National Badminton League

[Michael Banks]

In the Dave Lindley interview it says

" Badminton needs to be shown more on television, and I know that the BA of E have been trying to set-up a national league, which will hopefully create rivalries between the clubs and allow the public to get to know the names and faces of the top players. "

Does anyone know anymore about the national league? How near are we away form it?

[Rodrigues]

Let's imagine there are ten slots to be filled in a National Premier League. They'd probably be based around the universities where a lot of the talent would be training. Any suggestions? What about -

Bath Buffalos, Leeds Lions, Strathclyde Sharks, Cardiff Cats, Birmingham Broncos, Loughborough Leopards, Manchester United (?) London Lights, Tyneside Terriers

I'm sure you could do better. And where would the best cheerleaders (pom poms and all) be?

[dlp]

A national league / national club competition has been talked about for years. About 5 years ago there was an article in badminton magazine suggesting possible teams and players.

As I'm always saying the whole lottery structure which has been put into place with universities, training cells, talent scouts, etc seems pointless in that only on average 1 player in each year will make it to the top and all the rest have nothing to go into, the tournament circuit is poorly supported and league clubs and counties are disconnected from the elite. If you have a strong club (or county) league and tournament setup everything else flows from that.

When many of our top players commute to play in the Danish or German leagues and the additional expense that costs there must be a way to set up a viable domestic competition.

[Phil McBride]

The universities already play in organised leagues, counties already play in organised leagues so they would have to make it city teams VS city teams in which case it would be many of the same players playing against one and other.

It is a good idea to promote inter city rivalry but it needs to be thought through so as not to overlap the current setup.

If they held the games in the off season to avoid this cross match scenario then many top players would not be getting rest and more would be burning out or injured.

[slanter]

Why do we need to worry about whether it overlaps the existing setup? The county system has been creaking for years and as long as it continues to be the main arena for competitive badminton the sport will remain amateur and as a result fail develop. All the time the sport is relying on volunteers to administrate competitive play it can go nowhere. Everyone has a story about 'he only gets in because his dad runs the U17's squad' and for the most part it is true. In a professional club this would not occur as there would be real motivation for the team to perform and selectors and team members would be accountable for poor performance. Who really cares is the county 3rd team is relegated from division 4 to 5 at the end of the season?

The club system has been systematically undermined by many coaches for a long time. Top juniors are jealously guarded by the schools before being directly passed on to regional and national training. This means that not just the outstanding players byepass clubs but a number of also rans are not introduced into club play unless they seek it out themselves. I know of a number of 'top class' coaches that advise parents not to allow their children to play in a club in case it spoils their game. The end result is that a number of children who were never good enough to play top class badminton end up disappointed with the game and with no systematic introduction into club badminton.

What works in sport? Forget cricket for now - all the other successful sports have an organised, club based competition organised in a pyramid structure. Win your division and there is a division above, keep winning your division and you get to the top (Wimbledon!). There is something to play for and, more importantly, you find a level at which you can compete. This is not the story told by the majority of county players.

[Rodrigues]

Cricket is mentioned by Slanter. The cricket authorities are spending a fortune and working hard trying a host of gimmicks (20/20, Kwik Cricket in schools etc) but are fighting a losing battle. They've lost terrestrial TV coverage for test matches which could lead to a real free-fall of the game. Almost all kids and many teachers in schools see cricket as yesterday's game - a waste of space and time, weather-affected, difficult to organise with all the equipment and large areas with flat wickets required and, at the end of the day (literally!) boring and difficult to get a result. It's incredibly technical and involved, and at any one time only two people (possibly three) out of 22 are really actively doing anything. They'd rather be playing or watching football anyway - or more to the point, perhaps, playing computer games. The hard truth is that if kids are not playing - or interested - its decline is unarguable. If cricket survives more than 20 years in this modern age where immediate results and gratification are a necessity, I'll be surprised. Village cricket on the village green and a few other bits and pieces might continue but the game's future looks bleak. Interestingly, there are reports that it is in decline in the Windies and this could well follow rapidly in other countries. Also "it's just not cricket" might survive as an anachronistic expression which we will have to explain to our (great) grandchildren who will otherwise be bemused.

