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I mostly agreed with this point of view until I saw Rafael Nadal’s (post match ha) interview on the subject. Ultimately these press conferences are another aven

I mostly agreed with this point of view until I saw Rafael Nadal’s (post match ha) interview on the subject. Ultimately these press conferences are another avenue to put a spotlight on the sport and it’s the popularity of these top players that bring in fans that write checks for the top ~500 players in the world (plus all the staff around players and tournaments). If a player doesn’t want to participate it only hurts the sport which will eventually hurt you if you want the sport to grow/survive. Honestly, if they didn’t change the rules because of her, it would eventually happen due to other players following in her footsteps. I’m sure nobody really wants to talk to the press, even after a win (especially when there is another match the next day). I’ve seen so many good moments in those interviews and even the salty people that lost usually have great gems that add something to the sport and make you interested in the next tournament. Storylines are what make sports interesting in the first place. If there are no stories, a sport is doomed to die IMO.

tolbish 5y ago
You can have storylines and build narratives without annoying star players with paparazzi. And you can have press conferences after big events without the current fashion in which the media harasses athletes.
- xwolfi 5y ago
  But how do you prevent people turning against sportpeople when they show disdain at taking a bit of heat for a defeat ? I'd be super worried my sport league would start looking like a bunch of snotty elitist who refuse to lower themselves at people's questions. It's really really hard to feel pity for a multi-million advertisement model who happen to play tennis :s I almost feel like if she can't do that, maybe we shouldn't watch her and she'd be left alone.
  - nrb 5y ago
    I guess they depends on whether you, as a fan of the sport, prefer athletic excellence in the game being played vs being make-believe friends with athletes.
  - tolbish 5y ago
    The acceptance of fame being pushed as something to worship just seems so gross
- uselesstech 5y ago
  I don’t disagree that it’s possible but if a player refuses to give an opinion or to interact with media it doesn’t make building narratives easier. “Player X has this record vs Player Y” isn’t that compelling in itself. It is funny that refusing to talk to media is itself generating buzz about the sport so maybe Naomi knows how to spin a narrative better than I know haha.
  - tolbish 5y ago
    Athletes refuse to talk to the media now because of the antagonizing acts by the media.
- uselesstech 5y ago
  Just to be clear, post match interviews aren’t “paparazzi”, they aren’t randomly followed on the street, they meet at a given place at a given time and interact with cleared media people. Do they get asked bad questions sometimes? Yes and it’s amazing to see that reporter asking something inappropriate get slammed by the players.
  - nrb 5y ago
    Why is it amazing for the players in the midst of a very emotional moment to have to endure an inappropriate question, and respond with an attack? People have such a fetish for “Person A DESTROYS Person B” drama that they’re disregarding the humanity and dignity of the people along the way.
    - harperlee 5y ago
      On one hand I agree with you; on the other hand, they are getting paid to perform, and that includes the interview by contract. The problem with performances such as those interviews, or theatre plays, is that they need to be done in a timely manner. I think it is reasonable that their career worsens if the reliability is not there - even if there are perfectly legitimate causes for it such are not being emotionally able. Same way there are career issues if you break a leg during a tournament. Regarding dignity, these people do have alternative paths to earn money, so if they choose a job that they find undign, they can just resign.
    - throw0101a 5y ago
      > Why is it amazing for the players in the midst of a very emotional moment to have to endure an inappropriate question, and respond with an attack? It is amazing that people make a lot of money from playing a game, and for making millions in sponsorships from being famous for that game: > Both sponsorship agreements follow a wave of success for Osaka. The three-time Grand Slam winner defeated 23-time champion Serena Williams in 2018 and became the highest paid female athlete in 2020, earning around $34 million from endorsements alone. * https://insidersport.com/2021/01/20/naomi-osaka-signs-luxury-brand-sponsorship-deal/ https://insidersport.com/2021/01/20/naomi-osaka-signs-luxury... * https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2020/05/22/naomi-osaka-is-the-highest-paid-female-athlete-ever-topping-serena-williams/?sh=3f696ca31fd3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2020/05/22/naom... * https://sportskhabri.com/naomi-osaka-brand-ambassador-endorsement-partner-sponsor/ https://sportskhabri.com/naomi-osaka-brand-ambassador-endors... If she doesn't want to go out there in public, perhaps she should stopping putting herself out there in public. If you don't want to be rich and famous, but just rich, go run a hedge fund. Many fewer people will know about you and you'll have just as nice a lifestyle.
Merem 5y ago
That may be the case for you but certainly not everyone. I, for one, don't care about interviews at all and in all the sports that I have watched (which includes basically everything, including competitive gaming), I sticked to the race/match/etc only. I watch for the competitive spirit and competitors can express themselves through their actions which is how I may become a fan of them. All the "blabla" is unnecessary fluff and if it's even forced on the competitors, of course they should have the right to refuse, without straight up being denied participation.
TomSwirly 5y ago
So you don't think that the Grand Slam should be a tennis event, but a tennis and press conference event. Personally, it strikes me as very weird and even unfair you can be disqualified for something that has nothing to do with playing tennis.

