Super Series Finals 2009

Watching Robert Edwards compere a squash tournament always reminds me of a Catholic wedding I once went to: a somewhat fussy ceremony spun out over a couple of hours, presided over by a man who knew what was best.

I thought the veteran 'Voice of Squash' had retired, but '21st Century Squash' is clearly short of talent of Edwards' magnitude ...

I came to Queen's Club on the last night agnostic to the claims that the event would herald the new dawn squash has been waiting for.

Happily, I am pleased to report that Mr Edwards earned his fee here at this year's Super Series Finals, investing the new venue and the presence of a HRH with a greater sense of occasion than Broadgate ever received. His style may not be to everyone's taste, but it felt right on this night, in these hallowed surroundings.

Was this also because we were in posh Kensington rather than stuck behind an All Bar One in Liverpool Street? Or was it down to the new marketing and PR that were brought in by Ziad Al-Turki?

The congregation at the last night night of this year's Super Series Finals was a broader church than we're used to seeing at this annual event, with the blue blazers of Queen's Club replacing City pinstripes.

The organisers had also pulled off a coup in getting HRH The Duchess of Gloucester to attend the final night.

The venue itself was a couple of indoor tennis courts modified into the usual iSport set-up, with a large backwall seating area and two sidewall areas with round tables and unreserved seating. This is where I sat, after registering with the helpful iSport and Greenspace (the brand consultancy brought in by Ziad Al-Turki) staff.

I found my way to these seats after one of the (contracted out?) security guys bluntly told me, arms folded, when I potitely enquired about a media seating area, that the seats were all sold-out. Fair enough, but the event could have done without their glowering at the crowd as if it was a football terrace.

The squash

Karim Darwish treated his third place play-off against Shabana with his serious face on, and we weren't going to see the repeated boast-and-lob showmanship that this precursor to the final has prompted in previous years.

Oh well - he is currently the best player on the planet, and we can't begrudge him from wanting to win everything.

Amr didn't appear too fussed about the $14,250 prize money on offer this evening, and after plugging away at Darwish finally gave up the ghost in the third to lose 11/8, 11/9, 11/5. I wonder if he'll be more motivated for Canary Wharf ...

Intermission

What we could have done with after what felt like somewhat of a practice-match was a good knock-around doubles exhibition. Where was John White when you needed him?

Always a favourite at this event and others in the UK, I have fond memories of him entertaining the crowd not only through his natural instinct as a player in competition, but also in various exhibitions at big events, and we could have done with him here to get the crowd going at half-time.

I notice that doubles exhibitions have become unfashionable in recent years at tournaments in the UK. It would be sad if this was part of a wider drive to demonstrate professionalism in the run up to the 2016 vote. At some events the time when the crowd has been most engaged or captivated with the players is during a four-man lark around, and it's important to show that the game is also a lot of fun too.

I hate to see any empty court that usually hastens the natural instincts of spectators to toddle off to the bar. Perhaps if the court were filled in 'transtition' periods if might give the opportunity to demonstrate what else squash has to offer, such as junior talent or some of the WISPA pros (rarely seen in London).

Bet on the GG

If Greg Gaultier continues to demonstrate the form that was on display tonight, he is going to be a favourite for Canary Wharf - and may soon challenge the top two Egyptians for the number one spot.

Strangely the mood of evening actually lightened during the final, as the Queen's crowd unfamiliar with Gaultier's gesticulating started to warm to him (though I did nearly have to cover my eyes as he stepped out of court to remonstrate with the officals right in front of the Duchess's lap).

Lincou still conducts himself on court with the professionlism that has characterised his career, but while he appeared tonight as alert and focussed as ever, he is not quite as quick as he was, and was always half a pace behind his younger countryman tonight who was poised on his shoulder throughout.

Gaultier took control from the beginning, relentlessly putting Lincou to the back of the court before dropping with consistent accuracy. Former World Champion Lincou really did not look like he wanted to spend the whole night banished to the back wall, and raised his game in the second to start imposing some control on rallies.

With the match levelled at 1-1, Gaultier was spoiling for a fight with the officials. Given that this event and Canary Wharf are stated showpieces for the sport in its Olympic bid (the matches this evening were filmed from a number of different angles), this would not have gone down very well, but either due to Gaultier'a self-restraint or the strong words from the officials, a lid was kept on things.

It was during the assessment of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester that is was noted by the IOC that squash has a problem with players too easily remonstrating with officals. It is all too easy to blame the player in these situations, but clearly the officals need to be held accountable too. In the Shabana v Darwish game earlier in the evening there was at least one occasion when both players had exited the court door to tell the officals what the decision was before any decision had been made.

This would not happen in tennis, and the Queen's Club members watching tonight would have noted this difference.

Gaultier finally took the title for the second year running 11/6, 8/11, 11/5, 11/5 (63m) after re-imposing himself in the third. It had not been a vintage evening's squash, but the best player over the week had come out on top. Gaultier's exhuberance may try one's patience during play, but it makes him a great speaker when he wins. He had the crowd in fits and even managed to sneak peck on each royal cheek (is that allowed?!)

Really pleased as well to see that people sat in their seats at the end to see the presentation and hear the interviews - something that rarely happens. Maybe this was out of respect for our VIP (and the Duchess) - Mr Edwards was certainly very persuasive in preventing people from going home early.

