Professional Swim League

I always believed that there could be a professional swim league. The Dual Meet format that you see in College (and High School) is a format that can be very fun. There were just a few limitations. One being a well designed scoreboard that could keep up to date scoring as the events finish. DQ's happen through headsets, so they could quickly go into the system. The education of the spectator of how the scoring works would be part of the development of the sport as a spectator sport.

Americans watch the Olympic swimming more than almost any other sport, and other high level meets have gained in popularity as television has began to air them. What would it take though for a professional league to happen? Well, for tennis it began in the 1920's as a few high level players decided to put on their own exhibitions. They charged admission, and people were willing to pay to watch high level athletes in their sport. So, it would be a group of high level athletes to come together and create teams, and show off the dual meet format to the masses. Will they make a ton of money when it first begins? No, it will be a process of developing the professional sport because it is different than the sport so many know of as swim meets where young kids strive to improve themselves.

To my elation, there is going to be a professional swim league exhibition. Of course it comes from a place that understands the spectator friendly aspect that the sport can be, a college. University of Michigan will be hosting the dual meet with some top flight athletes. Check it out at www.proswimleague.com. Are these the highest level swimmers, not exactly, but they are some fast swimmers. It will be a lot of fun to see them compete in the dual meet format. Despite how the effort goes, I hope that they don't make this a one time event, but they see it as a start of something.

The next thing they have also begun. They have sponsors to help fund the event. Then they a charge a reasonable admission fee of $10 per ticket. They aren't going to make a whole lot of money, but it is a way to get the ball rolling with the affordable tickets. (Have you seen the prices of the Olympic Swim Tickets? They are one of the most expensive tickets available at the olympics.) Next phase is to get it televised. Start simple though, there are companies now that will televise any swim meet on the web. This may be a place to start, and then see how well watched it is, if there is a big audience you can use that to try to get a small cable company to pick a few events.

I've told my brother (also a swim coach) that this could happen, and the aspects that it needed to take off. Here is a group of elite athletes who have stepped up to front and begin this league. Hopefully they add the flare to the event itself with athlete spotlight in a program guide, the point system explained, a good way to display the up to date score, and a great announcer.

Good luck to all the organizers and athletes, and thank you for stepping up to do this.