BWF to change the scoring system to reduce match timings

02/14/2018

After introducing a new World Tour calendar this year, Badminton World Federation is now contemplating to bring more changes to the scoring system and a reduction in on-court coaching. The proposals will come up for discussion at BWF’s Annual General Meeting on May 19 in Bangkok.

The current 21-point best-of-three-game scoring format was introduced 12 years ago, in 2006. However, the governing body of the sport had been experimenting with the 11x5 scoring system since 2014 in various tournaments and now it seems they will use this for all major events.

“Changing the scoring system – with a specific focus on elite international tournaments – is an essential part of this strategic, multi-dimensional plan to innovate our competition rules,” BWF president Poul-Erik Hoyer said in a release on Wednesday, reported The field.

“Our aim is to enhance and enrich our sport with wide-ranging initiatives that will realise badminton’s vast global potential; taking it to unprecedented heights in all spheres. It’s time for a change: time to bring in new peaks, more excitement and increase broadcast and fan appeal.”

The proposal to do away with the on-court coaching will also come up in the meeting. The BWF, however, is planning to use time-out options for players and will approve the new service rule with a fixed 1.15-metre height, which will be introduced as an experiment starting from the All England Open in March. The presentation further states that the key objective of the proposed system includes building suspense quicker, increasing the excitement and shortening the length of matches to optimise television broadcast.

However, it appears that the new system will face some practical roadblocks from Badminton Asia, which has already questioned the rationale behind making 12 tournaments mandatory for top-15 ranked players in a year and they have not been in the support of the 11x5 system ever since it was introduced on the experimental basis in 2014.

“The new scoring system failed before. To be honest, I don’t know why they want to repeat themselves again. If they want, why don’t they try 15 [points]. They say media television wants it. I think that is only an excuse – another way of showing that they are chasing something else,” Badminton Asia Secretary General Hong Ki Kim told The field.

BWF to change the scoring system to reduce match timings

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