Will Table Tennis Ever Really Get Its Shine? || US Open LOOK-IN
Edition #204
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — A sport that’s always being put under the light, table tennis is one of a kind. You see it everywhere. In the morning, when you go through the garage. In the office, when grabbing something to eat or going home. In the evening, when you’re just chilling. And in the night, when you’re locking up all, and hitting the bed.
We’ve all played the sport before. Oh no, just kidding.
We’ve all played Ping Pong before.
You see, there’s a huge difference between the terms Ping Pong and Table Tennis. For one, ping pong is a more relaxed sport, where you hit the ball high, don’t bend your knees, and are talking while playing. Do you want more? The paddles. Ping Pong paddles are worth $5, while Table Tennis ones are $200. I could tell you so many other differences, but I’ll keep it short for now. You’ve seen ping pong at the workplace or even in the garage.
But, Table Tennis isn’t just table tennis. It isn’t a nerdy version of calling ping pong. It isn’t that relaxed game, where you hit the ball up and they hit the ball back.
It’s a serious game, with serious repercussions, and these repercussions can leave you dinged up permanently—from leg problems to back problems to wrist problems to shoulder problems. While professional sports like the NBA or NHL can get you injured pretty badly, Table Tennis and American Football are one of the few sports that can actually cause permanent damage and even your life.
Enough of the intro, though.
At the Olympics, table tennis is one of the hottest sports. It’s a must-see, with the world’s biggest stars playing.
But, you don't see anyone watching the national tournaments. Heck, not even the ITTF World Championships.
This week, the 2024 US Open began in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been overshadowed by every other event in Vegas right now, such as the Raiders game and the NBA Cup Finals. Yes, even the Raiders game is more attractive than the 2024 US Open.
This leads to my question; Will Table Tennis ever get its shine? Will ping pong be the only part of the sport left?
Most US clubs have criticized the USATT president. Gone are the days when people used to travel to buy tickets and watch table tennis games. These days, even parents or family members who want to watch their kid or relative play have to pay $100, and they’re making a lot of money off of this.
Why are they doing this? They’re doing this because no one has an interest in watching the games, and they need to make money in some way. If they use this money, to invest in some advertising or maybe even programming, then gone goes this crisis, and hello comes people.
I don’t feel good about if table tennis will ever get its shine.
That’s table tennis.
Do you know what I do feel good about? I feel good about ping pong. This pastime is going to be there forever, and it’s only going to keep growing. It’s great for the body. It’s great for the brain, and it’s for everyone.
“I don’t care how much money I make playing, but I love table tennis, and I’m going to play this sport pro, for the rest of my life.” - Anonymous Minor
“I love sports, and playing sports has been my whole life. When I think of my childhood, I can only think of playing every single sport with my friends. One of those sports would be table tennis. I was good at most sports; basketball, football, baseball, hockey, etc, but I used to suck at racket sports. I made it an initiative to become good at one, and table tennis was the one I chose. I was lucky to get coaching and this is my second US Open.” - Anonymous Adult
There are a lot of passionate individuals at the tournament. At the end of it all on December 21st, I’ll come out with a few interviews.
It sucks to be pessimistic about such an amazing sport, but the truth really is the truth. Once upon a time, table tennis was a growing sport. Right now, ping pong is the growing/passed down sport. Table Tennis doesn’t have anyone to promote the sport. Neither are they growing on their own. With all that being said, will we see table tennis disappear in another 20 years? That’s for you to say in the comments section.
Thanks for reading this post. I’ll try to publish a bit more over the next several days, but I’m not sure.
No, there aren’t any commentators, but you know what is there? A live broadcast. You can check it out by going to the USATT channel: https://www.youtube.com/@USATableTennis.
