'21st Century Squash' to be unveiled at Super Series

The marketing engine for this weekend's start of the ATCO Super Series Finals 2009 is in top gear, with effectively a new era for the men's tour being launched.

The Finals this year are taking place at Queen's Club, Chelsea, in London, having moved from their Broadgate home. But what do the respondents to our poll think about the upcoming event (14-17 March)?

We asked visitors to the site whether they thought that the move to Queen's Club would be a good thing for the tournament. Results (below) show a positive, but guarded, welcome for the move, with the conclusion to be drawn that we'll have to "wait and see".

Of course, it's not just about the change of venue. Much has been made in the squash press of the changes at the top of the PSA and the involvement of ATCO President Ziad Al-Turki in the re-organisation of the Super Series and the future of the men's tour.

The press release that this week claims that we are entering the era of '21st Century Squash'. Sounds like good news as elements of tournament organisation are in need of modernisation, and there are great opportunities for creative minds to update the spectator experience of professional squash. The press release goes on to explain:

"It will also be the first major event since the appointment of branding agency Greenspace to make the sport even more appealing to a younger, wider audience. The agency has promised to overhaul almost every aspect of the sport, including court design and player uniforms."

It is also great to see that the event is "poised to set new records for ticket sales" - an indication that ticket sales for the event have been pushed harder than ever before (we look forward to seeing the size of the crowd).

The organisers are making big claims - it will be a step forward for the game as a spectator sport in the UK if they can live up to the hype. Can the Super Series challenge Canary Wharf as the best live squash experience in this country?

We'll find out next week ...

ATCO Super Series Finals 2009 - buy tickets