If WP fans want to grow the sport the new 4x4 format may be the key. Ideally USAWP gets behind the format and puts a (late winter/early spring?) National championships JOs event on the calendar in the next few years. Would be good if some of the standard Kap7 tournaments get format changed as a test run.
Then, if the hard core WP fans get behind the 4x4 concept maybe it can get added to CIF the same way beach volleyball was added. If successful at the CIF level then (again, maybe) we could follow the beach volleyball lead and push it at the NCAA level. There are probably a lot of college ADs that might seriously look at adding a sport with a roster of 10 rather and adding a sport with a roster of 24.
4x4 added to the Olympics would definitely be helpful.
looking forward to seeing how this tournament plays out and how the American players feel about it.
I first saw this âmini poloâ at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow (back before it was not ok to be in Moscow). Crazy fast game, basically all white water thrashing for 5 minute periods with live action subbing. Super fun to watch and the athletes were thrilled to be there. Dinamo, Moscow State, CSKA, Lokomotiv, and all the local clubs, even ex olympians showed up to throw down.
I could not care less about this. Itâs not water polo. I canât take it seriously.
Iâm sorry, but nobodyâs taking this seriously. It has to be a joke.
This doesnât even meet the same level as arena league football.
What a fun âexperimentâ⌠what will they think of next?
Water polo is such a popular sport that it makes all the sense in the world to divert resources and focus into a competing niche category.
Anybody have link to the rules? All I could find was a hype video on the FINA website that talks about a 15m by 12m court with 3 field players and a goalie. Something about shoot outâis that part of the game, not just a way to resolve ties?
Here is a link to the pdf of the rules.
Beach volleyball (2v2) got people watching pro volleyball
Box lacrosse (6v6) got people watching pro lacrosse
4x4 polo, formerly badly misnamed as âbeach poloâ, is more spectator friendly and frankly more exciting than standard polo. Can fit in deep-shallow 25y pools unlike standard polo. Lots of reasons to support it. FINA showing a lot more creativity than USAWP on this one.
I saw that they named the USA teams âNational Teamsâ. Will there be another ODP , NTSC, etc., for the 4x4? Maybe it will cost 4/7th of the price. If that works , 3x3 the following year?
Here is an exhibition match between two all star teams World Aquatics posted in the new WP4 format (featuring several American athletes btw).
I honestly donât understand all the derision and hate for this format here. It is a fast and exciting game that I think is very fun to watch. It is more accessible to less developed water polo countries because of the smaller roster sizes. There are so many reasons to like and embrace this as movement that could revitalize the sport.
Agreed! Any water polo, of any kind, is good for us!
Strong disagree here. This is clown polo. Makes zero sense and disrespects the actual game. May as well go to WWE if they want more performance theatrics.
Perhaps 3-3 basketball is a model? Looks like a fun game to play and maybe excellent training, especially for young players.
What a silly comment. âDisrespects the actual gameâ and âclown poloâ as though this isnât just another version of water polo like beach volleyball or 3 on 3 basketball. âThe gameâ isnât some sacrosanct thing. Water polo is struggling as a sport and is in danger at the Olympic level due to participation and accessibility. The type of mindset youâre espousing is exactly the wrong way to look at innovation and change and will keep the sport irrelevant. Thereâs room for both versions of water polo. There are ways to be critical without being grumpy and insulting to something you donât like just because itâs new.
I also just noticed your username. Pretty ironic for someone named âEvolvetheGameâ to make the comments youâre making.
Very good point. I donât think itâs a stretch to say that 2x2 beach volleyball is a more popular sport than traditional volleyball, outside of the Olympics. The AVP is the most popular and lucrative volleyball in the US and has been for 40+ years. And I would bet most people would rattle off beach volleyball players if asked who were the best players of all time: Kiraly, Smith, Hovland, Dodd, Walsh-Jennings, May-Treanor.
I do wish 4x4 great success. Iâll give it a try and watch the later stages, if posted online.
My comments come mostly due to frustration at the lack of innovation and creativity in promoting the original form of the sport in the USA. In particular, directed at the governing body of water polo in the USA.
Adding another shiny thing that has no infrastructure in the USA and diverting focus from the main goal and mission when you are not doing a great job is usually a failing strategy and not a treatment of innovation.
Anecdotal and tangential illustration, I was browsing this weekend ESPN+ to watch the Bruno tournament at Brown. The âdrop down menuâ ESPN+ has icons of all sports, but not water polo. How so? Why NCAA or USA Water Polo donât connect with ESPN to fix this? It seems like a minor and unimportant thing, but it illustrates a lack of care.
Anyway, I am way off topic and continue my diatribe on a more relevant thread.
Good luck to 4x4.
Chicago put together a beach polo (4x4) league this summer. I didnât participate but I heard it was a success. I do think smaller teams allow for more games and itâs easier to play pickup with less numbers. Part of why basketball is so successful is because you can play casual games with any number of players.
Looking at the rosters for the world 4x4 championships, it looks like the same old players we see on the ânormalâ water polo rosters. This feels like a great opportunity to give other players a chance to see what they can do. I would be disappointed if this turns out to be another closed door process like with everything else.
or Rugby 7s, which is played on a regulation field with fewer than half the players of a full side.