A personal invitation from Robert Blackwell - Event Date: 12/27/2009

Dear Friend,

Please accept this message as a personal invitation to watch many of the World's best Table Tennis Athletes at this year's Killerspin SPINvitational Table Tennis Championships December 27th at Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom in Chicago, IL. 

For more information and to register please go to http://killerspin.eventbrite.com/.  There is no charge but please register if you plan on attending.

Best Regards and Happy Holiday

Robert Blackwell Jr.
President
Electronic Knowledge Interchange
33 W. Monroe #1700
Chicago, IL 60603
312-236-2002
312-236-2022 Fax

lol I'll be helping out there so hopefully I'll get to watch some of the matches :D

Carbon TT wrote: It's a shame their doing some sort of stupid format for the professonal players.  I heard it's going to be some kind of tag team event, 1 game to 41 points, and every 10 points is a quarter.  Supposedly it was created by RB's propagan...I mean PR team.  Congratulations RB, you have yet missed the mark once again.  Please stop trying to make table tennis a hit in the US by making it something it is not, you have done enough damage as it is.

Is it really going to be a tag-team kinda thing? televised?

I'll probably be going to watch the pros regardless, although I'd rather see them play regular matches versus some type of strange format.

spitfire wrote: well, since they sell tt equipment, it would be wise (businessly) to promote tt in any way necessary for people to buy their stuff, i don't think KS really cares about producing top players though.

You're joking, right?

I've seen Killerspin sponsored players locally in Chicago and from South America. They are the real deal- they sponsor players because those players exhibit visibility and/or potential.

Locally in Chicago, table tennis would be NOWHERE without Killerspin. Clubs are fragmented, there is no league system- team or individual,and there are no organized training development group camps for juniors. Killerspin is doing their best to correct some of the problems by spending money to give the best bang for the buck they think necessary, but they can't do it alone. When have you seen anyone else doing what they are doing in the US, brands/distributors who many blindly support, including me? Paddle Palace? Tibhar? Stiga? ButterflyNA? Zeropong?

Without Killerspin we wouldn't have this annual celebration at the end of the year with top names from Europe and Asia agreeing to come to showcase their talent in the US. I couldn't care less whether or not it is supposed to be an exhibition, at least the often forgotten Midwest enthusiasts can get to see top quality play up close and live.

Until USATT figures out the US Open needs to be a ITTF ProTour event FOR the US enthusiasts/members this is the best we have.

Carbon TT wrote: Please stop trying to make table tennis a hit in the US by making it something it is not, you have done enough damage as it is.

What? Damage? Are you daft?

How can you fault him for trying to raise exposure and spectator interest?

You don't want to see the sport grow?

I fail understand the grounds for your criticism of someone who has invested so much time and money in the sport (increasing exposure, helping his players and brand get featured on ESPN, sponsoring top US players, supporting clubs and leagues and providing great, personal customer service for his products).

He's also partly responsible for the success of Bud Light's Hard Bat Classic (remember those Killerspin Blades). Whether you love or hate hardbat, it would be tough to call the event a failure. It certainly generated more hype, exposure and spectator interest than many other traditional US TT tournaments.

You have my support Mr. Blackwell, keep up the good work!

Carbon TT wrote: It's a shame their doing some sort of stupid format for the professonal players.  I heard it's going to be some kind of tag team event, 1 game to 41 points, and every 10 points is a quarter.  Supposedly it was created by RB's propagan...I mean PR team.

Anyway, I'm not seeing this "stupid format" anywhere.

I see the handicap event to 41 points, and I see the 2 person team event on Saturday, but those are for regular players.... The Killerspin Holiday Open.

I don't see any details about the Killerspin Spinvitational that entail the Pros playing 41 point, tag-team games with quarters...

SInce many people who attend the game are so called "noobs", I am afraid that they will perceive the TT exactly the way they see it, and I do believe having a formal and intensive match is more helpeful than a unorthodox exibition. In a country where TT is seen as a "basement game" we need professional matches to teach people that this is acturally a sport, not some people messing around.  US need pro tour level matchs, not hiring pros to fool around.

i didn't see anything about that either.  i just assumed the guy above had some "inside information."

maybe he just made it up just to take a cheap shot at RB...

or maybe he's confusing the events for the noobs with the main event...

NickW wrote: Until USATT figures out the US Open needs to be a ITTF ProTour event FOR the US enthusiasts/members this is the best we have.

The USATT is not interested in participating in an event that could lead to an undermining of their good 'ol boys political network.  It would rob them of the fragile hold on power over table tennis in the US. 

The same "gang" is still heavily involved.  The USATT will never move forward as long as they have much to say.

APW46 wrote: Carbon TT wrote: It's a shame their doing some sort of stupid format for the professonal players.  I heard it's going to be some kind of tag team event, 1 game to 41 points, and every 10 points is a quarter.  Supposedly it was created by RB's propagan...I mean PR team.  Congratulations RB, you have yet missed the mark once again.  Please stop trying to make table tennis a hit in the US by making it something it is not, you have done enough damage as it is.    Well I for one, agree with every word you say, why do Americans have to 'razzmataz' everything and change it. You are like a bunch of kids who need constant exitement, no doubt there will be cheerleaders, fireworks, Queens 'we will rock you' Hotdogs, popcorn...... who needs Table tennis, it could be anything.

 

Blame it all on ADD from video games and text messaging.  

Ya...I'm all for promoting TT .....but to promote it like it is not played in normal tournaments can be good and bad. I guess it depends on if you are trying to get Bar-Pong or Circus-Pong promoted. Arguments will go both ways....... But I agree with the fact that you can promote TT without all the BS and side show stuff. 

APW46 wrote: Carbon TT wrote: It's a shame their doing some sort of stupid format for the professonal players.� I heard it's going to be some kind of tag team event, 1 game to 41 points, and every 10 points is a quarter.� Supposedly it was created by RB's propagan...I mean PR team.� Congratulations RB, you have yet missed the mark once again.� Please stop trying to make table tennis a hit in the US by making it something it is not, you have done enough damage as it is. � �Well I for one, agree with every word you say, why do Americans have to 'razzmataz' everything and change it. You are�like a bunch of kids who need�constant exitement, no doubt there will be cheerleaders, fireworks, Queens 'we will rock you' Hotdogs, popcorn...... who needs Table tennis, it could be anything, chess, tiddlywinks, hide and seek........

Quoted do to agreeing with it. Did intend to post the exact same thing my self, but APW beat me to it.

How ever, I do not know if Killerspin have done any damages to the sport in the past, or if this game to 41 tag team event will be played by the pro's, but when trying to promote a sport, I think the sport should be promoted as it is, not by changing it for the promotion.

APW46 wrote: �Well I for one, agree with every word you say, why do Americans have to 'razzmataz' everything and change it. You are�like a bunch of kids who need�constant exitement, no doubt there will be cheerleaders, fireworks, Queens 'we will rock you' Hotdogs, popcorn...... who needs Table tennis, it could be anything, chess, tiddlywinks, hide and seek........

Why you ask?

We are that way because we're not English nor are we part of the United Kingdom.

We are that way precisely because we're American, and that's the way we do things.

It's called "cultural difference" and we don't expect you to understand that, just as we don't understand the obsession with steak and kidney pie, haggis, blood pudding, cricket, and strawberries, cream and champagne at Wimbledon.