Embarrassingly small crowds in Shanghai

[Wuppy]

I understand that tournaments in China don't draw big crowds, but my god even when there are Chinese players playing there's like 3 people in the audience.

They have garish music, fog machines, spotlights, etc. to introduce the players... and then when the lights come on all you can see are seats.

So my question is: why did Rolex decide to sponsor this silly tournament? I know that Rolex is targeting Asian countries these days, especially China, but this seems like nothing but a big hole to throw Rolex's money down.

 

[Bartelby]

Television is what counts for sponsors, but its not good for tv audiences to have empty stadia.

It does show that there's no real live audience for tennis at either the prices or times that prevail in China.

 

[Zildite]

Television is what counts for sponsors, but its not good for tv audiences to have empty stadia.

It does show that there's no real live audience for tennis at either the prices or times that prevail in China.

Beijing is a lot better (relatively speaking) - http://tenniseastcoast.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/beijing-open-1.jpg
Shanghai is beyond a joke, especially for a masters tournament.
China is quite good at doing 'empty' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19049254

 

[Raiden]

Watch the show courts fill up as the round progresses. The Chinese crowd isn't that much interested in 1st round matches. They wanna see stars, not scrubs. They will show up in the coming days.

Last week in Beijing even the women's matches were well attended at the later stages (that was NOT the case at even Wimbledon centre court:

 

[Bartelby]

If crowds are low for early matches then massive price reductions may be useful, but you wonder whether the authorities actually care about either making money or entertaining crowds.

 

[Bartelby]

Too much money chasing too few investment opportunities.

All backed up by authorities pushing money on favoured insiders.

Time for a little socialism in China by allowing the badly housed to occupy empty apartments.

Beijing is a lot better (relatively speaking) - http://tenniseastcoast.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/beijing-open-1.jpg
Shanghai is beyond a joke, especially for a masters tournament.
China is quite good at doing 'empty' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19049254

 

[svijk]

yes, attendance is pretty pathetic for a Masters event. I think the main reason is;even though Shanghai is one of the biggest cities in the world, majority of the people are poor. Attending tennis events in China could be considered an indulgence. Tennis , i think there, is a still a rich man's sport to play, watch and attend

 

[Evan77]

Beijing actually looked really good this year. I was pleasantly surprised. djoko's matches were pretty much full.

Shanghai is behind, not sure why but I think once you get past first few rounds it should get better. It will still take some time till Chinese people warm up to tennis. I'm hoping that we'll be able to meet more Asian tennis players in general, but it seems to be so hard for them to break through. Such a huge country should be producing good players left and right. Freaking Serbia is producing #1, top 10 players on both the ATP and the WTA side, and they have like what 8,5 millions people there. I was disappointed with Shanghai tournament attendance last couple of years. I wish some of our tennis friends from China can give us some input. Are tickets too expensive?

Again, I prefer Beijing and think that organizers there did really a wonderful job there last few years.

 

[Zildite]

Finals attendence is good at least (2010) - http://imgur.com/a/LODYS#0

Keep in mind that both Shanghai and Beijing’s stadiums have the joint fourth largest capacities in the world (both at 15,000, same as Wimbledon centre court) so you could excuse them for not being totally packed.
If they can afford finals tickets, they should be able to afford earlier rounds so it might be something else keeping them away.

 

[jokinla]

Always a joke, has to be the worst attended Masters, they should play somewhere that fans will actually attend.

 

[Shangri La]

This is after an 8-day 'golden week' holiday. Nobody is going to take time off from work and watch live tennis. As always, come SF/final time, especially when Fed is playing, the stadium will be PACKED.

 

[Russeljones]

They are all paid to stand outside Japanese shops and factories.

 

[Shangri La]

yes, attendance is pretty pathetic for a Masters event. I think the main reason is;even though Shanghai is one of the biggest cities in the world, majority of the people are poor. Attending tennis events in China could be considered an indulgence. Tennis , i think there, is a still a rich man's sport to play, watch and attend

Yeah that explains why the stadium is packed every year in the final - because final tickets are the cheapest.

