Denpasar is getting to house the 2015 Badminton Championship in GOR Lila, Ghuana that will have world class players like Korean Lee Yong Dae on the court.
Held from January 25 to February 1, the name of the game will be a little different this year when it comes to clubs bringing foreign players, according to reports by Kompas.
This year, the committee will reportedly provide subsidies as big as USD1,500 to local clubs that want to bring in foreign players.
How many players a local club will depend on the ability of the club, says Achmad Budiharto, director of the Super League. It’s not such a significant value compared to the price of the foreign players, but at least the subsidy could help the local club, Budharto said.
Other than new things like this “shopping for players” concept, Kompas is also reporting that clubs can only use a maximum of two foreign players in a single match. This is intended to increase competition and the “heat of the battle” between competing clubs.
But it’s the upping of the prize money that really raises the stakes for this year’s Super League and makes the outcome all the more exciting. In 2013, the prize money offered was IDR1.6 billion, in 2014 it was IDR2 billion, but this year it will be more or less IDR2.5 billion, Kompas reports. The IDR2 billion will be divided (not equally) between first through fourth place.
Here’s a published list of Indonesian players who will be competing:
Tommy Sugiarto, Simon Santoso, Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka, Jonatan Christie, Linda Wenifanetri, Bellaetrix Manuputty, Greysia Polii, Nitya Krishinda Maheswari, Suci Rizki Andini, Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah, Liliyana Natsir, Vita Marissa, Praveen Jordan, Hendra Setiawan, Mohammad Ahsan, Rian Agung Saputro, Angga Pratama, Markis Kido, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon.
And here’s the list of their international counterparts:
Lee Yong Dae (Korea – ranking 1) , Vladimir Ivanov (Russia – ranking 63), Chou Tien Chen (Taiwan – ranking 7), Lee Hyun Il (Korea – ranking 51), Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Thailand – ranking 26), Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand – ranking 6), Busanan Ongbumrungpan (Thailand – ranking 22), Koo Kien Keat (Malaysia – ranking 161), Sho Sasaki (Japan – ranking 17), Cheng Wen Hsing (Taiwan – ranking 33), Wei Nan (Hong Kong- ranking 19), Sung Ji Hyun (Korea – ranking 5), Son Wan Ho (Korea – ranking 5), Reika Kakiiwa (Japan – ranking 5), Miyuki Maeda (Japan – ranking 5), Hirokatsu Hashimoto (Japan – ranking 12), Noriyasu Hirata (Japan – ranking 12).
Photo of 2014 competition from Zimbio