Back next year?

If the Queen's Club is to hold this tournament in subsequent years I can see it turning into a kind of Lord's of squash, contrasting with the more lively Edgbaston of the Canary Wharf event (watch the Ashes crowds this summer and you'll see what I mean!).

The sport needs both, and there is room for provision to be made to further foster inclusion for even more divergent audiences. This week's experiment at Queen's Club appeared to be a success, but there will be some who say that squash needs to break away from the private members clubs of old.

The fact is that squash cannot afford to choose its audience, and it needs the support, patronage, and facilities of places such as Queen's. It also needs to attract the working class kid in east London, and maybe some of the 'urban' initiatives (that seek to change squash's image as well as where it is played) are the way to go.

The portability of the sport is a huge advantage in trying to appeal to these different audiences, and other changes such as the re-organisation of the PSA tour to move region-by-region (as suggested by Mr Al-Turki) would certainly help put the sport on people's radars for longer concentrated periods.

Had I just witnessed '21st Century Squash'? Not sure about that. The design of the advertising, marketing and PR materials (all contributing to the brand) looked very good, particularly some of the merchandise that was given out (there was a very nice fold-out map of London squash clubs).

To some extent this modern, minimalist design was maybe slightly divergent from the austere feel of the Queen's Club, and would have contributed to a greater overall impression at a more left-field venue. But these materials were well produced, and some thinking had obviously gone into them.

National media coverage - the efforts of Rod Gilmour at the Telegraph aside - was sadly again almost non-existent.
Bottom: Gaultier wins for a second year

In terms of the more practical elements of the event: the format of the evening was pretty much similar to the British Nationals, the World Open or many other of the pro events I have attended over the past years. Loud music pumped out, nice introductions for the players, interviews afterwards.

A feature that was here at Queen's but is not always seen at big events are the large video replay screens. These worked very well here tonight, with the crowd fixated on them between points. These should now become a benchmark standard feature, but organisers must ensure that the players or spectators do not manipulate the officals into using them to make decisions. The position of the officals in the crowd in squash make this an awkward possibility.

This was perhaps not the most entertaining Super Series finals night that I have been to, but it was certainly a step up a level to further cement itself as a 'big tournament' (a rather elusive phrase - much like a 'big club' in football - not necessarily down to the money floating around or the number of people who go and watch it).

It never really felt like this down in the tent at Broadgate.

At the end of the day maybe there is only so much you can do with a bunch of people sitting watching two guys in a goldfish bowl. Maybe the true value of '21st Century Squash' is the plurality of experience that different squash venues can offer when they all adopt a benchmark for marketing, technology, design and all the other little things that go into creating a spectator experience.

The true value of the game as a spectator sport competing for fans might only be realised if a punter can watch the game in a city square one week and on a beach the next.

Super Series Finals 2009

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'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

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squashblog is 2

It only seems like yesterday that squashblog popped into the world, kicking and screaming at the low profile of the sport.

It's aims were lofty. Much was expected as it toddled around tournaments, griped at governing bodies and wailed for (media) attention.

But how have things changed in those two years? ...

Great players have retired, young prodigies have emerged, initiatives have been announced, courts have open and (mostly) closed.

You can read about all that here and at greater length elsewhere.

But squashblog was created with a different perspective: to look behind the headlines and give independent, objective comment about the wider state of the game - and provide a platform for you to respond.

It seems a good time then to look back and see how the sport has changed over the past two years. A useful way of doing this is to use the categories that I have used since the creation of the site (at the top of the page). Let me know if I'm off the ball!:

The pros
Actually this first one isn't a category I refer to in this site at all, but it is right that they are mentioned first. Many of the improvements noted below wouldn't have happened without the positive attitudes, professionalism, hard work and commitment of the majority of the top pros.

Squash is blessed with, on the whole, a decent, commited crop of professional sportsmen and women who appear to take genuine interest in the development of the wider game as a whole. The rewards for professionals are relatively modest compared with others sports. To the credit of most of those on the professional circuit, they don't appear to bemoan this fact, and get on with representing squash with a dignity and respect for each other that puts other sports to shame.

Media coverage
Very little has changed in the mass media in the UK: squash rarely merits a story in any of the British national dailies (there has however been some excellent coverage in local press) and I can't remember the last time it was on terrestrial TV. Web streaming has advanced, but is not yet ubiquitously accessible. Websites have come and gone: the emergence of Squash 360 appeared to invigorate the landscape, but ceased all too quickly. Squash Site, which provides the only reliable day-to-day news service for all professional events, has struggled due to the ongoing politics that sadly seem to dog squash.

Elsewhere in the world media coverage appears to be on the increase: the success over the past couple of years of Egyptian players has raised the profile even higher in the country, and coverage in India and Pakistan and the far-east (such as Malaysia) is stronger than in Europe. The US - the market that promoters would really like to crack - has had strong regional coverage but little national attention.

Men's game
Anyone who has watched professional squash for more than a few years will have witnessed the change in speed of the game - more attacking play has been great for spectators can only help the game where it's image is concerned. But the velocity of the men's game over the past 24 months has increased such that some feel the soul of the game is being lost (the debate here seems to be heading the same way as 20/20 v test match cricket). PAR scoring has obviously been a factor, but it is difficult to argue that the squash has become less exciting because of it.

