New badminton web-site: www.badminton.me.uk

[JulianSvoboda]

I am launching a new badminton web-site to 'challenge the accepted status quo of badminton in the UK, and to promote the adoption of a graded tournament structure open to players of all abilities'.

Check out the site at www.badminton.me.uk

In France, this a system has produced phenomenal growth, such that France currently has TWICE the number of affiliated players of the BA of E, having DOUBLED in size over the last five years!

Compare this to the HALVING in membership experienced by the BA of E over the last 10 years (despite a doubling in income over the last 5 years - for the elite players)!

The new web-site also contains details of all French tournaments foreigners are allowed to play in, as well as comprehensive links and the official laws of badminton.

Players are therefore urged to 1) look at the site for FULL details on the proposed changes, and then 2) lobby the BA of E to adopt such a vastly superior system (since lobbying is the only way the BA of E will ever listen to such a message).

Check out the site, tell other people about it, and TELL THE BA OF E that it is time for change!

[dlp]

This is an interesting point, certainly grading within the junior tournaments works well, with many juniors participating. I have written before on here that the current senior circuits are not acting as grades and are too unstructured even for the higher players, certainly more club players need to be able to access tournament play.


To think that such a system is the only reason for the rise in badminton participation in France is to over simplify. Also you say that "a lot of the money goes to elite players", without recognising that ALL the media profile is based on these players, indeed in France and many other countries the elite players are representing clubs at the top end of the leagues, so the "grass root" players has a connection with the elite player and they all form part of the same overall structure. In England many people feel its either "elite" or "grass roots", failing to see that one cannot suceed without the other. Many clubs in Europe own their own courts, in England we have to fight with other Leisue centre users or play in small halls.

You say "very little grass root interest" but at the same time state the popularity of low level players. With international sucess will come grass root interest.

There is nothing to stop counties running more tournaments, restricted tournaments could have qualifying rounds for clubs players, thus forming a graded event.

You identify the main problem with BAE membership, why would anyone want to affiliate, for the club player there is no benefit, through a tournament system they could at least see an advantage.

[JulianSvoboda]

I am glad that you agree with some of the points raised. As for the others:

I agree that the French system is superior to that in the UK for more reasons than solely the tournament system. However this is by far the largest point, and if the BA of E were to introduce this system the other parts should fall into place at the same time.

You appear to have misquoted me with regards to money being spent on elite players, although that is effectively part of what I have been saying. I am not saying that no money should be spent on top players, simply that there should be a good balance between grass roots, club and elite play – a graded tournament system allows ALL players to compete an a completely level basis with each other (while ensuring that everybody gets a good game).

Although you correctly quote me in your second paragraph, you appear to mis-interpret me when you say that I state ‘the popularity of low level players’. I do not understand what you mean by this (and I never said what I think you’re trying to say). Again, a BALANCED approach is required across the board to cater for all players, rather than completely neglecting the vast majority of the players in this country. The French-system caters for ALL levels of play, ranging from beginners to international players!

I think that trying to add ‘qualifying rounds’ to existing tournaments would be a bad idea. What is needed is a radical overhaul of the system to cater for ALL players, not just some superficial tinkering to the existing system. What advantage would a qualifying round have over what is effectively a different tournament for each level of play?

I am glad that you are in favour of a tournament system (such as that proposed). I trust that you have contacted the BA of E to express your support? :-)

[dlp]

Many county restricted tournaments have found their numbers dwindling and this is often the only tournament run by the county association in the year. Now even good league players won't play because of the certainty of playing a top county player in the first and second match, so I'm agreeing with you that some form of grading or qualifying rounds would give more access to more players. I think it unlikely a whole new level of tournament will be started form scratch, but a bridging step towards this type of graded structure would be to introduce different levels at existing tournaments, just as at current junior events there are up to 3 grades.

What we need to recognise is that a vast majority of the "Grass roots" players are social players. That is they play with friends or family in the local leisure centre and never think about joining a club or competing. They often do not know the rules or have any idea how the game is really played. These players need to be integrated into the club / local league system, yet lack of courts / court costs mean no club will set aside a night for beginners.

The loss of affiliated members is due to a largely ageing club population not replenishing their membership with younger players. Certainly in my local leagues the number of clubs and divisions has almost halved and the average age of players would be near to 40. Again the facilities available to clubs and the basic economics play a large part. Junior leagues have now been set up and are addressing the problem.

Within France the game receives far more coverage, even though currently and historically France is a weaker badminton nation. Yet clubs travel all over France to play matches, clubs have practice nights and coaches, this sort of system is vary rare in UK.

I agree a graded tournament system would be a huge boost for Uk badminton, indeed I have argued for a graded system for top league through to national players before. How we actually get to that situation is the challenge.

[danbelcher]

I do not see how graded tournaments on their own are going to encourage people to play or return to the sport. The low profile of badminton in this country is a genuine hinderance to our sport but perhaps France did not suffered from this. Playing against better people in tournaments is good experience but to improve requires coaching. I think we have to give the BaofE time before we knock all their efforts because we may only see the results of the systems they have put into place in a few years.

[JulianSvoboda]

One of the main features of the French tournaments that I didn't actually mention on the web-site is that it's FUN to play in them.

People of all levels get to have great games and meet and socialise with people from all round the country, in the larger tournaments. Allowing players of all levels to compete means that clubs can send lots of players, and not just the best few. I have gone to France to compete with my club on several occasions, and it was real fun as we had a great group all abilities; in England there is nowhere where such a diverse group (including beginners, club players, a county coach, and even an England junior player) can play together. We all play in the same club, so this is a great team-building event and the only time we really get to represent our club together and compete as equals.

THIS is the way to integrate social play with competitive badminton!

Additionally, players of all grades get to meet other grades & see how they play. This breaks down important psychological barriers; treating all players on an equal footing as international players and allowing them to see international players in action (for free) gives them the opportunity to pick up tips and makes them think 'I can do that' (albeit with a lot of work)! Players are also given the structure to work up to international level themselves, by steadily progressing through the grades.

Equally badminton in France has grown almost entirely through word-of-mouth, with no reliance on elite players (who clearly didn’t exist when the FFBA was established in 1978), but who are NOW being produced as a direct result of the French system. As a friend of mine said, ‘word of mouth can be extremely powerful’.

You say that we should give the BA of E a chance (which itself was founded in 1893). We haven’t got the choice but to do so, and look how the sport is suffering!

[Michael Banks]

This is a really interesting issue. Julian, why don't you do a quick summary or article that you can send out to websites such as this. They can feature the article and point anyone who wants to read further to your site.

This will give you more readers as currently there is a lot to go through and most people only get a few minutes at a time to read badminton related news and discussion.

I'm sure the people here would be happy to publicise your cause.

[JulianSvoboda]

Good idea about the article - I might just do that.

I contacted Badders.com last week before launching the site, and Jonathan Phillips responded that 'What we would like to do is run a feature on your site highlighting the thoughts you have on the badminton model in the UK...both current and future.'

Fingers crossed that this still goes ahead!

You know where to keep checking!

[Jonathan Phillips]

Julian - if you are still out there somewhere then let us know what sort of response you have had since developing your site.

Has anyone approached you from an 'authoritative capacity' or has the feedback been mainly from players and fans?

[Grover]

Julian did you get anywhere with the associations on this?