Why Is Badminton Not So Popular? A 3-Region Perspective
Maybe your friends don’t play it. Maybe it doesn’t show up on TV. Maybe you’re not great at it, or maybe you just don’t enjoy playing. But whatever your reason is, we’re here to change that and make a case that badminton has been gaining popularity!
So, Why is Badminton not so popular?
Come along with us as we walk through some of the basics of the game and explore why this complex sport is one of the fastest-growing sports around the world despite its lack of a current fanbase.
First folks, a little history!
So, Why is badminton called badminton?
( HINT: It’s nothing to do with “bad” as you might have thought! )
The word “Badminton” is derived from the location of the sport’s invention, Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England. The game was invented in or around 1873.
Reportedly,The Duke of Beaufort, who owned the house, had a country estate in Badminton with a large orchard and many animals. During an evening stroll through the grounds, he saw one of his men playing leapfrog with a group of boys on a rope strung up between two trees, which is thought to have given rise to the name badminton, although no evidence exists to support this.
Why is badminton a good game?
Well, for starters, it is almost free to play. It’s probably the cheapest and easiest sport you can pursue in your neighborhood gym (assuming you have one). All you need are a racquet
and shuttlecocks, which cost around £14 for a set of three. Not only is it affordable but badminton is also relatively easier to learn as compared to other racquet sports. Its fast-paced nature makes it more exciting to watch and play than the traditional racquet sports which we, in badminton, refer to as “yardies.”
What’s also great about badminton is that it’s a good workout. Again, much better than the traditional sports in a gym. It is not just your hands and arms that are engaged while playing; your legs too are involved more than you think.
Talking about the basics, badminton is quite simple. Two players stand across from each other on the court and use their rackets to hit a feathered shuttlecock back and forth across the net until one of them fails to return it successfully. Each player must allow for service after which he or she can only return one shot before hitting over-head shots.
The game is also fairly exciting to watch, you dont have time to get bored, eh? Ain’t it incomprehensible why is badminton not so popular?
Badminton vs other racquet sports
The most significant difference between badminton and other racquet sports is the height of the net. While others like tennis have a net at a height of 78 inches, badminton has a height of 46 inches; this means you can hit the birdie more easily over and through the net, hence, making it more difficult for the defender to defend. This could be a reason why is badminton unlike other racquet sports.
Another major difference is the point system. For instance, in tennis, if the player doesn’t serve a fault, a game is made up of four points. If they win three out of these four points they win the set; in badminton, it could be best-of-five or even best-of-seven depending on the level of play and there are only two points to win. This makes winning games much easier as compared to tennis.
Is it hard to play?
Badminton is a tough sport, and trust us, there are valid reasons why is badminton so hard to play. It is a tiring game for sure. The current rules of badminton differ from the game played during the early 20th century, which makes it difficult to grasp. This is because badminton has been added to and changed over time, resulting in a different gameplay style compared to when it was first invented. The “old-school” badminton game is still officially recognized by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
But do keep reading! 😉
The gameplay is also more complex in badminton because it requires a wider range of shots and skills, some of which can be performed by only very few players in the world.
What makes the skill of these few players even more special is that they are very fast, reflexive. In a matter of a few seconds, they can move from one side of the court to another, to be able to hit the shuttlecock back and forth across the net, that too in complex positions or better called “trick shots”.
Its strategic aspects and technical precision require an incredible amount of skill, talent, and dedication as there is no room for even minute mistakes and misapprehensions. It is not surprising that the art of badminton is so highly esteemed by its cult-like followers.
Why is badminton underrated?
Badminton surely is underrated, and why is it so, is quite a puzzling question but one worth asking. First of all, the game is known as a “competitive sport,” but it is not a sport that can be played by everyone or even the majority of people. Secondly, badminton is not a “major” sport in the sense that you don’t need some special physical strength to play it, which could have an effect on its popularity. Its nature also makes it an ideal sport for players of all ages and genders, as well as a sport that can be played at home by anyone.
But still, it has little support in terms of media coverage and investment. Some reasons for why this has happened could be that badminton is not a particularly expensive sport to play and doesn’t need a large area to set up a court, but at the same time, it is not so cheap that it can be played by anyone. The other point is that the level of difficulty of badminton makes it hard for new players to continue playing the sport properly. You need extraordinary reflexes to play this game at a certain professional level, after all!
While it has been most popularized in Asia over the last century, badminton is still a sport that involves all kinds of people from high schools to recreational teams to corporate companies. It is also growing in other parts of the world, with many professional athletes coming from different countries.
Badminton in Asia
Asia is the place where badminton has seen its glory days. Career badminton players in Asia have been playing for a long time and have even brought home gold medals from the Olympics. While its popularity has changed over time, the game is still very popular in the continent, with a huge number of people following major international tournaments like the Olympics, Asian Games, and Badminton World Federation tournaments.
Badminton in Europe
Badminton has been played in Europe for a long time. But today, the game is still not as popular in this area as it is in Asia and other parts of the world. The European Badminton Federation is a member of the Badminton World Federation and organizer of the Thomas Cup, an international team event contested among teams from different Asian countries, but when it comes to other major tournaments like the Olympics, European countries have not done so well.
Badminton in the United States
Now, why is badminton not popular in US? One possible reason could be that badminton, to begin with, is not so well-known in the US, since it’s still a minority sport—relatively popular in certain ethnicities and not so much in others. Due to this, there aren’t much TV coverage and media exposure, which can affect the Americans’ general interest in badminton.
Now let’s discuss what we think is the future of badminton in the US. Badminton’s popularity in the US is increasing, especially among youth. This could be due to the continual increase in the US population diversity, still being one of the most desirable immigration sites around the world.
There are also an increasing number of competitions and events being held every year, including national and international tournaments like Yonex All-American in California and National Intercollegiate Badminton Championships in Texas. This indicates that there will be a huge growth in badminton popularity in the US in the near future.
Plan to investigate further? Also visit:
