One of the absolute most dominant players of any sport throughout history. Who else has ever been that much better than every competitor for such a long period of time? It's too bad there wasn't enough money in our sport to pay him like other #1 players in other sports. I hate to say it, but I would love to see him go take over the pickleball world like he did racquetball.
You're the exact person our game needs -- new players who are excited about the sport. Hopefully they'll stop demolishing courts. We all need a place to play as well as someone to play with.
Love this! We need more sit downs with former champions to talk about the history, evolution, and future of racquetball. Thank you for doing this, an awesome interview that gives more insight into the mind of the best on the planet! Nobody was better during his time and quite possibly the all-time best ever. Thank you Kane!
I appreciate what Kane is doing. I know a lot are upset about it but at the end of the day. He is looking out for the future of the sport and trying to help the next generation make a living and be appreciated. LEGEND! I miss seeing him on the court. No one has done what he has done. We only hope to see it again.
I would love to see Racquetball blow up more than it did in the 80’s. I would love to see Kane on the Pickleball courts also, would love to see what he could do with his incredible accuracy, speed, and calmness in a pro pickleball game.
take a shot every time you hear "you know". Got nothing but love for Kane. He's always been a beast with incredible shot making and an affable guy on the court no matter what your level is.
I think one of the overlooked problems with the growth of racquetball is the overwhelming majority of health clubs with RB courts not allowing children into the facility to play and compete in organized leagues against each other. Until this problem is solved the sport will continue to decline.
I agree.. Young athletes are the future of any sport. Daniel de la Rosa told me that they had a kids' league in San Luis Potosi with more than 100 children.
As a lover of RB, and follower of the pro tour, I think that Kane is one of the greatest RB players of all time. It is great to hear him say that he wants to work his way back to being the number 1 player. Yes, longer rallies are more entertaining, but that will not generate bigger audiences. The sport is not going to increase in popularity until the 'IRT board' thinks outside the box and finds better platforms for displaying the game to the masses. Current coverage is dearly lacking! You need more cameras covering a match, instant replay, ball tracking as in tennis, (especially for marginal short serve calls), and better availability to the masses. Yes, Pickleball is easy to present to the masses, because it is built on a modified tennis court, hence all the work from tennis coverage carries over to pickleball. The sport is not increasing in popularity, but currently, experiencing a slow death--just count the number of racquetball courts today versus ten years ago; compare the prize money for racquetball pro winners to pickleball pro winners; and count the number of tournaments today versus what was scheduled 5 years ago!
This was great. I wish there was more 😥. I would've also liked to know why Austin in particular vs. other US cities, not only bc of not having to cross the border.
That's a good point. Now I'm wondering why Austin. There was a lot I didn't ask him, but I worry that viewers won't watch to the end. Thanks for watching.
Kane is a perfect example of just because you're great at a sport it doesn't mean you're great for the sport. Nothing against Kane, he's the greatest but dominating a sport for so long ends up hurting the sport in the long run. For a sport to be interesting and survive it has to have diversity.
At some point if you are going to represent a failing sport (or any business) you HAVE to care what people think about you and your actions and act accordingly.
I think a great way to make racquetball and pickleball grow is to do it together with indoor clubs with reasonable membership costs that have both pickleball and racquetball courts. Get the pickleball people in there in the winter and let them see people playing racquetball. Racquetball is sooooo much fun, but the general population thinks of it as a dead sport.
Seems like a great idea to me. There are still lots of racquetball and paddleball players who also play pickleball. They don't have to be exclusive. One advantage pickleball has is they're converting public tennis courts at low cost and offering them free to the public. Racquetball court construction is much more expensive, and few public courts other than at colleges and schools, plus 3-wall in some parks.
Great Video! Greetings from Barranquilla Colombia, we have 4 new courts here! Trying our best to involve new players and keep the passion for the sport.
Kane is the Novak Djokovic of racquetball. I don't know if that will be enough. I've seen at least three places close the racquetball courts in their gym over the past ten years. And no new places have opened up. Racquetball is hard for spectators to watch. The calls are too close -- skips, corner shots that look like skips, two-bounce gets, the hinders and avoidables. I've seen skips on replays from deep court that were called good. It's doable in squash cause the ball moves so slow and there's a tin. But racquetball is so fast -- 200mph ball rallies -- and the calls are hard to make. Time will tell. I've heard some say there needs to be more grassroots for racquetball. If Kane can't revive racquetball I don't know who can. The people want what they want. I go to the gym and play racquetball and I rarely see new players come in to ask "hey how do you play that?" It's once in a blue moon. It's always the same small group of people in a well-populated area outside a big city, for me. Maybe this is not a good random sampling of new people coming to racquetball.
People who don't play racquetball have a huge gap to cross to get to the people who are actively playing racquetball. It is one of the toughest sports you will ever try to learn. But,if you ever hit a 200 mph ball against the front wall, you will be hooked forever. I always tell people who try racquetball, "I make it look easy, don't I"?
