Let's Talk Squash - SUSPENDED

Squash Mad II · Newbie Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 9

Previously I shared the quote from Milton Friedman, Nobel laureate economist, who wrote in his seminal work Capitalism and Freedom:
"only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around."

Here's an idea that requires an open mind and a spirit of looking outside conventional thinking, thinking BIG and selectively yielding the reins for the good of the game.

If the PSA and new CEO really truly want to think outside the box and try a really ambitious, unselfish means of:
- attracting new skills sets (marketing, promotion, corporate connections)
- growing the sport

Why not explore a strategic partnership with:
http://www.imgworld.com/event_management/default.sps

What do YOU think?

Shawn Patton

th0mascricket · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:42 am Post subject:

I hope you didn't think too long and hard about this pearl of wisdom. Jeez, there I was expecting a real corker and the suggestion is.......wait for it.........hooking up with a sports marketing firm. Wooww. Also, what's with the Friedman quote, it's a total non-sequitur, who ever said squash is in crisis?

Calsquasher · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject:

I agree, squash is hardly in a state of "crisis" and the time for hitting the panic button has not yet arrived. In fact, I think we should be quite pleased with the direction squash is heading in right now and should not be trying to make drastic changes. Sometimes, progress takes time.
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"Drive for show, drop for dough."

Viper · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject:

Adam Hildred · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject:

Run-away-from-danger Boy · Prolific Contributor Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 140

Crisis or not, what's wrong with hiring a sports management, marketing and promotion firm anyway? It can only help? Everybody cries that squash doesn't get enough publicity, why not place that aspect in the hands of experts for a change?

th0mascricket · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject:

There's nothing wrong with hiring a sports marketing firm, just don't quote Milton Friedman and big up the idea like it's the one silver bullet that no one else could possibly have thought of.

Viper · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:52 am Post subject:

manus · Prolific Contributor Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 202

[/quote]

Steady in England ? Not from what I read, ie court closures are common, that does not spell steady that = decline.[/quote]
Squash IS steady in england, it has a great following and respect as a sport amongst the geneal public. from what i hear, the pros are very well looked after. any decent irish squash player has left to play in england. even some egyptian pros and australian pros train and play league in england. the problem you talk about with court closures is simply because of developers buying up squash clubs, knocking them, then building apartment blocks. the courts are closing because of this, NOT because the sport is in decline........

Viper · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:02 am Post subject:

squish · Prolific Contributor Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 95

There are MANY more international squash courts than 10 or 20 years ago in New York City, although there are much fewer tennis, racquetball, or handball courts, fewer bowling alleys, fewer pool halls and table tennis clubs, etc. (Real estate is absurdly high relative to income and will probably crash soon.) All along the Northeast US new squash courts keep popping up.

Viper · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:13 am Post subject:

Pedro · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject:

Regardless of participation, squash courts simply do not generate enough profit to protect them against developments like condos, office space or other higher volume retail or commercial outlets. My club sold to a carpet retailer after posting it's best ever year profit wise. Now that same building is generating far more income.
It was not an indication of sqaush in decline at all, it was just simple economics.
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IN SQUASH WE TRUST.

manus · Prolific Contributor Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 202

quote]

That is exactly the measure I am talking about, ie "new courts" being built, unlike England where you cannot claim the sport is steady when courts are dissapearing...................[/quote]
why can we not claim the sport is steady in england then? i said earlier that the reaon for court closures is because of property developers. its a lot more profitable to knock courts and build and sell loads of apartments, although maybe not anymore with the credit crunch etc. over the last 10 years or so, squash courts and the space which they occupied were the victim of economic prosperity. I have to say you are wrong when you say the sport is not steady in the uk. loads of players, loads of juniours and a great following. you have a very negative view of the sport in aus, but its not like that everywhere...........

Viper · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject:

Property value/participation it is a chicken and egg situation, is the lose of established existing courts and the resulting homeless players resulting in new centers being built in cheaper areas of the cities or are the remaining courts being swamped ?
Court closures aside a sport is not steady if its participation is steady inside a growing population base it is in fact losing ground.