Who would have predicted the dominance of the Egyptian trio of Shabana, Ashour and now Darwish two years ago? The fact that the top ten players have been representative of so many different countries is great for the global appeal of the sport, but it would be great to see a rivalry emerge a la Nicol/Power. I thought Ashour/Willstrop would fill this gap ... perhaps this year.

The PSA tour is expanding, with events in new locations and more money coming in. However, the trajectory and stability which seemed to have been established at the top of the organisation before Christmas will need re-assessment after the shock departure of Richard Graham.

Women's game
Though seemingly the better ran of the professional tours, I can't help but think there is an element of resting on laurels. It would be great to see some bigger events in the UK and US, but is there demand?

WISPA has a 'great product'; Nicol David is a great ambassador for the sport, and a great role model for younger players. Like the PSA tour, the plurality of nations represented at the top of the game should be a great draw for promoters.

Almost two years ago to the day I wrote an article that suggested that the level of competition at the top of the women's game might not have been what it was. Have things moved on?

The Malaysian star has indeed become the dominant force, and the Grinham sisters (while swapping places in the world rankings) are now considered beatable by lesser-ranked players. There are flashes of resurgence (Grainger, Atkinson) or hints that new heights are about to be scaled (Duncalf, Abdel Kawy), but no-one looks like challenging David early in 2009.

Again, a good old rivalry in the top five would shake things up.

Governing bodies
Where to start. Apparent lack of direction at the WSF, a resignation at the top, the Olympic campaign seeming to be without co-ordination and professionalism. Progress towards getting its house in order appears to have been made around the time of the October's World Open, but the organisation will be primarily be judged over the next year by what happens at the Copenhagen vote.

The election of Richard Graham by the PSA looked to have given a clear signal that marketing, promotion and media coverage - all things that squash has been historically not done well - were to be addressed. How will his departure have a bearing on the way these key areas?

New initiatives and events have been announced or planned, many at the instigation of new Chairman Ziad Al-Turki. The investment and enthusiasm that Al-Turki is bringing is being welcomed by all in the game, but it will take two years before we will be able to judge whether this investment has endowed professional men's squash with a stronger footing to grow in the medium and long term.

Most of the money flowing into the men's game is coming from the Middle East, which (along with Egypt) has pulled the epicentre of squash away from Europe over the time this site has been up and running. The development of professional squash in regions or countries that display a greater enthusiasm for the sport is welcomed and should help to bring different perspectives and ideas to the game.

But the money coming in from the 'top' has to be matched by increased participation, whether in playing or spectating. Photos from some big-money events in the Middle East, for instance, often show rather empty stands. Also, it would be sad if money only made squash inaccessible to women in certain countries, again whether playing (as an amateur or professional) or watching.

Squashblog hasn't fired many words at national bodies since it started, and it is perhaps a little unfair to suggest that the WSF, PSA and WISPA can do everything alone - especially with their budgets. We hope to look at the performance of these in 2009.

Provision
I've tried to keep a regular eye on court closures - and the occasional opening! - where they make the local press. Great to see local activists fighting to retain squash courts in their area, but all too often they lose out to the gym developers.

The proposed facility at the University of Sussex is probably the most positive story in this area to come out of the UK recently - let's hope the facility sees the light of day. The closure of the historic Lambs club in London brought an end to an era; if the loss of the Lambs had any positive knock-on effect locally, it was in bringing home to many the fact that the capital is losing courts at demoralising rate - and motivating them into saving the courts that are left (Sobell, Finsbury).

Some countries are going in a different direction. Egypt - on the back of the success of its pros - is building more and more courts to satisfy demand.

Participation
This is a difficult one to judge without accurate statistics from national governing bodies. There have been a number of great initiatives aimed particularly at young people over the past couple of years, with the Mini-Squash programme for kids in the UK, and multiple schemes in the US - often allied to social programmes aimed at keeping teenagers off the streets.

Olympics
So much has been said on this site and elsewhere. Some people had better be working very hard behind the scenes!

Click on the Olympics link at the top of the page ...

Technology
Trials and tests have continued, with radar guns, instant replays, electronic scoring and other bits and pieces making an appearance. Great to see promoters and organisers getting innovative, and it would be nice to see some of these become benchmarks for future tournaments - there were no instant replays on the big screens at the Worlds, for instance.

It's time to get serious. Developments in filming squash for TV have certainly brought better coverage, but the advances have been incremental. There simply are not enough media players out there, competing to provide the best coverage, which in turn will drive up quality.

We'll be following closely the degree to which the 'TV issue' is a factor in the latter stages of the Olympic campaign later this year. Here's hoping it's not the deal-breaker: let's not kid ourselves - televising squash has not been cracked.

Marketing
Announcements by England Squash and the PSA that they are to employ professional consultancies to help with their marketing and public relations is a step in the right direction. This hitherto neglected area is key to competing in sports marketplace, and we look forward to seeing the results.

Perhaps less visible advances with the WISPA tour. As I keep reading in the squash press, they have a 'great product' - let's see some bolder initiatives marketing that product in 2009.

Image
The PSA in particular has done a lot in this area over the past couple of years, one example being a nice promo from Pro-Active TV suggesting the urban possibilities of settings, clothing and music. There is a lot of mileage in this, and it would be interesting to see this take on squash's image perhaps coupled with an initiative for youngsters.

