in the venue full of kids, coaches and parents all involved over two days was a tremendous sight - it would have sold itself but there were no prospective sponsors or cameras in sight, so far as I am aware. I agree with Tinykin, proper presentions need to be made at events, with a podium and backdrop for pride in the achievement and good pictures.

We have a sport with all the attributes for skill, fitness and a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages and abilities. The sport needs to work with professional sponsorship and presentation consultants, with people from within the sport who have ideas and commitment to bring about change and an appreciation by the general public of the benefits of table tennis. This may sound like pie in the sky but, in my opinion, it is only through aiming for the top that progress can be made. I always say, think out of the box first and then work on achieving whatever is possible. Perhaps we need some national seminars for anyone with ideas, to be addressed by professionals giving some advice on the way forward. This is how we got started with the Women in Table Tennis campaign in the 1980's. We invited women politicians and Sports Council leaders as speakers and came up with a plan that introduced the Women's British League and improved the situation of women in the sport at the time. We need some young people with new ideas too.

And yes, some kind of promotion like fireworks or cheerleaders to start an event off would get some attention for the sport. The TTK Greenhouse girls dancing at the Royal Albert Hall recently would have been ok if they had been using bats and doing a dance that reflected the table tennis movements and perhaps playing Magic Ball. All of this activity needs sponsorship but without professional presentation, sponsorship is unlikely to be attracted.

Anyhow, these are my ideas. Perhaps idealistic, but you have to try!

Jose, as usual, you talk complete and utter sense :clap:

[DaveR]

Great thread this because the whole "power presentation" is so the way forward with Tinykin also correct in the "available tables" or "stuck in the corner" being eactly what really happens in some or most tournaments.

Jose has posted a great reply also with all of the ideas correct following Annies initial thread starter. The funny thread can suddenly create interest with people although laughing realising its a serious point and the way you market anything is such an important part of how the "product" performs or sells, which if we are brutally honest Table Tennis could do witht this great idea being used..........we do mock our american counterparts but they sure do know how to sell aproduct or event better than us Englanders.

The idea of presentation and delivering the sport on a plate with a package of dancers or even well put together power points to a media team is or can be pursued by the bodies such as the ETTA / ITTF or even at a local level with clash matches being shown as a little snipet on local news as a sports item or even "video" your own league matches so we can promote on the site with editing it can be made so the main and attractive points are given good exposure. This all can be used as a media push so why does anyone not video their league matches, i am quite sure having played in clash games with great points this can be said of many leagues and different divisions throughout the whole Country. Central venues can be an easy place to capture many great points and compile these as vision to promote the sport.

I have edited and uploaded a compiled colection with music to show you can do this with a bit of work and thought.......HERE (http://www.tabletennistalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=4347#post4347)

[Roger]

why nit they had cheerleaders in the Ducth league...it was on TV few years ago it's good... we need ...something

[Mr Wilko]

I'm sure DaveR could handle any Newcastle Lady in the name of TT!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/hungarianwonderwoman/TTT/cheerleader2.gif



i have a great picture that will follow on from this one but not sure if would be allowed to show it? will let DaveR see it first and see if it is suitable for this site as i dont want to be getting wrong off Annie!!! lol

[Mr Wilko]

then again on second thoughts!!!!!! lol

:redcard::redcard: