ITTF PRESIDENT ADHAM SHARARA HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE RECENT RULE CHANGES THAT HAVE MADE THE SPORT MORE EXCITING.
California Table Tennis: You have shown support to this league by having TMS International be the title sponsor. What do you hope for this league?
Adham Sharara: From a business point of view it's a good visibility for TMS especially that TMS has plans to expand into the USA. TMS is the exclusive marketing agency for the ITTF, so it makes sense that TMS supports its main client and helps promote table tennis in the USA. On a personal level, I am hoping that this is the seed for a full fledged professional North American League in the future.
California Table Tennis: We feel having many spectators in the league matches is important. How do you plan to get more spectators in the Pro Tour and other ITTF events and what recommendations do you have to this league to get more spectators?
Adham Sharara: It depends a lot on the location and the popularity of the sport in that area. We do have Pro Tour events that attract a lot of spectators, while we have others that do not. It also depends on how the organizers promote the event and get the event visible in the media. For your league, you have to start with the immediate local community, through all means possible of getting the League known. For example demonstrations in malls (go to the people), appearances on local cable TV (enter people's homes), through articles written in the local newspapers, etc. You should use all methods that you can find to get the League known and to attract people to come and watch matches live. Of course, once you have attracted them, then you must offer a good product so that they come back.
California Table Tennis: What are your goals with the Pro Tour?
Adham Sharara: The Pro Tour is in its 10th year of operation. We have struggled a lot to get a professional Tour concept across. Now we have a stable product but the next step is to get it more visible, more important and covered by more TV stations. We are also planning larger sponsorship and larger prize money. At the moment each major event offers US$100,000, and eventually I would like to see the Pro Tour in the same league as tennis and other professional sports.
California Table Tennis: What caused the changes in the rules and how have the world-class players reacted to it?
Adham Sharara: Several changes to the Rules were made to make the sport more attractive. Basically that is the bottom line-- to try new ways to make the sport more interesting. I believe that we have succeeded. I find the 11-point games much more exciting. However, in the beginning there is always resistance especially from the players, this is normal of course. But eventually it seems that all players have adjusted well.
California Table Tennis: How do you plan to take advantage of China's strength in the sport?
Adham Sharara: We are trying many things. One important element is establishing a Table Tennis Academy in Beijing starting in the fall of 2006. I hope that this will help other countries improve. We are also staging show-case events with the Chinese Team to increase interest in our sport.
California Table Tennis: You have stated that you are trying to have a team event for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. How is that process going and are you trying to include doubles in it?
Adham Sharara: The proposal for the Team Event has already been presented to the IOC, and just recently we have submitted the proposed new event structure and qualification system for 2008, including the Team Events, and we are awaiting the confirmation of the IOC.
California Table Tennis: ITTF is very active in developing table-tennis in all continents and areas of the world. What are your goals with these development programs?
Adham Sharara: The goal is to have table tennis ACTIVITY all over the world. I am not concerned about the level of table tennis in each country, but I want to see table tennis played and enjoyed by millions all over the world. We now have 200 national associations member of the ITTF. But it is not enough to be just a member of the ITTF, it's important to have activity in all these countries. I am very happy with the results of the development programme and the spread of our sport in all corners of the world.
California Table Tennis: Are there any new programs or events the ITTF is planning in the near future that will excite the readers of this website?
Adham Sharara: New programmes and new events will be coming in the near future but I prefer not to make any announcements at the moment. Hopefully we will be able to announce a Super League in North America with your involvement, right?
California Table Tennis: What do you feel is most important to the sponsors and what recommendations do you have for this league to keep the sponsors happy?
Adham Sharara: Sales, visibility and good corporate citizens. The sponsors want value back for their investment. If they sponsor an event, they would like to see increased sales of their products, more visibility of their brand name to their targeted audience, and often they want to give back to the community. So to keep them happy you must treat them well, address their needs and concerns, give them maximum visibility, support their products and be loyal to their brand. Sponsorship is a long term step-by-step process.
California Table Tennis: How does ITTF get its sponsors such as Volkswagen and Liebherr?
Adham Sharara: We have a marketing agency, TMS International, that works on our behalf, that makes numerous presentations every year to various potential sponsors. They offer tailor-made type of exposure depending on the sponsor's needs and interest. We are very happy to have such a renowned company as VW as one of the ITTF's sponsors. The Liebherr sponsorship was a long process with a very small sponsorship starting 5 years ago and then building it up year by year and slowly involving the company in more events every year. Liebherr today is a very proud sponsor of many ITTF major events and the ITTF is very pleased with Liebherr's involvement.
California Table Tennis: Can we ask you financial questions such as how much title rights to a World Championship or Pro Tour event cost or is this confidential?
Adham Sharara: It depends on the location, country, and sponsors involved. A title sponsorship in China or Germany is worth more than a title sponsorship in Canada for example. The ITTF has given all its commercial and TV rights sales exclusively to TMS International that sells these rights on behalf of the ITTF. The amounts for each event remain confidential.