Squash clubs - at least in the UK - still set the tone where image is concerned. Though not the yuppie playgrounds they might have been in the 1980s, a perception, at least, still exists that squash is cocooned in bubble of exclusivity - at least in the south of England. This image is even stronger in the US, where the ghost of Gordon Gekko still haunts city club courts.

Real or not, this idea of squash has to be dispelled if participation is to increase and more courts are not to be refurbished to make way for subscription-based 'health clubs'.

Prize money
Money from the Middle East now out-muscles anything that can be offered in Europe or the US. $3 million is reputedly on offer across the men's tour this year, a large increase on where things were five years ago.

The women's tour prize fund has grown hugely in the past 5-6 years, and it is a strong reflection on the running of the organisation that the sponsors keep stumping up bigger purses.

What looms over all this, of course - and with Bear Sterns going to the wall there has already been one big squash event casualty - is the impact the credit crunch/recession might have on sponsor's marketing budgets.

Partnerships and sponsorship
Some initiatives have already been mentioned above under marketing, image etc. Also worth considering that players have their own individual sponsors, but I would hazard a guess that the figures do not remotely approach tennis player sums, and I would doubt that these would be affected by the financial situation unless a player was sponsored by a small manufacturer that went bust.

As I've written on this site at length in the past, squash has rather a flirtatious relationship with the finance industry when it comes to sponsorship. In the US JP Morgan can find the money for the current Tournament of Champions, but I cannot remember the last time an City of London company put a penny up for an event.

Why can't squash court :) those big earners who regularly play the game?

I asked these questions nearly two years ago; with changing economic times, look out for an update here on this topic soon ...

Popularity
Like judging participation, this is a very hard one to call. In those developing countries (see below) and those countries that have had particular success at a professional level (such as Egypt), squash seems to be growing in popularity.

It is in the 'traditional' squash-playing countries that there appears to be a decline: England (or the UK as a whole - you can't play if there aren't any courts!), Australia (doubts about the commitment to the game from top-level sports administrators), and Pakistan (fewer youngsters coming through).

France, a country not previously renowned for its squash prowess, has had significant success in the professional game (Lincou and Gaultier) and this seems to have filtered through to swell grass-roots participation. Whether these two things are related is difficult to tell, but the French pros do receive more media coverage in their country than, say, the English players do in the UK.

Developing countries
By developing countries I mean countries that are developing where squash is concerned - into this category I have written articles mainly about the US and India.

Does Malaysia qualify as a developing squash nation? They've got the best women in the world, and the strength in depth of the professional men has really come on over the pas year or so. Having recently visited the country it appears to be another racket sport that has taken hold amongst the population - following on from badminton which is extremely popular.

Juniors
We've not followed the junior scene with a huge amount of scrutiny over the past two years. What we have observed can be summarised thus: Egypt rose as England weakened.

Officiation
Some interesting initiatives/experiments, often using technology as described above. There is surely scope for improving or expanding the tools that the officials have at their disposal - where other sports are taking the lead, squash may be able to learn lessons.

What appears to have changed over the past couple of years or so - and the move to PAR scoring has something to do with this - is the number of contested points or player-official conflicts. This was noted by IOC officials as something that squash must improve on, and progress seems to have ben made.

Credit must also go to what appears to be a very small group of officials who travel the world refereeing/marking professional squash events. I would guess that the remuneration is small, but most games I have seem have been officiated to a very high standard.

Disagree? How will things have moved on in another two years?

Have your say below ...

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Barker finds Sweet Home in Chicago

Pete Barker scored the biggest individual win of his career on the PSA tour this week, by defeating David Palmer 15/13, 11/9, 11/2 in the final of the inaugural Sweet Home Chicago Open.

The event was as significant for the US was it was for Barker, being the nation's first-ever professional squash tournament to be held outdoors ...

"It's the best tournament I've ever played. I love playing in America!" Barker commented after lifting the trophy.

On the back of his win the left-hander from Essex will be looking to quickly reclaim a berth in the World top 10 rankings (he curently resides at 12), and his victory bodes well for the upcoming World Open in Manchester.

The Chicago event featured a host of community squash events and exhibitions, including an appearance by Jonathan Power.

As I commented earlier in the year when discussing the Davenport squash tournament, professional squash in the US appears to be attracting a lot of attention, both from sponsors and the media, though my optimism was tempered earlier in the month when I saw that the US Open was to be postponed due of lack of sponsorship.

Left: Video footage of the final, provided by PSAlive.TV.

Sweet Home Chicago Open links

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30249902@N06/sets/72157607238727594/

Slide Show:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30249902@N06/sets/72157607238727594/show/

Videos:
http://www.squash360.com/News/PSA/Videos-from-Sweet-Home-Chicago-Open.html

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FTSE - BOA initiative

Looking forward to the start of the Beijing Olympics this weekend made me remember an initiative I noted a while back that - in the run up to the 2012 Games in London - seeks to pair FTSE-100 companies with different sports as a way of "helping them improve the effectiveness of their business delivery and performance."

There wasn't much information available on the initiative at the time, but some subsequent digging around got me thinking about how squash might follow suit ...

