After Beijing Olympics, Li Ning and Victor have grown quite a bit in terms of sponsorship. Yonex's sponsorship for tournaments, players and teams have declined. would it be better or worst for badminton as a whole if there is no longer one dominant brand like YY.... would this help the sport develop and grow in places like America?
I am not sure about whether it would help the sport grow in America but more brands being known and presumably their products being purchased by the badminton playing public can only be good for the consumer. Greater incentives to reduce prices and improve the technology in the game. I look forward to it!
As long as equipment manufacturers remain the main/title sponsors of the big tournaments I don't think there is any reason to be optimistic ... Lower prices = lower profit = who puts up the prize money? And I believe the prices have only gone up since Li-Ning and Victor have increasingly joined the party and coincidence or not might very well be related to the big increase in prize money required for the Super Series events (big gamble by BWF?). OSIM and Maybank stepping in on the other hand is a good development, maybe Tata next, or the Samsung Mobile Korea Open 2020 .
I think it's good that there is more competition, but these companies have bought their way into the market, where other companies are putting out good quality goods have been pushed aside by players telling others to buy Yonex (soon Li-Ning and Victor but not UK yet).