"toughest sports you will ever try to learn" that's a bold statement. every sport has its learning curve and difficulties. We rationalize the sport because we love it. We've learned it. We appreciate it and we don't want something we cherish to die out.
@@CCmagee3 I'm biased too. But we're left with the question: how do we attract newbies? Isn't that what this video is about? Reviving the sport --- new blood -- attracting fresh faces.
@@Fernandez218 I have tried to help newbies at my gym. It's like teaching a blind person to shoot targets. They also watch me hit after they have tried to and they never try it again. I wish there were millions of players myself. I have found one man who can play with me and if I try at all he scores twice maybe. I would play seven days a week if there were enough players.
@@Fernandez218 One other thing too. Even when there were twenty players at my gym twenty five years ago. The top players couldn't score but about two points against me and they would all play each other and would never want to play me. That is ridiculous. The first two years I played, a man beat me 15 to 1 or 2 the entire two years. But, I showed up three days a week to play him and would play for two and a half hours straight. I didn't care that he won, I just loved playing the game. But most people are quitters if they can't win constantly.
Yeah, I can imagine that the tennis players are not happy to see so many public courts converted to pickleball. I can remember back in the 1970s when racquetball players started taking over the handball players, and they weren't happy with us.
I have watched players from Mexico and those who are from South American countries play. Although I am happy that other countries are playing the game. However, they are not as exciting as the best players in the US years ago.
I think if you'd attended the Golden State Opens at the Bay Club in Pleasanton, CA last weekend you might change your mind. I think two factors made this an especially exciting tournament to watch. First, Gearbox slowed down the ball a bit which makes for longer rallies. Secondly, they brought in a portable glass-wall court which can accommodate hundreds of spectators, if not 1000 or more. Plus, for the cameras we had the front view which shows the facial expressions. I felt like I was back in the 1970s and 1980s again.
Great Video. Lets make Racquetball Great Again!
One of the absolute most dominant players of any sport throughout history. Who else has ever been that much better than every competitor for such a long period of time? It's too bad there wasn't enough money in our sport to pay him like other #1 players in other sports. I hate to say it, but I would love to see him go take over the pickleball world like he did racquetball.
I just started playing in tournaments. I'm part of the 1 million! The game is do much fun! Don't let the game die
You're the exact person our game needs -- new players who are excited about the sport. Hopefully they'll stop demolishing courts. We all need a place to play as well as someone to play with.
how did you get involved in tournaments?
Love this! We need more sit downs with former champions to talk about the history, evolution, and future of racquetball. Thank you for doing this, an awesome interview that gives more insight into the mind of the best on the planet! Nobody was better during his time and quite possibly the all-time best ever. Thank you Kane!
Longer rallies for sure make the sport more appealing - like it used to be.
I appreciate what Kane is doing. I know a lot are upset about it but at the end of the day. He is looking out for the future of the sport and trying to help the next generation make a living and be appreciated. LEGEND! I miss seeing him on the court. No one has done what he has done. We only hope to see it again.
I was impressed that at 41 and coming back from injury Kane still is optimistic about his future in the sport.
curious: why are people upset?
I would love to see Racquetball blow up more than it did in the 80’s. I would love to see Kane on the Pickleball courts also, would love to see what he could do with his incredible accuracy, speed, and calmness in a pro pickleball game.
take a shot every time you hear "you know". Got nothing but love for Kane. He's always been a beast with incredible shot making and an affable guy on the court no matter what your level is.
I'm pretty sure I cut out a lot of "you know's" whenever there's a photo over the video. LOL
I think one of the overlooked problems with the growth of racquetball is the overwhelming majority of health clubs with RB courts not allowing children into the facility to play and compete in organized leagues against each other. Until this problem is solved the sport will continue to decline.
I agree.. Young athletes are the future of any sport. Daniel de la Rosa told me that they had a kids' league in San Luis Potosi with more than 100 children.
Awesome player!!. awesome sport!!
As a lover of RB, and follower of the pro tour, I think that Kane is one of the greatest RB players of all time. It is great to hear him say that he wants to work his way back to being the number 1 player. Yes, longer rallies are more entertaining, but that will not generate bigger audiences. The sport is not going to increase in popularity until the 'IRT board' thinks outside the box and finds better platforms for displaying the game to the masses. Current coverage is dearly lacking! You need more cameras covering a match, instant replay, ball tracking as in tennis, (especially for marginal short serve calls), and better availability to the masses. Yes, Pickleball is easy to present to the masses, because it is built on a modified tennis court, hence all the work from tennis coverage carries over to pickleball. The sport is not increasing in popularity, but currently, experiencing a slow death--just count the number of racquetball courts today versus ten years ago; compare the prize money for racquetball pro winners to pickleball pro winners; and count the number of tournaments today versus what was scheduled 5 years ago!
