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QUESTION - do you want your sport
QUESTION - do you want your sport
to grow and succeed?
to grow and succeed?
QUESTION Do you think this will
QUESTION - - Do you think this will
happen if there is no publicity and
happen if there is no publicity and
no-one knows about it? i.e. it contin-
no-one knows about it? i.e. it contin-
ues to be a secret sport.
ues to be a secret sport.
If the answer is yes to either or both of the above ques-
tions, then why are you not helping your sport to succeed? Publicity, publicity, pub-
licity that’s the long-term project via the internet, magazine, local papers and any
other publicity avenue, so that it covers all age groups and both sexes.
I believe that ALL avenues should be explored but some people prefer just one
way only. The Short Mat Players Tour stick rigidly to the internet and present their
events very well indeed. However, they have declined to use the magazine, which of
course they are entitled to do but I feel they are missing out on publicising the sport
for the sake of the sport as a whole and not just their own events, as not everyone
is internet savvy, especially some of the older age groups who presumably do not
participate in the SMPT events in any great number.
As to the English Short Mat Association they do not seem to be interested in
any meaningful publicity and preside over a sport which is declining almost year on
year, having lost over 28% (7,268) of its players since 2004/5. The Welsh nor the Scots
seem to bother either, hence my question at the top. I get promises from Sweden
and Norway but with no follow-up.
Eventually of course the internet will dominate but for the foreseeable future,
we live in all worlds where publicity is concerned and no-one seems that bothered,
except perhaps a few individuals about our declining sports. Does your club have a
website? And most importantly, do you keep it up to date? I go through a number of
club websites looking for news and stories and a number of them seem not to have
been updated for a year or more
I would like to see much more club news in the magazine. There
I would like to see much more club news in the magazine. There
must be hundreds of club and open tournaments taking place over
must be hundreds of club and open tournaments taking place over a a
season, so why not let us read the stories and see photos of the win-
season, so why not let us read the stories and see photos of the win-
ners and runners-up etc. They deserve a mention.
ners and runners-up etc. They deserve a mention.
As to stopping the rot, you might have put a notice on a board to try and get
more players, which nobody took any notice of but how about an open evening in-
vitation delivered through all local letterboxes? Have you tried to introduce your
sport to any local schools? Or perhaps the Scouts/Guides etc. etc.? the operative
word is being proactive and not just sitting on your hands lamenting your falling

numbers? “footprints in the sands of time are not made by sitting down.”
My final question is,
“Am I the only one who wants our sport to be much
“Am I the only one who wants our sport to be much
bigger and more successful or am I just
bigger and more successful or am I just
piddling in the wind!”
piddling in the wind!”
Why not start exploring every avenue of promoting

both our sports - TODAY!