The British Olympic Association (BOA) website now lists a number of the Olympic sports and the British FTSE-100 companies that they are paired with (the first 10 were announced in February 2007, with more partnerships announced as they were agreed):

Corus - triathlon
Skandia - biathlon
British Gas - hockey
Land Securities - volleyball
GlaxoSmithKline - boxing
British Airways - snowsportGB
SAB Miller - fencing
Wolseley - gymnastics
Home Retail Group - badminton
Group 4 Securicor - judo
Standard Life Investments - archery
Experian - ice skating
Marks & Spencer - modern pentathlon
Accenture - sailing
O2 - taekwondo
John Lewis - equestrian
Alliance & Leicester - swimming
Sainsbury's - table tennis

The website also has downloads of media briefings for each specific partnership.

The website goes on to explain:

"The scope and focus of the individual relationships will vary from sport to sport in order to address their differing needs and the expertise available. The agreements will be between the NGBs and the individual businesses, although the overall programme will be facilitated by a Programme Director within the BOA.

The intention is for the relationships to extend up to, and potentially beyond, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in order to give the partnerships the best opportunity of making a lasting difference in this challenging and exciting period.

This programme is co-ordinated by a Project Director, Bev Salt who is on secondment to the BOA from AstraZeneca."

Most of the media briefings appear a little short on detail still, though Alliance & Leicester's partnership with swimming notes that one of the projects that they will start of with is:

"... to develop British Swimming's customer relationship management skills. To achieve this, Conrad Taggart, Head of Customer Strategy and Information at Alliance & Leicester, is sharing his specialist knowledge in database marketing and analytics."

Presumably this consultancy is being offered for free in return for the positive marketing/promotional benefits of being associated with a healthy sporting activity (and sharing in the successes of any British swimming champions).

It is ironic that a sport that a huge number of City-based FTSE-100 companies employees probably enjoy playing on a regular basis - squash - is excluded from the above list as it is not (yet!) an Olympic sport.

The idea is an innovative one, and not being an Olympic sport does not mean that squash cannot copy the model by forming such a strategic alliance.

Some might say that squash should get its own house in order before reaching out to form such a partnership. But given that squash is patently lacking in a number of the areas the initiative seeks to address, a sharing of expertise could allow the sport to reach its goals more quickly and effectively.

The new head of the PSA has a remit to address a number of the sport's deficiencies, and it was good to see that someone has been appointed who has prior experience of forming strategic partnerships.

Coupling a sport with a large business organisation to help serve its medium-long term interests is a bold initiative, and it will be interesting to watch closely to see how much help is offered in practice to the sports listed above, beyond the fine words of the media briefings. My guess is that some companies will take the initiative more seriously than others.

There are also mutual risks to bare in mind when undertaking such partnerships - a sporting drug scandal can end up tainting a partner organisation by association, or a recession can see a company pull the plug if it needs to make savings.

Who might squash partner with? A bank? A telecoms group? Send in your suggestions ...

Squash and the City (feature)
List of FTSE-100 companies

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Major squash and racketball survey

England Squash is holding an online survey about its future - and there's some great prizes for those who can spare 5-10 minutes to participate ...

The aim of the survey is "to improve the way (England Squash) deliver services for Squash and Racketball, support our members, and serve players, fans and competitors in the wider Squash and Racketball communities."

Those that enter have the chance to win more than 50 prizes for both individuals and clubs/facilities, including VIP Tickets, coaching sessions from some of the greats in the game, rackets, apparel and balls.

The survey will be closing the survey on June 30, 2008, so click on the link below now!

Take the survey

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Another squash first - international web broadcast of Players Cup

Courtesy of www.squash360.com:

It has just been announced the Players Cup Series matches in Boston between March 4th & 7th, 2008 will be broadcast via web streaming ...

Production and delivery of the programming will be the product of Jean DeLierre and his team at Telimage - well known in squash circles for their high quality TV productions of squash events over the years and for his squash DVD business at www.squashlive.com.

In yet another first for squash, DeLierre will be employing cutting edge peer-to-peer web delivery technology to enable 1 million + viewers to tune in to the programming at www.squashlive.com simultaneously without affecting the quality of the images whatsoever.

The matches will be streamed FREE of charge and as can be expected with a DeLierre production, "trust that during the broadcast you will see the ball clearly and will be treated to the close ups and edits you are accustomed to through our dvds and clips."

To view the broadcasts a small software program must be downloaded first and currently the software streaming technology is only compatible with PC systems.

"Boston is becoming the hub for great things in squash. David's addition to the Boston squash scene, coupled with our television-come-web-cast deal with Telimage Productions, the leading producer of video squash programming, affords us the opportunity to make squash accessible to larger and larger audiences" explains John Nimick, whose Event Engine sport and entertainment company is promoting the Players Cup Circuit and three of its associated tournaments.

Read the interview with Jean DeLierre at Squash360.com

SquashLive
Players Cup Squash

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Events across globe register for World Squash Day

With just over two weeks to go until World Squash Day 2008, clubs around the world are registering their events on the WSD website.

Saturday March 15th will see squash players from across the globe celebrate the sport while also raising money for Sport Relief ...

