tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post7792705165562065736..comments2023-08-12T06:24:02.457-04:00Comments on The Squashist: Professional Squash in America: Growth, or No?The Squashisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02924299528289973751noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post-25328796084575193062010-11-12T13:35:14.670-05:002010-11-12T13:35:14.670-05:00I would like to see an analysis including Canada i...I would like to see an analysis including Canada in with the US market (as they are basically the same area). I think Canada has many more tournaments now then they did 5 years ago. I would guess they have 15 events themselves bring the total for North America up to around 35.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post-12581379940954480272010-11-10T16:19:35.776-05:002010-11-10T16:19:35.776-05:00I often see New York Nick's comments on squash...I often see New York Nick's comments on squash forums and he is always dead on, and so with the above comment. Most importantly, the over-reliance on middle eastern money to pad the overall world purse serves to obfuscate the health of the sport. It's great that squash is attracting good purses in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, etc. -- don't get me wrong. But the picture is lopsided, and for a world sport, that lopsidedness isn't healthy. One of the greatest things for me about squash is its true global status; we must preserve that and make it grow....<br /><br />And as for US Squash, they have indeed exiled me to their blog page, but that's a move i can understand. They wanted (and now have) one page where various squash blogs were aggregated, and having me on their home page gave my blog the perception of having perhaps semi-official status, which has never been the case. So i forgive them!The Squashisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02924299528289973751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post-85130398160472465942010-11-08T18:23:43.683-05:002010-11-08T18:23:43.683-05:00Have you been exiled from the US Squash homepage?Have you been exiled from the US Squash homepage?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post-12233498267158535492010-11-07T08:52:50.879-05:002010-11-07T08:52:50.879-05:00Interesting article. If squash was one of the majo...Interesting article. If squash was one of the major sports, everyone would be aware of this. But since it is smaller in stature, we need the Squashist to announce these things.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315253560915043425.post-85543266855548293922010-11-06T19:36:03.774-04:002010-11-06T19:36:03.774-04:00I'd like to see the figures broken out for Eur...I'd like to see the figures broken out for Europe as well. Pro squash may be languishing in the US, but it's faring worse on the PSA's home turf. In 2010 there were three U.S. tournaments (US Open, NA Open, TOC) with prize money of $80,000 or more, compared to one, the first-time British Grand Prix, in Europe. There are also fewer European small-money tournaments. Ironically, European fans must be getting their main pro squash fix from a non-PSA source, the leagues.<br /><br />The PSA has become dependent on the easy money of Middle Eastern benefactors, but depending on charity has a cost. It doesn't help grow the game if the biggest events are staged for the benefit of a few wealthy patrons who have little interest in filling seats or turning a profit. And it puts the sport on shaky ground when its existence depends on those patrons, who may grow bored in a few years and decide to find their entertainment, and spend their money, elsewhere.<br /><br />So perhaps the PSA is on the decline in the US, but it may well be doing better there than anywhere else. Is there anyplace else where tournaments are selling out at $50+ a seat?New York Nicknoreply@blogger.com