 

[syke]

Tennis simply isn't popular compared to basketball or badminton.
It's just like making Americans watch a cricket test match or Europeans watch American football.

 

[syke]

They are all paid to stand outside Japanese shops and factories.

Same goes for those Greenpeace folks

 

[Bartelby]

Yes, they shanghaied the crowds from the tennis stadium.

They are all paid to stand outside Japanese shops and factories.

 

[Deleted member 21996]

now my answer to OP if i was political correctness wacko like TROUBLEMAKER or Fart Le Bi would be : Now that is severely Racist, calling the chinese small....

 

[Bartelby]

yes, you're just plain wacko.

 

[Bartelby]

I looked up the word 'shanghai', by the way, and discovered that the practice of 'crimping' or 'pressganging' civilians into the merchant marine was standard practice in America for over one hundred years.

And of course once aboard a ship the law penalized desertion harshly.

 

[The Bawss]

Crickets! Crickets everywhere!

 

[Zarfot Z]

Solution: Make Halle a Masters and Shanghai a 250 tournament.

 

[The Bawss]

Solution: Make Halle a Masters and Shanghai a 250 tournament.

Or Queens, or Basel or Dubai. There are so many non-masters that are better all around tournaments than Shanghai.

 

[dominikk1985]

this is because people in asia don't care for tennis. the ATP/WTA are artificially trying to boost tennis there because of the "big market" just like soccer tries in the US or american football tried in europe.

but usually this doesn't really work people like to stay with their inherent sports.

 

[Zarfot Z]

Or Queens, or Basel or Dubai. There are so many non-masters that are better all around tournaments than Shanghai.

Dubai should usurp Shanghai as a Masters. Basel is a 250, but everyone knows it is at least the equivalent of a 500 or above.

 

[The Bawss]

Dubai should usurp Shanghai as a Masters. Basel is a 250, but everyone knows it is at least the equivalent of a 500 or above.

Basel is a 500.

 

[tusharlovesrafa]

Tennis simply isn't popular compared to basketball or badminton.
It's just like making Americans watch a cricket test match or Europeans watch American football.

You American,right? An American knowing about Cricket test match is an achievement in itself..

 

[Mainad]

Always a joke, has to be the worst attended Masters, they should play somewhere that fans will actually attend.

The players seem to like it though. They regularly vote it their favourite Masters tournament!

 

[augustobt]

Honestly, is that a surprise for you?

I never saw those courts filled in Shangai.

 

[jones101]

This is the fullest I seen it.

I guess it the 'Fed Effect'

 

[DRII]

Too much money chasing too few investment opportunities.

All backed up by authorities pushing money on favoured insiders.

Time for a little socialism in China by allowing the badly housed to occupy empty apartments.

So China is not communist afterall...

 

[Bartelby]

If you define communism as giving free money to political insiders and confiscating the land of peasants to give to property speculators communism then the whole world is defineable as such.

So China is not communist afterall...

 

[MasturB]

this is because people in asia don't care for tennis. the ATP/WTA are artificially trying to boost tennis there because of the "big market" just like soccer tries in the US or american football tried in europe.

but usually this doesn't really work people like to stay with their inherent sports.

Except that soccer actually is booming in the US.

MLS is expanding, the Seattle vs. Portland game had over 60k in attendance.

ESPN actually shows La Liga, EPL matches and Fox is showing UEFA and EPL matches as well.

Thanks to the World Cup in 2006 and 2010, soccer is really really picking up in this country.

 

[RF20Lennon]

I get the feeling tickets are too expensive

 

[JMR]

Watch the show courts fill up as the round progresses. The Chinese crowd isn't that much interested in 1st round matches. They wanna see stars, not scrubs. They will show up in the coming days.

Last week in Beijing even the women's matches were well attended at the later stages (that was NOT the case at even Wimbledon centre court:

That match is taking place at Wimbledon, but it's the Olympic tournament, not the Championships.

