Why Is Table Tennis Not Popular? Some Reasons In 2023
Why table tennis is not popular game, I am not saying that but many factors are making this sport “not popular” worldwide.
So, in this article, I have collected the factors why table tennis is not popular. the factors proves that why is table tennis not popular
It’s my personal experience and points. You could have your own points, but these points have their own importance according to me.

Why Is Table Tennis Not Popular? – These Can Be The Reasons
Graphic Content
The on-screen graphics are very engaging in tennis, cricket, and ball sports.
This factor maybe understand your question Why Is Table Tennis Not famous.
When tracking and replaying the ball, the viewer can obtain a good sense of the swing speed or distance the ball travelled after it was dropped from the paddle, the net, or the edge of the table.
Surprise Factor
When you watch live, it’s a different experience. However, pre-recorded matches are not surprising to see.
Consider a video that is 55 minutes long, the match score is 3-2, and 7 minutes are remaining in it
Even a novice can predict the outcome. The situation is a stark contrast to football (or soccer, whatever you call it).
Where a 1-0 lead is not secured until the final whistle. I find this very frustrating
Dominance of Chinese players
The same nation and players who win big titles get boring to people who follow a little table tennis.
Due to the absence of Chinese players and the presence of Indian players, I found the recent Semester India Open quite exciting.
Yet, I cannot figure out how to make this a spectator sport. Even though I play table tennis.
I watch more tennis and soccer than table tennis, though I shouldn’t compare other sports to table tennis.
Main Characters And Statistics
I would begin character building if I were president of ITTF.
You can grow the player’s popularity by doing more interviews, reading more magazines, listening to their stories and emotions.
So far, I do not even know whether Ma Long Life has a girlfriend.
However, everyone knows that Federer has a beautiful wife with twin daughters.
He also makes a lot of money every year. Tennis and other sports are generally more accessible to people.
Machines in tennis can measure the speed and rotation of the ball.
The machines also provide a variety of statistics during a match. This is similar to football.
The machine that measures ball rotation and speed must be able to measure ping pong.
Moreover, we are also interested in what happened in the rally, the breakup, and other ‘necessary’ statistics.
Most diehard fans are unsure which rubber/blade is Ma Long.
There are no official announcements.
Let me not misunderstand, I am a big fan of Table Tennis and wish it continued success.
But there are several reasons why this does not translate well to TV or live crowd spectators.
Very Fast Game
Regular non-table tennis is the perfect comparison. When a tennis rally is being played, the ball moves from player to player in about a full second.
Since there is so much time between each hit, spectators can easily follow the rally and feel the drama.
During a game of table tennis, the ball can move back and forth up to 3 times within the same period.
It will all be over in a blink of an eye when browsing the channel (yes, when we watch table tennis on TV in North America).
In tennis, you can see a player running towards the net when he wants to make a drop shot, and you know what he is going to do before he makes the shot.
But, the drop shot in table tennis ends instantly.
Complications
What is the number of spins in tennis?
Top spins, under spins, and sometimes side spins.
How about table tennis?
Nine spins, top-spin, under-spin, side-spin, and a combination of top- and side-spin or under- and side-spin.
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell what spin is what. When the service is going on, it’s especially noticeable.
In professional play, all of these spins will be combined, but this is just a slow-moving ball that might or might not turn for the untrained eye.
It is still impossible for the public to understand what is going on. But don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the complexity.
Creating one’s style is an opportunity for each player, but it isn’t easy to know what is happening behind the scenes that take the drama away.
A lot of difficult shots appear simple.
Compared to a full-arm shot (a high-speed shot), pushing to the edge can only be appreciated by experienced players due to its low speed and weak return.
The average person can’t appreciate the intricacies of spin and strategy in this game.
Rallies Of Short Duration
Due to the aggressive nature of the game, rallies have become short. In tennis, a common strategy is to give a difficult serve on the third ball, so the opponent misreads it, pops it up, and then hits the next ball.
It is a strategy I admire and often employ as a player, but it results in rallies that are over very quickly for spectators.
Nowadays, attacks can be deadly and unstoppable, so when a ball is in clear view for an attack, it usually ends the game.
As a spectator, I appreciate the ITTF’s efforts to make the game more attractive by increasing the ball size from 38mm to 40mm and prohibiting speed glue, boosters, and tuners regardless of their planned implementation.
Despite this, they are unlikely to be implemented.
In contrast, tennis is known for its good rallies that seem to take place constantly, and you have to work for your points quite often.
If the opponent makes a small mistake, it may open the door to attack, but this is not guaranteed. You cannot light out the ball in table tennis once you pop it up near the net.
High-Value Shots
Rarely do we see this feature in sports. A point should not always be worth one point.
Due to the high cost of shots, I believe baseball is the best spectator sport for drama.
The suspense was epic in this year’s MLB playoffs when the New York Yankees were down one run against the Los Angeles Angels in the bottom of the ninth inning. Viewers eagerly anticipated each pitch.
The game can be changed completely with one Homer and ended with one strike. Table tennis makes it hard to achieve such an atmosphere. The scoring of a point always remains the same.
Video Guide

Hey, My Name is Timothy Wang. I’m the U.S. National Table Tennis champion of 2010, 2012, and 2013 and playing the game since the age of 12. The purpose of this blog is to share my experience, tips, and tricks with others so they can master and enjoy this game like I’m doing for years.