All England Championship: Badminton’s most prestigious tournament
In every walk of life there is always a prestigious name or trademark which should be respected and in badminton, the All England Championships is regarded as the most respected title in the world. It is also the oldest badminton tournament that has been
held till now. The Championship is considered to be the first ever title in badminton’s history, as it was first held back in 1899. Since then, the tournament has never missed a year, except during the first and second World Wars.
England and badminton has a very strong relationship. In fact they both are bonded to each other strongly, as badminton got its name from England. Badminton started in the Badminton House of England where the officers used to play as a way to pass the time.
The officers who returned from India played this game with pleasure. The All England Championship got fame after the success of the Guildford tournament. The first tournament of the Championships was held in 1899 after the Guildford tournament in 1898.
Until 1977, the tournament was unofficial, but later it came under the trusteeship of the International Badminton Federation. During the continuity of this event, Sir George Thomas decided to develop another tournament that was meant only for men and came
up with the name of the Thomas Cup. This tournament also traveled side-by-side with the All England championship.
As the English players were the first to start this game, they had full control, as they dominated the sport for many years after its commencement. However, as the range of the game started to expand and enter into other countries, the scope widened and
created opportunities for players from all over the world. Many countries started participating in badminton and the results started changing every year. Every player, before entering to the international arena, dreams of winning this title or at least taking
part in this prestigious tournament with great aspirations.
It would be worth mentioning here that the company Yonex, has been a very strong sponsor of this tournament since 1984. Yonex has made a name for itself in sports equipment, especially badminton. The company has been a proud part of the All England Championships.
In response of its contributions to the game of badminton, the International Badminton Federation has termed the name of All England as the Yonex All England Championships. The upcoming Yonex All England tournament will be the 101st of the continuity
of the tournament in number and the 24th continuous bearing the name of Yonex.
Badminton had always been regarded as a game for the elite parts of society and a low budget prize game. That is why badminton has not attracted many players, particularly from the developing world. This trend is beginning to change, as many players are
looking at badminton as a truly international and competitive sport. The rise in popularity is driving the sponsor profiles higher and creating larger prizes. Many countries are now actively encouraging the youth to participate in badminton and to develop
support systems to create leagues and associations on the local, national and international levels.
The All England Tournament has the ability to change the perception that people have about badminton and show the true history of this prestigious sport. The next generation of players and fans will begin to accept badminton as a competitive sport that is
open to all from different walks of life. The tournament has been around for a long time, and will continue to be around, as long as badminton is played. It is the one tournament that every badminton player wants win, to mark their place in history as being
one of the best.
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