What is happening with Sumo?

[dowofbuchanan]

wow i have lost touch with sumo in recent years, i used to watch all 4 bashos every year they culminate with the change of seasons. i havent been able to find them in a while i didnt know it had gotten so bad. i was always a weird child though, while others were idolizing elway i was all about takanohana

[CDNSushi]

For you sumo fans, an alternative way (albeit a pretty crappy one) is available on the sumo association website. They started live streaming matches a few years ago, but the quality was pretty bad, audio non-existent, and the window frame was small and unresizable. Also, it would be airing in the middle of the night for most people in the West... I.e. 4-6pm Tokyo time.

Well, we'll see what happens next. Personally, I wonder what would happen if some smart entrepreneur started a "rival" sumo association -- one that would (hopefully) be free of some of the existing problems. I wonder if that could rekindle some local interest in the sport too.

[Pleater]

I used to watch the late night sumo matches, got quite interested following the careers of various fighters, and the individuals in the ringside seats were worth watching too.

There was a young Hawaiian, doing well, and all the jockeying in the upper ranks - and then it just stopped being broadcast.

I quite missed it.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Lallans]

For you sumo fans, an alternative way (albeit a pretty crappy one) is available on the sumo association website. They started live streaming matches a few years ago, but the quality was pretty bad, audio non-existent, and the window frame was small and unresizable. Also, it would be airing in the middle of the night for most people in the West... I.e. 4-6pm Tokyo time.

Well, we'll see what happens next. Personally, I wonder what would happen if some smart entrepreneur started a "rival" sumo association -- one that would (hopefully) be free of some of the existing problems. I wonder if that could rekindle some local interest in the sport too.

I used to watch the late night sumo matches, got quite interested following the careers of various fighters, and the individuals in the ringside seats were worth watching too.

There was a young Hawaiian, doing well, and all the jockeying in the upper ranks - and then it just stopped being broadcast.

I quite missed it.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

The nice thing about the TV source, beyond the expense, is that I could record the bouts and watch them for months, as I said. It would be quite hard to follow with no sound, as well. The current association is the one with national religious backing but maybe they do need replacing.

There was a push to make sumo popular internationally some years back, I think at the same time the Hawaiian was the Yokuzuna or overall national champion. I missed that era, much to my regret, but have heard since that the American was not very popular with the association due to his un-Japanese ways. Now the last two yokozunas have been Mongolian but I guess that is a better fit, culturally.

[Pleater]

The TV coverage had not only the sounds from the dojo but commentary as well.

The Hawaiian was Konishiki.

The man to watch though was The Wolf - Chiyonofuji.

I got to the stage where I could recognise an uwatenage, and tell the difference between yori kiri (a force out) and tsuridashi (a lift out).

Anne the Pleater :ootd: