How long will TKD remain an Olympic Sport

[mvcoburn]

I am a little behind on this, but I read where TKD will continue to be an Olympic sport through 2016.

http://en.mastaekwondo.com/2013/02/taekwondo-continues-to-be-an-olympic-sport/

Does this mean that the sport will be up for discussion for the 2020 Olympics? Why is TKD having such a hard time or are they having a hard time at all? I guess what I means is that track and field or swimming doesn't have to justify or worry about remaining a sport, so why does TKD have to work so hard?

I am not an expert on the subject, I am just trying to learn more about the issues.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

I am only half-joking when I say that swimming and track don't have to worry because the women are sexy and don't wear much clothing.

Why are female beach volleyplayers required to wear next to nothing while female shotputters are not? Olympics are all about tv ratings, not sport. Wrestling has more place in the Olympics than beach volleyball, but wrestling is not in the 2020 Olympics; people would rather watch sexy girls in bikinis than 2 men rolling around with each other. If TKD gets high tv ratings it's in; if not, it would guess that it will be replaced.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Why does TKD have to try so hard? Because the WTF rules make for an extremely boring event for viewers. Which means little revenue from television advertising. Which means less money for the IOC.

I cannot imagine the SK government allowing TKD to get booted from the Olympics, though.

Pax,

Chris

 

[ATC]

Well currently TKD is set thru 2020. 2024 is anyone's guess.

 

[Gorilla]

Why does TKD have to try so hard? Because the WTF rules make for an extremely boring event for viewers. Which means little revenue from television advertising. Which means less money for the IOC.

I cannot imagine the SK government allowing TKD to get booted from the Olympics, though.

Pax,

Chris

TKD had sold out venues at 2012 Olympics in London!!!! Quite popular in Europe!!!! They advertised the German open on TV when I was there in March!

 

[chrispillertkd]

TKD had sold out venues at 2012 Olympics in London!!!! Quite popular in Europe!!!! They advertised the German open on TV when I was there in March!

Well, if the IOC thinks it can make enough money on TV revenues in Europe then I'm sure it will remain an official sport. TV coverage in the U.S., however, remains spotty at best for the Olympics. I've never seen a non-Olympic WTF event on any television network here, though.

The sold out venues isn't that big of a deal, though. I was at the '76 Olympics in Montreal and attended some events that were sold out there that are not, themselves, very popular with a wider audience. But since people are at the Olympics they go to what they can get tickets for.

SK, I am sure, spent a pretty penny getting TKD as a demonstration sport twice (1988 and '92), which was previously unheard of, before cementing its place as an official sport. I do not doubt they will spare no expense guaranteeing its place if it comes up for review again.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Gorilla]

Very limited coverage in the US for sure!

 

[jks9199]

Well, if the IOC thinks it can make enough money on TV revenues in Europe then I'm sure it will remain an official sport. TV coverage in the U.S., however, remains spotty at best for the Olympics. I've never seen a non-Olympic WTF event on any television network here, though.

The sold out venues isn't that big of a deal, though. I was at the '76 Olympics in Montreal and attended some events that were sold out there that are not, themselves, very popular with a wider audience. But since people are at the Olympics they go to what they can get tickets for.

SK, I am sure, spent a pretty penny getting TKD as a demonstration sport twice (1988 and '92), which was previously unheard of, before cementing its place as an official sport. I do not doubt they will spare no expense guaranteeing its place if it comes up for review again.

Pax,

Chris

TV coverage of the Olympics is spotty in the US, period. They cover what someone in the production department decides will be a good story... rather than simply letting the competition become the story. If they covered football the same way, we'd see a couple of plays out of each game, interspersed with back story about the players. (Yes, they do some back story, but it's a fraction of the coverage.) Maybe I'm weird... but I want to be able to watch the events, not a few highlights. Especially with today's cable line-ups and internet streaming -- they could do that.

 

[TKDTony2179]

I am only half-joking when I say that swimming and track don't have to worry because the women are sexy and don't wear much clothing.

Why are female beach volleyplayers required to wear next to nothing while female shotputters are not? Olympics are all about tv ratings, not sport. Wrestling has more place in the Olympics than beach volleyball, but wrestling is not in the 2020 Olympics; people would rather watch sexy girls in bikinis than 2 men rolling around with each other. If TKD gets high tv ratings it's in; if not, it would guess that it will be replaced.

Yea, the TKD isn't as popular as it use to be. I would guess if MMA would look safer in the ring and less bloody it would replace some sports. I. 2012 all I saw was boat racing and people jumping hurdles while riding horses as a sport. That tells you TKD is in trouble in Olympic. You k n ow I didnt see judo either but NBC will telecast only what they feel is popular anyways.

 

[TKDTony2179]

Why does TKD have to try so hard? Because the WTF rules make for an extremely boring event for viewers. Which means little revenue from television advertising. Which means less money for the IOC.

I cannot imagine the SK government allowing TKD to get booted from the Olympics, though.

Pax,

Chris

What kind of rules that make it boring?

 

[chrispillertkd]

What kind of rules that make it boring?

The rules that result in people standing around for 2 rounds of a 3 round match, mostly. The rules that limit allowable techniques. The rules that let people fall down after a kick and not be penalized. Etc.

I'm not saying that WTF players don't find their events interesting. I said in my initial post that the rules make WTF events boring for the general public. In order to make things more exciting the WTF would do well to either shorten matches to 1 or 2 rounds, or to require a minimum number of kicks thrown in each round (like the old kick boxing rules did). The recent adoption of variable points for different techniques, as opposed to the old somewhat clunky "rules of superiority," is a good start (and brings the WTF rules into closer conformity with ITF rules) but it hasn't, IMO, done much to make the matches themselves more exciting.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Earl Weiss]

Why does TKD have to try so hard? Because the WTF rules make for an extremely boring event for viewers. Which means little revenue from television advertising. Which means less money for the IOC.

I cannot imagine the SK government allowing TKD to get booted from the Olympics, though.

Pax,

Chris

I would agree, but that would not explain why they have Curling.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I said in my initial post that the rules make WTF events boring for the general public. In order to make things more exciting the WTF would do well to ......

Pax,

Chris

Penalizing "hugging" would be a good rule.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I would agree, but that would not explain why they have Curling.

Nothing will ever explain why they have Curling...

 

[chrispillertkd]

I would agree, but that would not explain why they have Curling.

That's one of life's mysteries. Much like why Power Walking is an Olympic sport.

Pax,

Chris

 

[dancingalone]

I would agree, but that would not explain why they have Curling.

It was really evident to me why during the last Games held in Vancouver: Cute Scandinavian girls. The coverage was lengthy and apparently popular because MSNBC would show curling live and then the main network would re-air the same event later that day during prime time.

 

[mvcoburn]

Come on guys. You are telling me that during a tight curling match, your blood doesn't start pumping and find yourself screaming at the TV "Brush like the wind!!" Am I the only one?

 

[RTKDCMB]

Why are female beach volleyplayers required to wear next to nothing while female shotputters are not?

Could have something to do with what females usually wear to such places as the beach and the track.

 

[ETinCYQX]

Personally I tend to watch any Olympic sport at the games even if I'm not interested. I get kind of caught up in the whole "pinnacle of athletics" thing.

Pretty Scandinavian girls never hurts though.

 

[RTKDCMB]

That's one of life's mysteries. Much like why Power Walking is an Olympic sport.

Pax,

Chris

And synchronized swimming.