How to play Spikeball.
Firstly, Spikeball is not a privileged sport. It requires no pricey equipment, uniforms, or club experience. The only things needed to play are a $60 Spikeball set and three other friends (or peers). This makes Spikeball a very egalitarian sport in that being rich doesn't necessarily mean being better. In Spikeball, it's a totally even playing field for who becomes the best. Isn't that part of the American dream?
Speaking of the American dream, Spikeball in many ways represents American ingenuity. Spikeball became famous on Shark Tank, a reality show that lets entrepreneurs present their ideas to business tycoons to try to earn investments. Spikeball's success on Shark Tank shows what the American dream is all about - striving to succeed through hard work and ingenuity. A sport like Spikeball could become popular because sports fans love origin stories and Americans love innovation; Spikeball is exactly this combination of a cool origin story and innovation.
In addition, Spikeball combines the best qualities of some of the best sports. It requires the communication of tennis, the strength of football, the patience of golf, the strategy of basketball, the quick thinking of soccer, the speed of track. In a way, Spikeball is a microcosm of the good qualities of every sport, making it appealing to any athlete.
Generally, people consider the American pastime to be baseball. If you look at this Bleacher Report article about why baseball is better than football, you'll see quite a few similarities between baseball and Spikeball. However, I believe there are a few areas where Spikeball has baseball beat. For one, Spikeball is most popular among college students. On the other hand, the average age of baseball's fan-base is estimated to be 50. Baseball is becoming less and less popular among young people, so a young demographic is exactly what a sport like Spikeball needs to create lasting popularity. Baseball's dwindling popularity is likely due to Americans' increasing fascination with fast-paced, action-filled sports. (This explains why football has arguably replaced baseball as America's favorite sport.) Its fast pace makes Spikeball exactly the type of sport Americans would love to watch. If nothing else, Spikeball is exciting. Would it not be fun to watch more of this being done professionally?
Will Spikeball overtake baseball as America's national pastime? Probably not. But I think it would be an excellent candidate. If you're curious about Spikeball, feel free to stop by the grass behind the D-Wing at lunch to check it out!
You're cute Jonah
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely potential for spikeball to become more popular. We've seen the game grow so much in the past month--the way we play AND the amount of people that play it. However, many of the major TV networks are owned by the big 5 companies (whatever they are, idk what they are.) I don't think it is possible for the sport to become America's next pastime unless it gets publicity from these networks. The only way that this sport can TRULY take off is if we share the sport with people around us. We can't prevent people from playing just because they didn't pay, otherwise it defeats the purpose of a universally fun game for everyone. We should encourage kids that never played before to join, and then the sport become more and more popular. IF WE ARE GOING TO SHAPE OUR OWN CULTURE (which "Merchants of Cool" implied was an impossible task) THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. #MakeSpikeBallGreat
ReplyDeleteThis post should be more popular, so here's a double comment.
ReplyDelete"In addition, Spikeball combines the best qualities of some of the best sports. It requires the communication of tennis, the strength of football, the patience of golf, the strategy of basketball, the quick thinking of soccer, the speed of track. In a way, Spikeball is a microcosm of the good qualities of every sport, making it appealing to any athlete."
ReplyDeleteYou are a great marketer, Jonah
"The patience of golf" lol good try Jonah
ReplyDeleteI think the rate at which we develop and change our metagame is indicative of how much potential this game has. There are so many different strategies that we've found even in three weeks. There are so many different techniques and positioning strats that I feel like it's less about mastering a strategy than it is about finding new strategies that out-metagame your opponent. It would be really interesting to see that sort of thing in action at a large skippable tournament.
ReplyDeleteYea, to go along with your point, the people who play spikeball are diverse in what sports they do. For example, students who are on the baseball, basketball, soccer, track, swim, lacrosse, volleyball, waterpolo, and golf team enjoy playing spikeball. It has really brought a sense of unity to McClatchy, because at lunch everyone wants to play and succeed at the game. It has also brought out our friendly competitiveness, which promotes learning and getting better at the game. Now we just need to get more Spikeball sets!
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily, Stephen. I have seen you guys playing spike ball, and although I have not played it, it still seemed like something fun to do. I play almost no sports, but it still looks like a lot of fun! More interesting games are exactly what the Countercounterculture needs to break away from companies. The one question is; how long will it take for them to catch on?
ReplyDeleteSeconded. I play no sports competitively and Spikeball is my passion.
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ReplyDeleteTruly an honor. Feel free to join us if you're interested in playing!
DeleteThe game also has an excellent democratic element in the fluidity of its rules; we've adjusted them quite a bit as people's skill levels and strategies change what is necessary, just as governments change to suit the needs of the time. I believe that pockets should be faults, but that cannot be accepted unless a majority agrees.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about Spikeball's attributes and potential. However, I noticed you called baseball America's pastime. Do you truly think that baseball is still the most popular sport in the U.S? If not, then what do you think has taken it's place?
ReplyDeleteFor over a hundred years, baseball definitely was America's pastime. In the last 20 or 30 years, however, I'd say that the expansion of the NFL has made football overtake baseball as America's sport. Still, there are tons of new sports (Spikeball, ultimate frisbee, disc golf) that I could see becoming popular in the US.
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