I love watching American sports, I enjoy the NHL and NBA have my team in the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Raptors who I follow closely every season. One of the highlights of the season is the All-Star Game and All-Star Weekend, an exhibition of the best of the best of each sport, bringing players together from all over the league to show off their skills.
While watching it this year, I suddenly thought, why doesn’t squash have this set up? So naturally I let my brain take over and my creative juices started flowing.
Here is my idea, why don’t we have a squad of 10/12 players per team, 5 women and 5 men from the PSA, with an addition of some reserves. The team captains could be the current World No.1’s in the respective men’s and women’s rankings, the team managers, former squash legends like Ramy Ashour or Nicol David.
Obviously a large sponsor or sponsors would be needed for this as players should be compensated for their efforts and some bonus prize money for the skills champ, fitness champ and any other stand out players.
The squad would be selected with certain events through the year being earmarked as qualifying events, these could be gold, silver or bronze events as well as a challenger tour event or two, this adds a nice mix of players to the squad list.
Now part of the fun would be a team selection, this could be a live event where captains take it turns to pick their team (much like on the playground at school) or it could go to a public vote?
Once the teams are selected, they are given their team kit (perfect opportunity for commercial partnerships) and we are ready for the All-Star Weekend with, for example, Team Farag v Team Sherbini.
Imagine a weekend at a large squash venue, an all glass court or two (Manchester for example) with stalls and stands from sponsors, thousands of fans with something to do all day with various activities on and off court, meet and greet the players, networking and conference like talks or Q&A's and refreshments.
Neon lit courts, DJ, loud music, a party atmoshphere and a celebration of squash, fans and players under one roof!
The All-Star Weekend could start with player intros and then straight into the action with a beep test… yes you heard it, a beep test. One male and one female from each team is selected to take part, winner is the last one standing!
After the fun of the beep test, we move on to the skills challenges, using the amazing Interactive Squash Court and possibly the glass floor from ASB we could have certain skill challenges set up for players to take on.
Figure of 8 in 60 seconds
Target challenges on the wall
Target challenges with targets on the floor
Cross court nick challenge
Wooden Racket skills?
Fastest shot comp
These are few examples of the skills challenges. An absolutely huge draw to the NBA All-Star weekend is the Slam Dunk Contest, this is judged by former pros. Imagine this but in squash, each player is given three opportunities to show off a trick shot of their choice, these are then marked out of 10 and the winner is the one with highest score.
(Image by @Drop_Shot_Photography, great guy)
After that we head to the courts for doubles action, 3 matches of mixed doubles matches to conclude day 1 of squash and the points will be tallied up to see who is the overnight leaders.
The following day will start with a speed or agility skills challenge, similar to the beep test, a selected group of players will go head-to-head with the fastest getting maximum points. This will be followed by more skills challenges on the Interactive Squash Court.
Each team will be allowed to select a Super Sub.
The culmination of the weekend will be a team match format, 3 men and 3 women per team, now this will be like any other team game BUT… Each team will be allowed to select a Super Sub. A Super Sub? Yes, one male and one female player from the squad will be selected as the 7th player, this player can be subbed into any match (male for male or female for female sub) and can be subbed in after at least two games have been played. So, for example, Joel Makin could be 2-0 down to Elshorbagy, in the third game Victor Crouin is then subbed in to replace Makin and to try and turn the match around. Sounds exciting yeah!
So, there we have it, an idea for a Squash All-Star Weekend, increasing the commercial opportunities for the sport but if hosted at a great venue a perfect opportunity for players and fans to connect like never before. If you look at All-Star Weekends in other sports there are news conferences, challenges and activities non-stop for the two or three days. I know I would pay good money for a weekend ticket to this squash event! How about you?
The spectacle ultimately ends up with two people in a very small box in the middle of that huge space. Squash doesn’t work unless you are fairly close and personal.