tolbish 5y ago

You can have storylines and build narratives without annoying star players with paparazzi. And you can have press conferences after big events without the current fashion in which the media harasses athletes.

xwolfi 5y ago
But how do you prevent people turning against sportpeople when they show disdain at taking a bit of heat for a defeat ? I'd be super worried my sport league would start looking like a bunch of snotty elitist who refuse to lower themselves at people's questions. It's really really hard to feel pity for a multi-million advertisement model who happen to play tennis :s I almost feel like if she can't do that, maybe we shouldn't watch her and she'd be left alone.
- nrb 5y ago
  I guess they depends on whether you, as a fan of the sport, prefer athletic excellence in the game being played vs being make-believe friends with athletes.
- tolbish 5y ago
  The acceptance of fame being pushed as something to worship just seems so gross
uselesstech 5y ago
I don’t disagree that it’s possible but if a player refuses to give an opinion or to interact with media it doesn’t make building narratives easier. “Player X has this record vs Player Y” isn’t that compelling in itself. It is funny that refusing to talk to media is itself generating buzz about the sport so maybe Naomi knows how to spin a narrative better than I know haha.
- tolbish 5y ago
  Athletes refuse to talk to the media now because of the antagonizing acts by the media.
uselesstech 5y ago
Just to be clear, post match interviews aren’t “paparazzi”, they aren’t randomly followed on the street, they meet at a given place at a given time and interact with cleared media people. Do they get asked bad questions sometimes? Yes and it’s amazing to see that reporter asking something inappropriate get slammed by the players.
- nrb 5y ago
  Why is it amazing for the players in the midst of a very emotional moment to have to endure an inappropriate question, and respond with an attack? People have such a fetish for “Person A DESTROYS Person B” drama that they’re disregarding the humanity and dignity of the people along the way.
  - harperlee 5y ago
    On one hand I agree with you; on the other hand, they are getting paid to perform, and that includes the interview by contract. The problem with performances such as those interviews, or theatre plays, is that they need to be done in a timely manner. I think it is reasonable that their career worsens if the reliability is not there - even if there are perfectly legitimate causes for it such are not being emotionally able. Same way there are career issues if you break a leg during a tournament. Regarding dignity, these people do have alternative paths to earn money, so if they choose a job that they find undign, they can just resign.
  - throw0101a 5y ago
    > Why is it amazing for the players in the midst of a very emotional moment to have to endure an inappropriate question, and respond with an attack? It is amazing that people make a lot of money from playing a game, and for making millions in sponsorships from being famous for that game: > Both sponsorship agreements follow a wave of success for Osaka. The three-time Grand Slam winner defeated 23-time champion Serena Williams in 2018 and became the highest paid female athlete in 2020, earning around $34 million from endorsements alone. * https://insidersport.com/2021/01/20/naomi-osaka-signs-luxury-brand-sponsorship-deal/ https://insidersport.com/2021/01/20/naomi-osaka-signs-luxury... * https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2020/05/22/naomi-osaka-is-the-highest-paid-female-athlete-ever-topping-serena-williams/?sh=3f696ca31fd3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2020/05/22/naom... * https://sportskhabri.com/naomi-osaka-brand-ambassador-endorsement-partner-sponsor/ https://sportskhabri.com/naomi-osaka-brand-ambassador-endors... If she doesn't want to go out there in public, perhaps she should stopping putting herself out there in public. If you don't want to be rich and famous, but just rich, go run a hedge fund. Many fewer people will know about you and you'll have just as nice a lifestyle.

Merem 5y ago

That may be the case for you but certainly not everyone. I, for one, don't care about interviews at all and in all the sports that I have watched (which includes basically everything, including competitive gaming), I sticked to the race/match/etc only. I watch for the competitive spirit and competitors can express themselves through their actions which is how I may become a fan of them. All the "blabla" is unnecessary fluff and if it's even forced on the competitors, of course they should have the right to refuse, without straight up being denied participation.

TomSwirly 5y ago

So you don't think that the Grand Slam should be a tennis event, but a tennis and press conference event. Personally, it strikes me as very weird and even unfair you can be disqualified for something that has nothing to do with playing tennis.