Popularity of Fencing

[guardup]

Any ideas on why fencing is not as popular a sport as soccer or baseball?

Consider the number of books and movies that incorporate sword play versus sports...

Is it simply an issue of visibility? Or perhaps the spectator-nature of the sport isn't as exciting for non-athletes?

I'd love to hear some brainstorming.

[OROD]

Oh boy, here we go again.

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[guardup]

Oh boy, here we go again.

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Apologies... has this already been covered to exhaustion in another thread?

[sabreur]

Apologies... has this already been covered to exhaustion in another thread?

Several. Probably the best search terms are "fencing" and "television."

[RoninX]

Consider the number of books and movies that incorporate sword play versus sports...

I'd love to hear some brainstorming.

But when was the last time you saw a fencing movie? There are a couple out there, and a few swashbuckling movie, some of which border on fencing - but there are scores of baseball movies. Worldwide I'm sure there are tons of soccer movies as well, probably mostly made somewhere where they care about soccer, Like Baliwood.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

But when was the last time you saw a fencing movie? There are a couple out there, and a few swashbuckling movie, some of which border on fencing - but there are scores of baseball movies. Worldwide I'm sure there are tons of soccer movies as well, probably mostly made somewhere where they care about soccer, Like Baliwood.

For Soccer............. Bend It Like Beckham was made in the UK, but made a large splash in the US.


But there really aren't movies about fencing-as-sport, no matter what you define as fencing.

I really like the hockey movies.......

[RoninX]

I really like the hockey movies.......

Yeah Emilio Estevez is my hero

quack... quack... quack...

[DJ Apostrophe]

oh come on people...

By The Sword...

best.movie.ever










OK.... so not really... but it is a fencing movie.

-w

[zxcvbnmnbvcxz]

Fencing just isn't interesting to watch to the non-fencer. (I would say baseball isn't either, but a few million people would disagree with me)

[RebelFencer]

For Soccer............. Bend It Like Beckham was made in the UK, but made a large splash in the US.


But there really aren't movies about fencing-as-sport, no matter what you define as fencing.

I really like the hockey movies.......

Slapshot all the way. "She's a lesbian. A LESBIAN!"

[chefencer]

But when was the last time you saw a fencing movie? There are a couple out there, and a few swashbuckling movie, some of which border on fencing - but there are scores of baseball movies. Worldwide I'm sure there are tons of soccer movies as well, probably mostly made somewhere where they care about soccer, Like Baliwood.

Here you go...
Hearts of Fencing
Hope you're Pepto is handy...Hahahahaha!

[qatet]

Slapshot all the way. "She's a lesbian. A LESBIAN!"

Which I totally read with the tune of "She's a maniac, maniac on the floor..."

[Craig]

Fencing just isn't interesting to watch to the non-fencer. (I would say baseball isn't either, but a few million people would disagree with me)

Not true.

I've had some friends come by a fencing tournament and be totally fascinated by it and after watching a few bouts they could pick up foil right of way.

My son also got to see a few bouts of fencing at Nationals when we watched some of the Nellya fencers' bouts. Now he asks to watch DVDs of fencing instead of blues clues or bob the builder sometimes. (I think watching the Nellya kids spoiled him - he always asks for it to be sabre that we watch, though he will watch foil. He won't watch epee though.)

The biggest mistake I've seen fencers make when showing people fencing is

• telling them that it's very complicated and hard to see
• over explaining every point instead of letting them take it in

Craig

[Craig]

Any ideas on why fencing is not as popular a sport as soccer or baseball?

Not as many people fence as play soccer or baseball

There are $2-$10 baseball, soccer, golf and other toys at Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, etc.

There is no unified "brand" as to what fencing is.

Fencers themselves talk too much about how it is difficult to watch, complicated, and how the non fencer will never understand.

[Jason]

Craig's completely right.
Fencing isn't actually that hard to get a basic understanding of.
Just look at the people who actually fence: quite a few of them are technically "retarded" and yet they still manage to have a general understanding of the sport.

[Allen Evans]

Considering the number of fencers I have seen argue completely obvious calls made against them at tournaments, I'm not sure a lot of fencers understand fencing, either.

Allen

[Jason]

Considering the number of fencers I have seen argue completely obvious calls made against them at tournaments, I'm not sure a lot of fencers understand fencing, either.

Allen

Touché.

[T. Mock]

In my limited experience, I've found that nearly every person that finds out I fence is extremely interested in the sport and wants to see it first hand. However, all my tournaments are at least half an hour away and more often then not down in Chicago. Although I am thrilled to only drive 30 minutes to a tournament, it is harder for a casual observer to spend that much time on the road when I can't even give them an exact time that I will be fencing. Saying that I might be fencing between, say, 11am and 2pm for pools and then sometime after that for DEs makes it difficult to plan to watch and I've found that people would rather come see someone they know then random fencers. The length of the drive and the toss-up about whether they will be standing around forever or miss me completely has stopped them from becoming spectators. It's hard to make a time committment when you don't what you'll get out of it.

[guardup]

Let's tackle the fact that fewer kids fence than do soccer or baseball. Is this a chicken and the egg? Do fewer kids do it because it isn't popular... or is it not popular because it isn't as accessible or widespread as the other sports?

What if every fencing club in the country also ran an afterschool fencing program AT the public school most closely situated to them?

If it were more accessible, would it pick up in popularity?

[DHCJr]

For Soccer............. Bend It Like Beckham was made in the UK, but made a large splash in the US.


But there really aren't movies about fencing-as-sport, no matter what you define as fencing.

I really like the hockey movies.......

Besides 'By the Sword' which has been mentioned there is 'Sunshine'. The majority may not be about fencing, but it has some of the best fencing I have ever seen as well as a wonderful and thoughtful film.

This is from IMDB

The film follows a Jewish family living in Hungary through three generations, rising from humble beginnings to positions of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. The patriarch becomes a prominent judge but is torn when his government sanctions anti-Jewish persecutions. His son converts to Christianity to advance his career as a champion fencer and Olympic hero, but is caught up in the Holocaust. Finally, the grandson, after surviving war, revolution, loss and betrayal, realizes that his ultimate allegiance must be to himself and his heritage.