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ShareOdense: Facing recessionary times, and the prospect of having to take up an increasing financial burden, the Badminton Association of Denmark (BAD) is contemplating the possibility of creating an international club league that includes India, to tap into the potential television market in the subcontinent. It's early days yet, but these are desperate times for a team that is among the best in the sport, and yet has been struggling to convince the government for greater support.
Finn Traerup-Hansenis the Director of Elite Sport in the BAD. Finn has an impressive resume -- he was earlier Performance Director to the Badminton Association of England and chief coach of Australia. As Director of Elite Sport, he has vast administrative powers, including the final say in national team selection. Finn has an immediate problem -- he has to figure out how to generate more revenues for Team Denmark, because the government is asking them to shoulder more of the burden.
On Saturday, at a working breakfast with some select Asian journalists in a conference hall overlooking the local football ground, Finn laid it out: 70 per cent of the badminton performance programme came from the government, most of it sourced from the national lottery; the association had to raise 30%. However, it has lately been under pressure to take up an additional 10%-- a daunting task for a sport that's hugely popular, but incapable of raising large revenues. Without the possibility of catering to huge television audiences, funding -- even for players like world No.3 Peter Gade -- has been a problem. Players depend on their local clubs for sustenance -- but few make big money. Top players make around 200,000 kroner a year, while the average blue collar worker makes 250,000.
"We are interested in India," said Traerup-Hansen. "We would like a Champions' League which can be televised in India and the huge market over there. Obviously Indian players too will have to be involved. But the league has to make money; we're making too many compromises now. That's the reason for my grey hair."
Apart from the prospect of having to build an international league from scratch -- Traerup-Hansen acknowledged the exciting prospect of having Chinese, Indonesians and Malaysians in it -- the challenge would be to find space in a packed international calendar. With 12 Super Series and a number of other European and world events lined up every month, Team Denmark finds it hard to prepare players adequately for the most important championships. Even the top Asian teams are cutting down on their international commitments. (Only India has been unaffected, thanks to funding for Commonwealth Games preparation) There is a restiveness that's apparent, and whatever comes out of this will define world badminton over the next decade.