 

[sunof tennis]

Dubai should usurp Shanghai as a Masters. Basel is a 250, but everyone knows it is at least the equivalent of a 500 or above.

Nobody cares about Dubai

 

[sunof tennis]

That match is taking place at Wimbledon, but it's the Olympic tournament, not the Championships.

Yes, look at the player on the right side of the picture. Clearly not wearing Wimbledon white.

 

[JMR]

Yes, look at the player on the right side of the picture. Clearly not wearing Wimbledon white.

True, but I was referring to the purple Olympic bunting with the Olympic rings. :wink:

 

[No1e]

I think it will only get "crowded" when two of the big 4 play each other.

 

[jokinla]

The players seem to like it though. They regularly vote it their favourite Masters tournament!

How many Masters series have I heard that about from the players, hint, more than a few.

 

[jokinla]

Solution: Make Halle a Masters and Shanghai a 250 tournament.

Halle or Queens definitely.

 

[Mainad]

How many Masters series have I heard that about from the players, hint, more than a few.

But in Shanghai's case, it's official.

2011:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Te...hanghai-Dubai-Bastad-Tournaments-Of-Year.aspx

2010:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/02/Other/2010-Tournaments-Of-The-Year-Named.aspx

 

[PCXL-Fan]

I'd think Hong Kong would likely attract a full stadium every time. Given its history and its heavily western slanted culture. The exposure in the past to western media would likely mean they had tennis exposure for many years, and wikipedia says people there have western tastes. The business culture would mean there would be many with the money to attend the event.

 

[Mustard]

We had this conversation a year ago, and 2 years ago. It really annoys me that Hamburg was downgraded for this.

 

[Evan77]

We had this conversation a year ago, and 2 years ago. It really annoys me that Hamburg was downgraded for this.

It's all about politics. China is a super power nowadays and they have more than enough money to throw away. It is what it is. I prefer Beijing (being only 500) more than Shanghai, and Shanghai is the worst master. not sure why.

I miss Hamburg. it was so well organized. fantastic tournament. the crowd was there, full stands, great atmosphere etc.

 

[syke]

I'd think Hong Kong would likely attract a full stadium every time. Given its history and its heavily western slanted culture. The exposure in the past to western media would likely mean they had tennis exposure for many years, and wikipedia says people there have western tastes. The business culture would mean there would be many with the money to attend the event.

Trust me, Hong Kong's Center Court in Victoria Park is pathetic.
It's too small even for a 250 event.

There was talk about bringing in a WTA event, but that would mean building bigger seating galleries.

BTW, China doesn't recognise Hong Kong as "their" city. It's always Shanghai, Beijing or any other mainland city over Hong Kong.

 

[The Bawss]

It's all about politics. China is a super power nowadays and they have more than enough money to throw away. It is what it is. I prefer Beijing (being only 500) more than Shanghai, and Shanghai is the worst master. not sure why.

I miss Hamburg. it was so well organized. fantastic tournament. the crowd was there, full stands, great atmosphere etc.

Not to mention Fed used to own that tournament. He even bagelled Nads there if I recall correctly.

 

[TennisLovaLova]

Not to mention Fed used to own that tournament. He even bagelled Nads there if I recall correctly.

He also played a great match vs kuerten there
(Sureshs is gonna pretend kuerten was injured...)

 

[Mustard]

Not to mention Fed used to own that tournament. He even bagelled Nads there if I recall correctly.

Federer beat Nadal 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 in the 2007 Hamburg final, which was Nadal's first loss on clay in over 2 years. Nadal got his revenge the following year, beating Federer 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 in the 2008 Hamburg final.

 

[Mustard]

He also played a great match vs kuerten there
(Sureshs is gonna pretend kuerten was injured...)

Kuerten had hip surgery in February 2002. Make of that what you will.

 

[rufus_smith]

Maybe they should tell the citizens that it's a major table tennis tourney on a really big table.