Well done Chelsea. Good questions. Good to know info.
on point.......
Great interview!
Awesome interview! Thanks for putting it together!
This was great. I wish there was more 😥. I would've also liked to know why Austin in particular vs. other US cities, not only bc of not having to cross the border.
That's a good point. Now I'm wondering why Austin. There was a lot I didn't ask him, but I worry that viewers won't watch to the end. Thanks for watching.
Kane is a perfect example of just because you're great at a sport it doesn't mean you're great for the sport. Nothing against Kane, he's the greatest but dominating a sport for so long ends up hurting the sport in the long run. For a sport to be interesting and survive it has to have diversity.
At some point if you are going to represent a failing sport (or any business) you HAVE to care what people think about you and your actions and act accordingly.
I think a great way to make racquetball and pickleball grow is to do it together with indoor clubs with reasonable membership costs that have both pickleball and racquetball courts. Get the pickleball people in there in the winter and let them see people playing racquetball. Racquetball is sooooo much fun, but the general population thinks of it as a dead sport.
Seems like a great idea to me. There are still lots of racquetball and paddleball players who also play pickleball. They don't have to be exclusive. One advantage pickleball has is they're converting public tennis courts at low cost and offering them free to the public. Racquetball court construction is much more expensive, and few public courts other than at colleges and schools, plus 3-wall in some parks.
Great Video! Greetings from Barranquilla Colombia, we have 4 new courts here! Trying our best to involve new players and keep the passion for the sport.
Latin America is the hope for the future of Racquetball. Thanks for keeping it alive and growing.
Kane is the Novak Djokovic of racquetball. I don't know if that will be enough. I've seen at least three places close the racquetball courts in their gym over the past ten years. And no new places have opened up. Racquetball is hard for spectators to watch. The calls are too close -- skips, corner shots that look like skips, two-bounce gets, the hinders and avoidables. I've seen skips on replays from deep court that were called good. It's doable in squash cause the ball moves so slow and there's a tin. But racquetball is so fast -- 200mph ball rallies -- and the calls are hard to make. Time will tell. I've heard some say there needs to be more grassroots for racquetball. If Kane can't revive racquetball I don't know who can. The people want what they want.
I go to the gym and play racquetball and I rarely see new players come in to ask "hey how do you play that?" It's once in a blue moon. It's always the same small group of people in a well-populated area outside a big city, for me. Maybe this is not a good random sampling of new people coming to racquetball.
Sad, but true.
People who don't play racquetball have a huge gap to cross to get to the people who are actively playing racquetball. It is one of the toughest sports you will ever try to learn. But,if you ever hit a 200 mph ball against the front wall, you will be hooked forever. I always tell people who try racquetball, "I make it look easy, don't I"?
"toughest sports you will ever try to learn" that's a bold statement. every sport has its learning curve and difficulties. We rationalize the sport because we love it. We've learned it. We appreciate it and we don't want something we cherish to die out.
@@Fernandez218 What can I say? I'm biased for sure.
@@CCmagee3 I'm biased too. But we're left with the question: how do we attract newbies? Isn't that what this video is about? Reviving the sport --- new blood -- attracting fresh faces.
@@Fernandez218 I have tried to help newbies at my gym. It's like teaching a blind person to shoot targets. They also watch me hit after they have tried to and they never try it again. I wish there were millions of players myself. I have found one man who can play with me and if I try at all he scores twice maybe. I would play seven days a week if there were enough players.
@@Fernandez218 One other thing too. Even when there were twenty players at my gym twenty five years ago. The top players couldn't score but about two points against me and they would all play each other and would never want to play me. That is ridiculous. The first two years I played, a man beat me 15 to 1 or 2 the entire two years. But, I showed up three days a week to play him and would play for two and a half hours straight. I didn't care that he won, I just loved playing the game. But most people are quitters if they can't win constantly.
HELLO. Kane this is Adolfo Garcia from Brownsville tx.That did your Tshirts
Hi Charlie
In the 70s and 80s, racquetball was doing to tennis what pickleball is doing to tennis now
Yeah, I can imagine that the tennis players are not happy to see so many public courts converted to pickleball. I can remember back in the 1970s when racquetball players started taking over the handball players, and they weren't happy with us.
All the traditional sports are dying. Demographics is destiny.
I have watched players from Mexico and those who are from South American countries play. Although I am happy that other countries are playing the game. However, they are not as exciting as the best players in the US years ago.
I think if you'd attended the Golden State Opens at the Bay Club in Pleasanton, CA last weekend you might change your mind. I think two factors made this an especially exciting tournament to watch. First, Gearbox slowed down the ball a bit which makes for longer rallies. Secondly, they brought in a portable glass-wall court which can accommodate hundreds of spectators, if not 1000 or more. Plus, for the cameras we had the front view which shows the facial expressions. I felt like I was back in the 1970s and 1980s again.
Ok. I will try to find it on youtube.
@@classicracquetballv1501