Also regarding Australia, stating the facts it neither being negative or positive, it is just how it is, having ones head in the sand is one of if not the biggest impediment to make change.
_________________
........ Squash is a drug - and remember there is always someone better than you........

manus · Prolific Contributor Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 202

I never said you were not stating facts when i said you have a negative view of squash in aus. i am sure that you are indeed stating facts about squash in your part of the world. the same way that i am stating facts about squash in my part of the world. court closures or not, squash has a steady following in england. however, the squash community get a raw deal when it comes to being supported by relevant bodies etc, especially in ireland......

Viper · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject:

manus · Prolific Contributor Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 202

I will try explain. I never said that squash is growing in line with the population, i said squash is steady. when i say steady i mean that squash is not dying but its not growing either. do you understand me now? when i said that you have a negative view, its because you obviously know your facts therefore based on the facts you have a negative view which is fair enough.... im not contradicting any of your views or your "FACTS", i am merely giving my opinion based on what i know.
ps. no messengers were intentionally painted either... Very Happy

Viper · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:18 am Post subject:

No worries Manus Cool

Is there any published data on participation numbers in squash over time available for the UK that anyone knows about ?
_________________
........ Squash is a drug - and remember there is always someone better than you........

Pass the Stripe · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 7:56 am Post subject:

The median age of squash players in the UK is rising year on year.

The courts/centres being torn down for development are not being replaced.

The game won't die as there will always be a hardcore of players. But even compared to ten years ago it's not as popular. Go back further to the early 80#s (before my time) and it was probably even more popular then.

As for what can be done about it; f knows. Locally, I am slowly getting involved in the organisations at club and regional level to lend what help i can. Remember, the aim shouldn't be to get the sport as popular as rugby or as monied as football... We, the dedicated, should just be trying to fix the roof.

Viper · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:13 am Post subject:

bendi36 · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:23 am Post subject:

Viper your being pretty negative here.
Why not point out the facts on how squash is improving??
or why not suggest new ideas or ways to help squash.

Pointing out negatives simply to illustrate them seems pretty negative to me.
_________________
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite

Viper · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:33 am Post subject:

Squash Mad II · Newbie Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 9

We can selectively point to small pockets where squash is doing well and otherwise put on rose colored glasses, but the unanswered question remains ...

Why not explore a strategic partnership with:
http://www.imgworld.com/event_management/default.sps

But instead of a generic request, get the house in order and demonstrate the partnership that you want to build by:

1. Assembling letters of support, commitment from:
5 Key Tournaments in "World Class" cities (London, Paris, NewYork, Toronto, Saudi, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Giza, etc)
promoters to collaborate, cooperate and where necessary/appropriate defer to IMG
top 10 players to attend every tournament, and be extremely available for marketing
national squash associations and regional squash associations in the jurisdiction of these 5 events listing how they will support the events and provide visibility, marketing opportunities for sponsors
squash media (magazines, websites, etc)

2. Document demographic data of:
tournament audience (wouldn't it be helpful if each of the major tournaments did a statistically valid, credible survey of the ticket buying public of their event to be able to show sponsors ... avg age, income, education, occupation, vehicle, # of airline flights, etc of actual people/eyeballs who are on site during an event ... not just some dated generic national data)
streaming audience
local squash association

3. Work with club pros, associations, to build and provide a list/profiles of notable squash players (CEO's, VP, politicians, entrepreneurs, etc, etc) to demonstrate how sponsoring squash gains access to a very hard to reach demographic.

4. list of marketing opportunities, and marketable properties at all levels of the game

Easy to get sidetracked by a discussion of whether or not squash is in crisis or decline, but why not just ask ourselves:
.... can we do better
.... is it worth partnering with a company with demonstrated abilities and corporate connections
.....can we put the good of the game and bringing in new people, ideas, skills ahead of egos, self-interest, doing what is comfortable
.....will key decision makers yield powers, perks and allow someone else to take the credit for innovation, attracting sponsors, organizing events

Shawn Patton

Viper · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 7:28 am Post subject: Re: question remains