Compare that with badminton. Properly taught/organised all the kids (boys and girls) even in a large class, are involved and active all the time. They enjoy keeping a rally going as well as getting an immediate buzz and adrenalin rush when they hit the shuttle hard (or in some cases connect at all!). Badminton equipment is cheap and accessible, there are fewer safety considerations and it's easy to score and get a result. Maybe badders could fill the vaccuum cricket will leave!!?

[Woody]

Given that the County system is seen by many to be out dated, isn't it time that something new was introduced.

The top players in this country do not play in the ICC competitions or rarely at best. If there is a National League and it receives sufficient support and provides our best players to compete in this country instead of playing in leagues abroad is this not good for the game here?

Lets give it a try. Be brave.

Play it, Love it, Live it.

[Rodrigues]

Gail Emms, Natalie Munt, Liza Parker, Suzanne Rayappan all turned out for Herts last month at MK. All in the top six in the country, all England players.

[slanter]

It is excellent that the Herts girls turn out for their county - still better if they do it for no financial gain. But we can't rely on them doing do when there is a tournament on the same weekend. A national league team would pay players to compete - encouraging other players to join the competitive game in England (or rejoin in the case of some of the 'senior' Welsh national team!). A professional game is marketable - we do not currently have a professional game.

[NeilNicholls]

A professional game is marketable - we do not currently have a professional game.
Or is it the other way round.
A marketable game can be made to be professional.
Using professional in the sense that people could make a living at it.

[Michael Banks]

With a new league starting in Indonesia and the already established Danish leagues for example - why isn't there a league in the UK? I know this has been asked many times before but I think it is more relevant now than ever.

Watched some of the National league netball of all things last weekend and their national league attracts up to 3,000 people a game apparently - http://www.england-netball.co.uk/events/jobs.cfm with tickets at £5.

Can we have a poll site support as to who would pay what to a match?

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Old pros color new badminton league

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Several big names have been drafted in to provide a boost to the maiden outing of the Indonesian Badminton League, which will kick off here Tuesday. Among the familiar faces to badminton fans are 1983 world champion Hariyanto Arbi and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Rexy Mainaky.

"We will start the qualifying rounds tomorrow while the final will take place in Jakarta on June 21," league director Yacob Rusdianto said during a press conference Monday.

"This league is the start of our efforts to revive badminton here, which has suffered from drought in international achievements," he said.

A total of 16 clubs, mostly from Java Island, will compete in the league, sanctioned by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI). Several of the clubs have filled out their rosters with foreign players, including world No. 21 Lee Tsuen Seng of Malaysia, who will play for Musica Champions Kudus of Central Java, world No. 47 Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam, playing for BPKD Kutai Kertanegara of East Kalimantan, and several Japanese shuttlers hired by club Ratih Banten.

Yacob said PBSI did not provide any subsidies for clubs hiring foreign shuttlers.

"The foreign players are hired to help boost the competition. Besides emphasizing competitiveness and sportsmanship, the league is expected to entertain spectators," he said.

Yacob, who is also the PBSI official in charge of organization and association chapters, said it was hoped the league would attract private sector sponsors for the sport. Some badminton clubs have faced difficult financial times, which has made it impossible for them to recruit and train future champions, he said.

"Winning clubs will get sponsors. In addition, PBSI will also subsidize those reaching the semifinals, with each getting RP 25 million (US$2,750)."

Ratih Banten manager Namrih Suroto was upbeat his club could reach the final four, banking on its four Japanese players: Iwawaki Minoi and Hayasaka Kouhei in the men's division, and Miyoshi Nao and Era Yuria in the women's.

"We will face a tough challenge in the men's team competition. Hariyanto (of Musica) could be a stumbling block," he said.

Musica manager Rudy Heryanto Saputra tipped Hariyanto to partner Lioe Tiong Ping in the men's doubles, backed up by Titon Gustaman and Ade Lukas.

"With our combination of former national shuttlers and one foreign player, we are upbeat about winning this competition," he said.

