I read the blog “Why Table Tennis Is A Horrible Spectator Sport” the other day. It was a very interesting article and I’ve heard a number of people agree with most of what was written. I personally though don’t think that Table Tennis is terrible to watch. In fact it is my favourite sport to watch but you could say that I am a little biased.

When people find out that I play Table Tennis, the first thing I hear is: “Wow, I love watching it when the players are 10 feet back from the table smashing the ball back and forth.” However here in Australia at least you don’t actually get to see Table Tennis on TV very much. The problem is that the sport is simply not popular enough. People have enough sport to watch with football, cricket, soccer, basketball and car racing.

Too Complicated?

When the Olympics were on in 2008 we did get to see some Table Tennis here thanks to the tremendous efforts of the Australian team. A few of my work collegues occassionally did mention what a terrible shot it was not to get that simple serve back. However I don’t think that this is a problem with the complexity of the game. After playing with the correct equipment and a decent coach for only 15 minutes most people would understand how difficult it can be to return a good serve. This understanding then helps people enjoy the game. I believe we we should be trying to educate people about the intricacies of the game rather than trying to simplify it.

Short Rallies

Are short rallies really a problem? The length of a rally doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the game. What I like to see is competitors trying to perform under pressure. Watching the events unfold and seeing how the players deal with each stage of the match is fascinating. Trying to see if one player is getting nervous or watching someone save match point with an unbelievable shot, these are the things I like to see.

Your Thoughts?

I don’t believe that there are fundamental problems with the sport. It’s just that at the moment it is not popular enough in certain countries to be shown on public television. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us where you are from and how Table Tennis is perceived in your country. And importantly, do you think Table Tennis is a great spectator sport?

Well it is hard to believe but another year has passed us by. I’d like to thank all of our readers for supporting PingSkills in 2009 and we hope to keep you inspired to improve your Table Tennis in 2010. We’ve got a big year planned. Here are a just a few of the things we are hoping to achieve:

• Make a lot more free lessons
• Produce a new DVD - “Receiving Secrets Revealed”
• Start selling some PingSkills shirts

Good luck with all of your own goals for 2010. Aim high and make this year one to remember!

Alois and Jeff

Our web hosting provider has looked into our problems and our download speeds are now back to normal. So if you are ready to purchase a Table Tennis video via instant download then go right ahead and order it now. It will make a great Christmas present for yourself. Thanks again for you patience and for supporting PingSkills.