Events scheduled to take place include:

- a 24-hour squash marathon in Hungary
- a squash day at the Miramar Resort Squash Club, Kalamoun, Lebanon
- a Mini-Squash carnival in Kowloon Park Piazza, Hong Kong
- a Fun Handicap tournament at Tynemouth Squash Club, England

On Saturday 15th March squash clubs worldwide can join in the fun with a range of sponsored events. Squash teams can also improve their fitness by taking part in one of the hundreds of Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile events taking place across the UK on Sunday 16th March.

World Squash Day is endorsed by the World Squash Federation and supported by a host of national governing bodies. In previous years, events have taken place in more than 40 countries and have supported the sport's bid for a place in the Olympic Games.

WSF Chief Executive Christian Leighton said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for squash clubs to enjoy a weekend of fun activities and also to get involved with Sport Relief.

"All of the events held by squash clubs will be good for the game and any money raised will be spent by Sport Relief to help vulnerable people living incredibly tough lives both at home in the UK and in the world's poorest countries.

"We are expecting support from squash clubs and national governing bodies all over the world."

World Squash Day founder Alan Thatcher, chairman of the Kent SRA, said: "This is great news for the sport and it gives every squash club on the planet the opportunity to support two major objectives: to raise the profile of squash and to raise valuable money for Sport Relief.

"It's free to get involved and squash clubs around the world are being asked to open their doors to the public, to hold fun events to promote the game, to attract new members and to show the world what a fantastic sport we have.

"We will also be encouraging clubs to raise money for Sport Relief by staging sponsored events during the weekend."

Comic Relief Fundraising Manager Carolynne Evans said "We are absolutely thrilled that World Squash Day is supporting this year’s campaign and that squash clubs across the UK and beyond will rise to the challenge to raise a heap of cash for Sport Relief."

World Squash Day - background

World Squash Day was founded following the terrorist attacks in America on September 11th 2001. A number of squash players were among those killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, including Derek Sword, a former Scottish junior international player who was squash champion at New York Athletic Club.

Several of Derek’s friends decided to create something special in his honour, and also provide something tangible for squash. Hence World Squash Day was born. Among the annual activities is a challenge match between New York and a UK team who compete for the Derek Sword Trophy, a magnificent silver rose bowl donated by Derek’s employers, KBW.

About Sport Relief

Sport Relief harnesses the power and passion of sport to change lives for the better.

By playing sport, having fun and raising money, everyone can do good and feel good.

Comic Relief spends the money to help vulnerable people living incredibly tough lives both at home in the UK and in the world's poorest countries.

For more information on Sport Relief go to www.sportrelief.com

Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568

World Squash Day 2008
Sport Relief

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UK calendar fills up but I don't like Mondays

2008 is shaping up into a veritable tournament-fest for squash fans in Britain, with four big events scheduled to attract the world's best players.

After a slightly worrying 2007 in the UK, where the Super Series was rescued in the nick of time and the British Open wobbled back to its feet, the coming 12 months look set to bring the sport back to Blighty with a vengence.

But why are the British Open finals being held on a Monday?

The final matches were held on a Monday last year, and there have been a number of other tournaments where the climax of a competition has fallen outside of a weekend - last year's English Open, for instance, finished on a Tuesday ...

I can only think that it is the availability of venues that means that events can't be scheduled to finish at the weekend. This can't be good for the average working spectator, who would struggle to attend a Monday final if it is not held in their home town.

That small gripe aside, the British squash fan can look forward to the following during 2008:

Canary Wharf Classic (London)
Super Series Finals (London)
British Open (Liverpool)
World Open (Manchester - both men and women)

The geographical spread of these events is also important in bringing the game to a wider audience, as is the return of the Super Series to Broadgate - as I've said a number of time before, harnessing the financial muscle that only London can bring is crucial to the sport again dropping a firm anchor in the UK.

However, it's a shame that although WISPA's finest will be there for the BO and the World Open, there is no big women-only affair to match Canary Wharf of the Super Series.

While fans of the men's game will get to see the likes of Shabana and Ashour, it is only rarely that spectators in Britain get to appreciate the skills of Nicol David and Natalie Grinham.

How about a women's Super Series for Broadgate?

Canary Wharf Classic
Super Series Finals
British Open
World Open

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Anthony Ricketts retires

The Australian professional Anthony Ricketts has retired from the PSA tour.

The 29 year-old from Sydney has had a number of injuries in the past few years, and has decided that the damage to his right knee is such that he cannot regain the fitness required to compete at the top level.

I first saw Ricketts in 2004, after a period of injury that had seen him fall down the rankings. I had a typically English response to the brash Aussie's uncompromising behaviour on court ...

That is, I thought he should cut out the posturing and concentrate on the game (naturally, his English opponent was losing at the time :))

After that I was lucky enough to then see Ricketts in more events in Britain, and broadly agree with the sentiments expressed by others in the squash community when summing up his career and qualities as a player: he was a committed professional, a tough competitor who gave his all and was magnanimous in victory and generous in defeat.

However, to the spectator who wasn't used to his demeanour, he could be difficult to read and for this reason I didn't find him particularly endearing the first couple of times I saw him.

I was soon able to appreciate the often incredulous (sometimes hilariously faux histrionic) challenging of the officials for what it was: rather than seeking to rile the officals or gain any kind of unfair advantage over his opponent, Ricketts was obviously a proud, professional sportsman who simply wanted to be treated as such.

"This is a big moment for me, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time"

When an athlete has to retire through injury, they approach a new phase of their life knowing that they will almost never be able to return to professional competition.

