[uselesstech]

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.

[Merem]

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.

[tolbish]

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.

[uselesstech]

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]

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.

[throw0101a]

> 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...

* https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2020/05/22/naom...

* 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.

[tolbish]

It's incredible how entitled we think we are to another person's time, attention, and peace of mind just because they had the audacity to be the best at what they do.

[throw0101a]

If someone does not want to be in the public, they have every right to not be in the public eye.

But when you are paid to be in the public eye, especially with multi-million dollar endorsement/advertisement contracts, then complaining about being in the public eye... seems non-sensensical IMHO.

[harperlee]

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.

[uselesstech]

Because that is what the markets have determined. There weren’t always post match pressers and clearly the sport has determined that there is a value to having them.

Also, inappropriate questions are very rare but I was just using that as a personal example of what I enjoy but there are also good bits in those pressers on mentality and good examples of composure with a loss that people can learn from. There’s a lot people can get out from a champions mindset which you otherwise wouldn’t get unless they choose to release a book later in life.

[TomSwirly]

> Because that is what the markets have determined.

So what? Markets aren't a god or a person. Championship tennis is about as far away from a free market as you can imagine.

[xwolfi]

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]

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]

The acceptance of fame being pushed as something to worship just seems so gross

[uselesstech]

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]

Athletes refuse to talk to the media now because of the antagonizing acts by the media.

[TomSwirly]

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.