[CWB]

Top juniors are jealously guarded by the schools before being directly passed on to regional and national training. This means that not just the outstanding players byepass clubs but a number of also rans are not introduced into club play unless they seek it out themselves. I know of a number of 'top class' coaches that advise parents not to allow their children to play in a club in case it spoils their game. The end result is that a number of children who were never good enough to play top class badminton end up disappointed with the game and with no systematic introduction into club badminton.


Where do you get that from? Schools badminton is at the very lowest level. Certainly in Surrey (and most other counties I am aware of, excluding the notiously poor system in Berkshire, which does rely on schools) it is completely irrelevant and if you wish to be good enough to get into a county squad you need to be in a club. In the Surrey junior clubs you would receive competent coaching (in most cases) and be able to compete and develop.

The standard route for juniors is club, county squad, national circuit, national squad.

[pompey]

The setting up of a national badminton league is the only way to promote badminton regularly to a wider audience. The county system, is perceived to be old fashioned regardless of whether it is or not. Taking this step of having cities competing in a national league would at least present a marketable package to potential sponsors. Sponsors should be banging on the door to support badminton - it has a wholesome image, promotes health and fitness and allows men and women to play together. But no sponsor in their right mind is going to support Herts A against Surrey B.

[Michael Banks]

But no sponsor in their right mind is going to support Herts A against Surrey B.
Good point, but more importantly if there was a revenue of nearly £40,000 per match plus sponsorship money the league can easily fund itself.

[pompey]

Yes, in an ideal world you're right. But in my experience badminton players are almost as apathetic towards watching badminton as non-players. I'm not convinced that the change on its own will be sufficiently compelling to generate that kind of income. Everyone is susceptible to a bit of marketing and the glamour of having a decent sponsor will help to create a bit of a snowball effect.

[Markymark]

Gail Emms, Natalie Munt, Liza Parker, Suzanne Rayappan all turned out for Herts last month at MK. All in the top six in the country, all England players.

And for those who were at the Prem A weekend, it's fairly obvious that it means a lot to lots of people. The last mixed was very exciting, and the system would be missed if it was replaced.

[richard murray]

But think of all those potential athletes out there who would take an interest if they thought they could make a living out of playing? maybe the Danes should stop funding and play for nothing and follow the UKs example?

[Michael Banks]

And for those who were at the Prem A weekend, it's fairly obvious that it means a lot to lots of people. The last mixed was very exciting, and the system would be missed if it was replaced.
I think the excitement of a top of the table clash between the Manchester Mavericks vs. London Lions would outweigh a county game. Each club with their own strip and merchandise and all that. You can't compare this type of event with the county scene as it would be completely different in every way, badminton needs to look forward and not backwards.

[richard murray]

Dont you mean the Manchester Monkeys vs the London yardies?

[Markymark]

I think the excitement of a top of the table clash between the Manchester Mavericks vs. London Lions would outweigh a county game. Each club with their own strip and merchandise and all that. You can't compare this type of event with the county scene as it would be completely different in every way, badminton needs to look forward and not backwards.

Badminton also has to be realistic. Who do you think is going to watch these matches? Where's the revenus going to come from?

[afrayn]

Yes, in an ideal world you're right. But in my experience badminton players are almost as apathetic towards watching badminton as non-players. I'm not convinced that the change on its own will be sufficiently compelling to generate that kind of income. Everyone is susceptible to a bit of marketing and the glamour of having a decent sponsor will help to create a bit of a snowball effect.

That's a good point. I mean, the nationals in Manchester only sold out on the Saturday afternoon for the finals the next day. And Manchester has several strong leagues in the area - Stockport in particular, but also Tameside, Manchester, etc - which would seem to indicate the truth of the point about apathy from players as much as non-players.

It's a question of image as much as marketing. People still have this image of badminton as a garden game, likely based on their only experience. Those who have had no coaching are unlikely to see how the game can be a fast-paced, watchable game. A national poster campaign is really needed to beef up the image of badminton - stats like fastest smash compared with fastest tennis serve (70-odd mph faster currently, I think) illustrated in an eye-catching way (a good jump smash picture for example). Reaction times to a smash of that speed. Or maybe something to show a bit of passion about the game, like Rob Middleton and Matt Honey squaring up at the nationals, that sort of thing.

[richard murray]

What about allowing slide tackles and adding an off side rule?