Table Tennis under Both Casual Play and Eco’s Theory of Spectator Sport

In America, people commonly have table tennis (also known as ping pong) tables in their basements for casual fun. This type of play encourages a general misconception that table tennis is just a game and not a true “sport” like basketball or soccer. What separates these two is the sense of competition. When playing table tennis, there is a feeling that winning or losing does not matter because it is simply a game for fun, whereas basketball proves a certain level of skill and ability. Before moving further, some of the word choices must be clarified. The term sport, as I have referred to it, is used under Umberto Eco’s sense of “spectator sport” while casual play of the game is what he describes as the noble “sport” (169). Although Eco adores the spirit of sport itself, spectator sports disgust him due to the emotion and passion they arouse in the audience and how they dehumanize the athletes. Unlike most people who enjoy table tennis solely as a casual game, I play the sport under both of Eco’s definitions.

Any serious spectator sport can be played for fun as a casual sport. According to Eco, sport is when a person “with no financial incentive, and employing his own body directly, performs physical exercises” (169). He describes this act as “very beautiful” (169). When I play table tennis every week, it is under these conditions. The goal of playing is to have fun socializing with friends, exercise the mind and body, and enjoy the intricacies of the game itself. After becoming familiar with table tennis, a sense of touch is developed for how the various shots feel. Topspin, sidespin, and backspin all have unique strokes and a different feeling. When playing the game for fun, there is freedom to explore the various possibilities and try out new strategies or shots that feel good. This innovation and choice of options is one aspect of the game that appeals to most players.

When played as a competitive sport, the goal of table tennis becomes winning just like any other spectator sport. From the transition of casual play to serious competition, much of the “beauty” that Eco admires is lost. As he describes it, “[contest] reduces excess action, but it is really a mechanism to neutralize action” (161). After playing in various competitions, I had realized that the best way to win was to choose my most reliable shots every time. My freedom of choice was sacrificed in exchange for the best chance of winning, and my strategy became whatever would give me the victory in the end. In this way, I became limited in my options. Playing in a major tournament recently, I can understand what Eco means by “professionals [are] subjected to tensions not unlike those of an assembly-line worker” (169). These workers are essentially robotic, working monotonously to become consistent and do their one specific task. In spectator sports, this is what athletes are trained to be, or as Eco puts it, “the raising of human beings dedicated to competition” (161). As a spectator sport, table tennis had become something different from just play to me. Instead of playing to enjoy the game, the priority of limiting myself to consistency for the sake of winning had taken over.

Although there is also winning and losing in casual play, there is nothing at stake. Once spectators are brought into consideration, there is much at line for the athletes. Playing in front of my team mates and the opponent’s parents, while simultaneously representing my school, led to a feeling that I had to prove my worth out there, which inevitably led to much pressure and nervousness. Although in my case, the concept of play cannot be applied to competitive spectator sports, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Many professional athletes, whether for the enjoyment and fun of winning, or for the sake of their audience, must adhere to strict guidelines in order to stay at the top of what they do. They enjoy being put under the spotlight and these are what Eco describes as “monsters,” people who “turn [their] body into the seat and exclusive source of a continuous play” (161). These athletes play specifically to win and can excel under the pressure and stress involved with the sport.

Because of a lack of familiarity with the sport, table tennis is commonly seen as simply a game. However, it must be realized that any game, as long as there is some skill required, can be played as a competitive spectator sport. Even in the case of table tennis being played in a basement, if there is pride at stake then the game changes. Winning prioritizes the other factors in the game and the play mood changes. Fun in this case almost necessarily becomes a by-product of winning. Because skill dictates competitiveness, which is the main deciding factor in what spectator sport is other than physical activity, even video games and card games like poker have fallen under this category. This sense of casual play versus serious sport and the change in mindset of the players are encountered within most games. Perhaps with further exposure, table tennis will someday enjoy the same popularity that a mainstream sport like football does.

Works Cited
Eco, Umberto. Travels in Hyperreality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, 1986