Few would have begrudged Ricketts his British Open win in 2005 (pictured) and another major win the same year in the Tournament of Champions in New York - the big titles his talent deserved had come at last.

The Super Series of 2006, when Ricketts played Lee Beachill in the final, made me revisit my ambivalence about the way Ricketts behaved on court, when the Australian asked for the ball to be changed when clearly in trouble against the Englishman.

This upset Beachill, who subsequently lost, and I left fuming that Lee had been robbed by the actions of Ricketts, whom I felt may have acted within the rules of the game, but not necessarily in its spirit.

In hindsight I revised my opinion of that evening, with the officials
ultimately culpable as they didn't appear to have a grasp of the Super Series rules. The right of both players - and the paying spectators - to have a game properly officiated outweighed any individual grievances generated in the heat of the moment, and it showed Ricketts as a passionate advocate of a more professional tour (an opinion also voiced by fellow Australian David Palmer throughout his career).

Whoever was responsible on that particular evening, it wasn't a good advert for squash.

Deserved success

Ricketts probably would have won a lot more singles titles if injury had not plagued his years at the top.

He also had an illustrious doubles career, partnering Stewart Boswell for the most part when representing his country (see the doubles wins below. I also wondered why he never paired up with Palmer ...).


In recent years, I haven't been able to open a squash magazine without seeing Ricketts splashed across the page as the face of his sponsors Wilson, appearing in promotional material for their ranges of rackets. It appears that they had a successful relationship, and comments from Wilson suggest that the relationship may continue.

Australia could have done with Ricketts in the (just ended) World Team Championships. Aussies seem to relish team events and Ricketts must be just the sort of guy you would like to have around a squad.

The phrase "hard but fair" is often misapplied, but Ricketts - who was always first to offer his hand to an opponent, win or lose - seemed like a decent bloke who cared that things should be done properly.

His retirement means that the PSA has lost one of its strongest adverts for the increased professionalism that the sport aspires to.

Anthony Ricketts - career highlights

2000 Australian Open (winner)
2002 Commonwealth Games - silver medal, men's doubles
2003 Australia - World Team Squash Champions
2005 British Open(winner)
2005 Tournament of Champions(winner)
2006 Commonwealth Games - silver medal, men's doubles
2006 Australian Open(winner)
2006 Super Series Finals(winner)
2006 World Doubles(winner)

PSA tour titles - 9
Highest world ranking - 3

More coverage and tributes

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internationalSPORTgroup unveils VIP membership

Squash promoter internationalSPORTgroup have unveiled a new marketing initiative, designed to retain and increase numbers attending their events.

The iSPORTvip Squash Membership is billed as "an exciting new opportunity for players, spectators and enthusiasts to receive a comprehensive range of exclusive benefits" ...

Membership will bring a host of benefits, including (depending on level of membership):

- Free tickets to the final of the 2008 British Open in Liverpool
- Priority booking, exclusive tickets discounts and access to VIP members' lounge at iSPORTevents
- Exclusive gifts and offers from sponsors and partners, including a free pair of Hi-Tec squash shoes, worth £60.00 (if you join by the end of the year)
- Exclusive discounts of all iSPORTmerchandise
- Free internation squash magazine subscription
- Free monthly electronic magazine and e-newsletter
- Free internation squash annual subscription
- Joining pack and personalised membership card

Exclusive membership is £50, and Platinum membership £250. Both represent excellent value for money for the committed squash fan, with the Exclusive membership priced competitively enough to tempt newcomers.

This is a brave new step by the iSPORTgroup (who recently put on the English Grand Prix, a slickly-ran affair that was hampered by suspect officiating), and given that squash is crying out for innovative marketing is exactly the kind of initiative it needs.

iSPORTvip Squash Membership

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Innovative marketing on YouTube makes a racket

There's a couple of great new marketing initiatives from the PSA and a couple of racket manufacturers up on YouTube.

The videos from Tecnifibre and PSA/Dunlop involve a number of PSA pros and are a step forward in the promotion of the sport.

A Usual Day with Tecnifibre features stablemates Thierry Lincou and Wael El Hindi "acting out" a supposed day in their training regimes.

The main section where they play in the urban surroundings hints at a "street" element to squash. I found this particularly interesting, as it suggests a new direction in moving the game's image away from the stuffy associations that many think it still retains.

The film makers could have skipped the first couple of minutes or so where the players are hanging around the conventional court as the dodgy scripting cheapens the concept somewhat. But well done to Lincou and El Hindi for experimenting like this for the good of the game.

The PSA film Racket Evolution , which seems to have been put together in partnership with Dunlop, has Frenchman Greg Gaultier and world number one Amr Shabana from Egypt talking about the evolution of squash rackets from the wooden models of yesteryear to today's carbon fibre composite models.

The concept is not as innovative as the Tecnifibre film, but production standards are much higher.

Both players talk eloquently about the equipment they use - Gaultier recalls a particularly amusing exhibition that he agreed to play "retro" - and the technical jargon usually associated with racket technology is pulled apart by Toby Marcham from Dunlop.

The film has been slickly produced by Pro Active Television.

So, a bold concept on one hand and slick production on the other - the next step is to marry the two and make sure more people see the end product ...

