The ITTF Group Is Growing!
As we move into the second quarter of 2023, I am very pleased to update the table tennis family on the recent addition to our team within the ITTF group. We are proud to announce that our team has grown to over 100 employees, a significant milestone for our organization.
This growth is a clear indication of the positive direction in which the ITTF Group is moving and reflects the increasing demand for table tennis and our commitment to meet that demand.
We are also delighted to welcome so many new faces to the ITTF Group family. With more than 35 nationalities from every continent and more than 20 languages spoken, our team is now more diverse than ever, and we believe this diversity will make us stronger and better able to reach a global audience.
We have always been committed to building a structure dedicated to the development and professionalization of sport for all ages around the world. The ITTF Group brings together the International Table Tennis Federation as the sport’s governing body, the commercial and events arm of World Table Tennis, and the ITTF Foundation, which uses our sport as a tool for positive change – and unites efforts to drive global table tennis growth.
In recent years, the pandemic has had a negative impact on the sports industry with its many restrictions, and table tennis has not been spared either. Despite this, we have not lost sight of our goal and seen how important it is to prepare for the post-pandemic period. We are grateful to all of our members, fans and partners for their support during this difficult time and look forward to working together to grow the sport we all love.
Looking beyond 2023 and into the years to come, we are confident that this addition to our workforce will allow us to achieve our goals and make a greater impact on the sport of table tennis.
So what does this increase in staff mean?
The professionalization of our events continues to be one of our focal points. We’ve worked hard to develop the World Table Tennis platform to bring new levels of expertise and excitement to both athletes and fans. This year’s table tennis calendar is packed with a number of events and the addition of our team is timely and urgently needed to ensure our events and programs are run to the highest quality.
Another area we will focus on is our development programs. In recent years we have had to run many of these programs remotely, but with an expanded team we will be able to re-enter communities and engage with young players personally. We believe that by nurturing a love of sport from an early age, we can help build a strong and sustainable future for table tennis.
In addition to these specific initiatives, we also welcome more resources to devote to other areas of our organization. We will be able to invest more in technology, education, and market research, which will help us better understand and serve players, members, and fans.
Of course, it’s not just about making the sport grow, it’s about developing it in a way that safeguards its long-term interests. To achieve this sustainable growth, we must consider the environmental, economic and social impacts, foster a culture of innovation, adopt environmentally friendly practices and encourage community engagement.
We are all united by the goal of making table tennis more attractive and effective for everyone. With more hands on deck and brains at work, we aim to keep getting better at every aspect of our sport.
The ITTF family remains committed to providing the best possible support to our members and the table tennis community. We are confident that with our continued growth and development we will be able to take table tennis to new heights and make it a sport enjoyed by all.
Steve Dainton
ITTF Group CEO