OLYMPIC BADMINTON VIDEOS HIT U.S. MARKET
by Mike Grossman

November 19, 1996 (New Shuttlenws) - Badminton fans in the U.S.A. now have the chance to view extended top-class badminton action from the Atlanta Olympic Games as USA Badminton, the national association for the sport, today released two full-length videos featuring the gold medal matches of the men's and women's doubles events.

Badminton fans in the U.S.A. had been denied the opportunity to see any Olympic badminton during the Atlanta Games itself as the broadcaster for the U.S.A. elected to ignore many of the so-called minor sports, badminton included. The only times that hard-core American badminton fans saw anything of Olympic badminton was thru off-the-air video highlights from Canada on amateur videotape or computer video files. These two videos released by USA Badminton will allow U.S.A. badminton enthusiasts to have a good long look at top badminton.

The men's doubles gold medal match on one of the videos has been described by many as the best and most exciting match ever played in recent times and by at least one hard-to-please American reporter as the best sports action he had ever witnessed.

The videos are available from USA Badminton at (719) 578-4808 for 30 US dollars each or 50 US dollars for both. One catch though - the videos are only being sold to members of the badminton association in the U.S.A. (The price of regular membership in USA Badminton is 35 US dollars, less for students and juniors, and anyone with a U.S.A. mailing address can be a member).

A one-hour (approximately) Olympics video featuring all 5 events - men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles - will also be available in late January from the International Badminton Federation in Gloucestershire, England. Cost will be 12 pounds.

In a related development, it was learned by New Shuttlenws that the International Badminton Federation will be making it easier to order videos and publications from them. They are now finalizing arrangements to accept payment by VISA or MASTERCARD starting in January.