Yeah...now that u've mentioned it, quite true, hmmm, why is that? Frankly, TC 700 has its own cult following.
Not such a big mystery.. just the same reason as you don't se SOTX or Gosen users in SuperSeries etc.. They don't ivenst the money reqired in sponsorship deals /Twobeer
twobeer, Well, if I remember correctly, there's this top guy who has made famous the Gosen Roots Aermet Gavun 6900 (or was it 6700?)? Wrong? Admittedly, there aren't many of them even if that was so. Hey Lin Dan is SOTX sponsored too, isn't it correct? It's just that he is obligated to carry the Li Ning brand in all his national duties? Can you please make shed light on this?
You may be thinking of Boonsak Ponsana, who used to play with Aermet 6900, before switching to Kumpoo. Gosen also used to sponsor the Malaysia national team many years ago. Lin Dans home team (and military team) was sponsoerd by SOTX, so he did some promotions, and used clties in domestic club games etc.but mostly he used their clothing/shoe in those games, and still used his AT700 racket those days. When it comes to his current Li-Ning equipment, you have to remember, a) Li-Ning really started from scratch, badmintonwise, so they really had no existing line of badminton equipment to promote before develop them togheter wth Team China National team. b) They essentially designed a stiffer more powerful AT700 based on Lin Dans wishes to create a "custom made" racket for LD.. This is the racket he uses now and is called the N90. c) So essentially LD has the advantage over for example Gade, LCW to play with a racket designed exactly after his desired speciffications. /Twobeer
Yonex is currently on the top of badminton circuit due to its long heritage to the brand recognition and professional discipline of its crew on executing the marketing and distribution of the products. Li-Ning on the other end is very new, especially in USA. Based on my observation, it is almost run by one person concept for the whole lines/ categories. It has good footstep, but it does not have good stroke and convincing backhand, if I see it from badminton stand points. Example: Li-Ning picked Baron Davis as the mock of its basketball line, while Baron himself has not proven to become an elite basketball athlete whose name is mentioned often by the public/ media. If you are asking me, is Li-Ning helping Baron Davis to be popular (in China particularly) or Baron is trying to introduce Li-Ning brand to the USA public? Next, Li-Ning is using player's name to its badminton racket lines, such as Lin Dan Racket, Chen Jin Racket, Cai yun/ Fu Hai Feng Racket. I am sorry to say it is too "Chinese" and difficult to be swollen by general world market (Imagine if Hyundai is bring its Korean "slang" or Toyota to its Japanese words of wisdom, which carry 3 words or more). If I am the marketing guy, I may use name code: LI-88, CY-77 etc to differentiate the leveling. Next, Li-Ning Tai-Chi/ Kung Fu line.... In reality, it is actually offering sweat hood shirt? Where is Li-Ning Kung Fu master? Video? Kung Fu Exhibition like Ip Man movie...? Table tennis... yes... but where is the pad? Well, with the money and resources Li-Ning has, it will not be a problem to experiment and redo the marketing blueprint multiple times... However, I hope it will not become a Hummer brand to GM, which the idea was great, but at the end it became a farmer trucks/ equipment manufacturer.
Actually it's not really Lin Dan racket, it's N90, their highend rackets used by the national team members are usually the N series, not the Lin Dan racket, or Chen Jin racket... They market it by saying Lin Dan or Chin Jin etc uses that particular racket... Just like how Nike's got the Federer or Nadal series of clothing and shoes... Or your Kobe shoes etc....
The 3rd generation of Li ning series looks shining, especially N55-3. The price is also not cheap, unfortunately.
I believe Yonex is still no 1 in terms of badminton branding . Despite Yoo and Lee Yong dae retiring from Intl games, they are still being sponsor by Yonex. Marcus and Kevin are snapped up by Yonex , when they are formerly from Victor. Now Indonesia team is sponsor by Li ning.
scores of indonesians with yonex i can remember from top of my head right now-- debby-jordan ginting christie apriyanni-pollii
Ya i forgotten , the above names still with Yonex.. Ah San, Liyana and Ahmad , switch already to Li ning.
