Badminton World Federation President Poul-Erik Hoyer said on Wednesday that the proposed innovations to the sport ultimately have the players’ interests at heart and can collectively improve their futures in diverse ways.
Elaborating on the three specific elements that the BWF Council is seeking to change, Hoyer reasoned that a new scoring system (five games of 11 points), a reduction in on-court coaching, and a fixed-height service law “will combine well for a more enriching player experience in addition to boosting the spectacle of the sport”.
Shorter matches will “sharpen badminton as a commercial product and make it a more attractive television product”, Hoyer said, which will translate into higher revenues and “the resulting effect of that is higher player income”.
Regarding the fixed-height service law that is currently being tested at BWF tournaments, Hoyer stressed it is integral to ensure the greatest fairness possible in service judging and the ongoing experiment is a critical step in the right direction.
BWF also presented an infographic – titled “Focusing on Our Players” – listing the positive impacts which enhanced rules could have for players, including shorter matches, less physical pressure, longer playing careers and increased earnings.
“As outlined in our Strategic Plan 2016-2020, players are at the centre of our decisions and a significant part of our mandate is to provide the optimal environment in which they can flourish as professionals,” Hoyer was quoted as saying.
“At the same time, we must ensure badminton continues attracting and exciting fans in the competitive and cutting-edge sports-entertainment industry,” he added.