A Usual Day with Tecnifibre
Racket Evolution

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A step in the right direction

Very encouraging to read that England Squash's new Chair, Zena Wooldridge, is planning the creation of a Marketing and Communications Team within her organisation.

Her comments were made in Issue 5 - 2007 of Squash Player magazine:

"... the idea is that Club Services would come under Marketing and use part-time external consultants (with experience in leisure and fitness industry) to provide expertise when needed."

I would have also liked to have seen "media consultants" included in the parentheses above, but at least this seems that a conscious effort (and the funding to back it up) is being devoted to widening participation by actively "selling" the sport.

As I had argued before, innovative marketing and media engagement is needed as much - if not more - than grass roots work.

England Squash

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Al-Turki reveals tour plans

Ziad Al-Turki, the Saudi Vice-President of the ATCO Group and sponsor of the Saudi International, has revealed further plans to streamline the men's tour.

On the back of the recent seven-year, $675,000 agreement between the ATCO Group and the internationalSPORTgroup that will see a large rise in the prize money available for a number of high-profile events, Al-Turki has suggested that the PSA tour should concentrate in specific regional areas before moving on to others.

This seems sensible given the relatively small amounts of funding and prize money that squash players receive set against the high cost of air travel. Formula One does something similar, moving from continent to continent.

Speaking to Squashsite, Al-Turki said:

"The Tour show flow from Europe, to the US, to Asia and then back to the Middle East. Instead of which players are going backwards and forwards all over the place, which is wrong".

This seems reasonable, and will surely be received favourably by the players. Any money coming into the game will be welcomed, and Al-Turki seems a genuine squash enthusiast.

As I have noted before, though these plans suggest streamlining a tour that moves all over the world, the controlling "hub" of world squash seems to be moving from Europe to the Middle East.

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Squash and the City

Squash has an ambivalent relationship with the suited and booted. On one hand it tries to shake off "image problems" that perceive it as an elitist pursuit for public school toffs and City boys; on the other it courts the fat wallets by plonking itself in the middle of Broadgate or Canary Wharf.

Opening the recent 2007 International Edition (Issue 2) of Squash Player magazine I was pleased to see the annual London Super Series Finals, previously cancelled due to the withdrawal of a sponsor, may now be staged after all.

What particularly drew attention was a specific reference to the pertinence of the event's Broadgate Arena location:

"The Super Series Finals is a non-ranking event and as such provides exhibition-style squash for a niche audience in the City. Importantly, this is a showcase for the sport in the eyes of the world's financial community".

Having attended the event for a number of years I've seen some attempts to court (sic) the City workers who attend the Finals, usually through amateur tournaments throughout the week's competition, with a prize of competing on the glass court or a training session with one of the pros.

I don't doubt the sincerity and hard work of the organisers in offering these spin-off events to enthusiastic spectators. But does this constitute a serious attempt to "showcase the sport in the eyes of the world's financial community"? I doubt it - the profile is too small and investment minimal.

If the Super Series Finals at Broadgate are an explicit attempt to attract investment from City firms then they need to make a bigger statement. The venue (basically a marquee tent with limited tiered seating) does not allow for hospitality or entertainment away from the court – important side-shows when impressing corporate partners used to such things.

A couple of months ago I noted the irony in an initiative to attract City money to Olympic sports in preparation for the London 2012 Games. While large firms were being invited to "sponsor" an individual sport (supplementing increased state funding - some of which may even be diverted from squash), the chosen pastime of thousands of their employees wouldn't receive a penny due to squash's non-appearance at the Games.

Sponsorship v Partnerships

This shouldn't be the case. On a subsequent page of the Squash Player mag was an encouraging interview with Christian Leighton, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the World Squash Federation (WSF). His subject was sponsorships and partnerships: the former being centred on short-term mutual gain, the latter a strategic relationship that becomes "effective years after association".

While admitting that the WSF is "certainly no expert" in this area, Leighton says that his organisation is willing to take risks in pitching for partnerships longer than the usual one- or two-year deals "even if it will deter many sponsors". This is a brave but necessary step, and is evidence of an ambition that the sport all too often seems to lack.

Given squash's links with business, why shouldn't these longer partnerships be possible? Finding where City companies splurge the charitable funds that could, under different circumstances, befall squash isn't difficult. A click on the website of the investment bank JP Morgan, for instance, sees proud boasts of partnerships that have created (and continue to support) sporting and cultural events.

With big-money announcements in the Middle East increasingly locating the region as the epicentre of world squash, the traditional influence of Britain as the sport's "home" is also under threat. This may not be a bad thing, though without innovative investment Britain may lose some of its famous tournaments in the near future.

So what exactly can be done to woo the investment banks, insurers and equity groups? Which partnerships would provide the most mutual benefit?

Why target a “niche”?

Perhaps this is not the right question to ask at this stage. The most ambiguous phrase in the above Squash Player extract is "niche audience": niches are by definition small, and do not attract large amounts of money. Squash is a mass-participation sport and needs to appeal than more to a niche audience.

The governing bodies of squash need firstly to address the incongruity posed at the start of this article and agree on which side of the bed they lie. Christian Leighton mentions in his article that "in order to find companies or brands with similar objectives or needs, we must first understand our own" - a welcome admission that a sport's image is crucial to its survival in the modern era.

World Squash Federation
Squash Player magazine

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