When did Badminton become so fucking expensive?

[BetCheckBet]

So I decided to get back into competitive badminton this month and joined a top club.

Yearly membership 600$
New Racquet 250$
Court shoes 200$
Year supply of feather shuttlecocks (they banned plastic) 300-400$

Barring the other expenses the whole feather shuttlecock deal is quite the racket. One barely even lasts a game and runs normally 1-3$ a shuttle. One interesting thing is I've been looking into wholesalers and for anyone who's ever thought dealing with Ebay is a nightmare don't even think about looking into the Chinese market of online retailers, as it is a whole other ball game.

Anyone else play?

[Dan Druff]

In before jokes about shuttlecocks.

But this doesn't surprise me. Whenever people have a fringe interest to where it's big enough to have an industry surrounding it, yet small enough to where there isn't a lot of competition, everything gets marked up big time, knowing people will pay if they are really into it.

[BeerAndPoker]

It seems expensive but for anyone getting involved with various leagues in sports or games it can be that way.

If someone takes their bowling seriously and buys even a new ball a year that is a few hundred bucks then say $15-20 a week for a league of 30 weeks long so your talking $450-600 + $200-350 (for a ball) + all the other added expenses that get involved such as food, drinks (alcohol is over priced at bowling alleys),etc...

I know a few people who are very competitive in pool and one guy buys at least a $500 cuestick every year but also has a few cues that that are over $2k a piece. To me that is insanity but the guy is a great player and he's looking for a better edge since he is good but for the beginner to amateur they aren't going to reap the benefits of a good cue just like those players can't with an expensive set of golf clubs.

[mulva]

Year supply of feather shuttlecocks

perfect for badminton, enjoy wearing all your pfa gear.

[zealanddonk]

In before Bottomset makes some terrible post about anything.

Keep in mind in your opening you did say top club so and they might be using the old gym trick, make sure you actually go weekly and it'll be value for money.

[BetCheckBet]

In before Bottomset makes some terrible post about anything.

Keep in mind in your opening you did say top club so and they might be using the old gym trick, make sure you actually go weekly and it'll be value for money.

I'm actually going 3 times per week. Problem is I didn't calculate how expensive it is to replace shuttlecocks (you can expect to lose 2-3 every time you go). I've played lots of tennis before and the amount you pay for tennis balls is nowhere near the same.

As other poster said I think bowling and pool are good comparisons on how some sports can be much more expensive than first thought.

[Hockey Guy]

Badminton is a great game.
I was at one time a very competitive badminton player until I met a guy in provincials in HS who ended up representing our country at the Commonwealth Games. I thought I was good until I played him. I then realized that there is another level. He's the only guy I ever played that I knew I couldn't beat.
What racquet cost you $250? There were some really good Yonex models coming out back in the day but I used a customized Carlton 3.7X racquet which should tell you that I'm old but it was a good racquet for the time. I still have it.

[Sanlmar]

Badminton is a great game.
I was at one time a very competitive badminton player until I met a guy in provincials in HS who ended up representing our country at the Commonwealth Games. I thought I was good until I played him. I then realized that there is another level. He's the only guy I ever played that I knew I couldn't beat.
What racquet cost you $250? There were some really good Yonex models coming out back in the day but I used a customized Carlton 3.7X racquet which should tell you that I'm old but it was a good racquet for the time. I still have it.

Why did you choose badminton vs racquetball or squash? Love racquetball but its popularity certainly has faded over the years.

I just recalled a racquetball story...

My kid goes to a University whose president had a standing offer for a free years tuition ($50k) if the student could beat him. D1 school ... lotta freakish athletes on campus. (Baseball team plays ping pong endlessly, fwiw) It took years but he eventually lost and paid up. The offer has been retired.

[DirtyB]

Badminton is a great game.
I was at one time a very competitive badminton player until I met a guy in provincials in HS who ended up representing our country at the Commonwealth Games. I thought I was good until I played him. I then realized that there is another level. He's the only guy I ever played that I knew I couldn't beat.
What racquet cost you $250? There were some really good Yonex models coming out back in the day but I used a customized Carlton 3.7X racquet which should tell you that I'm old but it was a good racquet for the time. I still have it.

Why did you choose badminton vs racquetball or squash? Love racquetball but its popularity certainly has faded over the years.

I just recalled a racquetball story...

My kid goes to a University whose president had a standing offer for a free years tuition ($50k) if the student could beat him. D1 school ... lotta freakish athletes on campus. (Baseball team plays ping pong endlessly, fwiw) It took years but he eventually lost and paid up. The offer has been retired.

I love racquetball. I used to play 2 or more times per week. My neighborhood has two good courts that I can use.

The last year or so I've been playing more indoor soccer. That costs me almost $400 per year.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

So I decided to get back into competitive badminton this month and joined a top club.

Yearly membership 600$
New Racquet 250$
Court shoes 200$
Year supply of feather shuttlecocks (they banned plastic) 300-400$

Barring the other expenses the whole feather shuttlecock deal is quite the racket. One barely even lasts a game and runs normally 1-3$ a shuttle. One interesting thing is I've been looking into wholesalers and for anyone who's ever thought dealing with Ebay is a nightmare don't even think about looking into the Chinese market of online retailers, as it is a whole other ball game.

Anyone else play?

What a racket.

[nunbeater]

Goddamn dude 400 bucks a year for some cock that's a real boner

[BetCheckBet]

Badminton is a great game.
I was at one time a very competitive badminton player until I met a guy in provincials in HS who ended up representing our country at the Commonwealth Games. I thought I was good until I played him. I then realized that there is another level. He's the only guy I ever played that I knew I couldn't beat.
What racquet cost you $250? There were some really good Yonex models coming out back in the day but I used a customized Carlton 3.7X racquet which should tell you that I'm old but it was a good racquet for the time. I still have it.

Yonex 8DX (including tax)

[pavoe]

In before jokes about shuttlecocks.

But this doesn't surprise me. Whenever people have a fringe interest to where it's big enough to have an industry surrounding it, yet small enough to where there isn't a lot of competition, everything gets marked up big time, knowing people will pay if they are really into it.

I would not call it a small market. In Asia it is huge, especially in Indonesia, China, Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia. You can buy pretty good racquets from the known brands in many Supermarkets here in Thailand. Never looked at the prices, will check them the next time.

Played also a decent amount when I was younger on a good amateur level, always had Yonex racquets.
If I was not so lazy I would start again, great sport.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

wait do you guys honestly spell the word racquet? Like tennis racquet. That looks goofy as fuck.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

I'd bet my entire roll that in America it is spelled racket over racquet a majority of the time.

If you are from USA and spell it racquet you better also be spelling color colour

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

lol that didn't take long to prove.

http://grammarist.com/spelling/racket-racquet/

Racket vs. racquet


..... in tennis, racket is the preferred spelling. ....

[Hockey Guy]

I'd bet my entire roll that in America it is spelled racket over racquet a majority of the time.

If you are from USA and spell it racquet you better also be spelling color colour

Both are perfectly acceptable, same with color, colour. Only an American would have an issue with it.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

I'd bet my entire roll that in America it is spelled racket over racquet a majority of the time.

If you are from USA and spell it racquet you better also be spelling color colour

Both are perfectly acceptable, same with color, colour. Only an American would have an issue with it.

I thought color was considered a misspelling in all other countries other than USA. I thought we simplified the word. I was under the impression that if a Canadian spelled it color he would get laughed at. I guess I learn something new every day. Thanks Ike.