Key decisions have been made during the ITTF Executive Committee’s last meeting of 2018 – held during the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Incheon Korea – to improve the future of Table Tennis.
COMMERCIAL RIGHTS
The most significant decision came with approval for setting up a commercial vehicle tasked with managing all of the ITTF’s commercial rights from 2021 onwards. In view of this the Executive Committee endorsed the work done by the ITTF Marketing Department and Deloitte on the 2021 commercial rights tender which will be released at the end of quarter one 2019.
‘HOME OF TABLE TENNIS’
It was decided that the ITTF will release a bid to find the new ‘Home of Table Tennis’ which will house the ITTF Headquarters and the sport’s International Centre of Excellence. The ‘Home of Table Tennis’ will be the centre of all things ITTF with the core of the ITTF’s staff moving there and it will also house all of the ITTF’s High Performance activities.
T2 DIAMOND EVENTS
The collaboration between the ITTF and T2APAC is also gathering steam with the ITTF Executive Committee approving world ranking points for the three T2 Diamond events in 2019. These events will act as a testing lab for the ITTF to trial innovations and therefore improve the commercial value of the sport.
“BIG AND BOLD DECISIONS”
ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT stated: “I would like to thank my Executive Committee colleagues for such a fruitful meeting resulting in big and bold decisions which will show the world that we are serious about moving Table Tennis to the next level. These decisions represent a statement of intent from a forward-thinking ITTF and will give us the momentum to achieve our lofty goals outlined in our first ever Strategic Plan approved at the 2018 AGM.”
The final ITTF Executive Committee caps off an historic year for the ITTF with the following significant milestones being achieved:
- First ever Strategic Plan released.
- ITTF Foundation created.
- Remarkable Unified Korea teams introduced at the World Championships and ITTF World Tour.
- Remodelled professional staff structure.
- Record Marketing income.
- World Championships expanded for 2021 onwards
