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Despite global achievements, lawn bowls still battles for mainstream appeal | Scoop
Malaysia's lawn bowls has achieved global success but still struggles to gain popularity. - MLB Tigers pic, October 13, 2024
Sports

Despite global achievements, lawn bowls still battles for mainstream appeal

MLBF aims to boost the sport’s popularity with televised tournaments, hoping to attract sponsors and a wider audience

Main Author Image
Adam Zamri
Updated
7:56 PM MYT

 

KUALA LUMPUR — Lawn bowls has been part of Malaysia’s sports scene for over 30 years, delivering world-class achievements, yet it continues to face challenges in gaining widespread popularity.

Therefore, the Malaysian Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) is hoping to change that with live television broadcasts of the MLB Tigers Grand Slam, in collaboration with MLB Tigers. 

This move is seen as a crucial step in promoting the sport nationwide, with online streaming also making it more accessible to a wider audience.

Speaking to Scoop, MLBF president Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz acknowledged that lawn bowls is not yet a mainstream sport in Malaysia, but stressed the importance of proactive measures to grow its following.

Awalan highlighted that investors are only interested in supporting sports that hold value in the eyes of fans and can provide a return on investment.

MLB Tigers Grand Slam - MLB Tigers pic 5
Awalan says the MLBF Tigers Grand Slam aims to promote lawn bowls and highlight Malaysia’s top athletes. – MLB Tigers pic, October 13, 2024

“We organise this tournament to help everyone understand the sport of lawn bowls and to showcase our athletes, who truly have world-class potential,” he said.

The live broadcasts, according to Awalan, create opportunities for corporate sponsorships, which could help overcome the sport’s main obstacle: funding. 

“The reality is that commercialising this sport is quite challenging, even though we have been active since 1992 when Malaysia was preparing for the 1998 Commonwealth Games,” Awalan explained.

“There are many factors and obstacles in the process of popularising the sport, with sponsorship being the primary challenge. We cannot always rely on the government due to their limitations.

“If the sport does not gain popularity, sponsors may feel it is not worthwhile to get involved,” he added.

The MLB Tigers Grand Slam features two categories—Open Pairs and U12 Open Fours—with a total prize pool of RM 15,000. 

The tournament has attracted some of the world’s top athletes, including reigning world champion Aleena Ahmad Nawawi, Ain Nabilah Tarmizi, and world number one Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple.

MLB Tigers Grand Slam - MLB Tigers pic 7
The MLB Tigers Grand Slam offers two categories—Open Pairs and U12 Open Fours—with a RM 15,000 prize pool. – MLB Tigers pic, October 13, 2024

Awalan also explained that to make the sport more engaging for television viewers, the tournament format has been revised. The new 5-5-1 set format is shorter but still maintains its competitive edge.

Looking ahead, Awalan shared his vision of growing the sport at the grassroots level, particularly in rural communities, to not only popularise lawn bowls but also discover new talent.

“If we look closely, for a sport to become popular, it must have adequate facilities. Sports like football and badminton have plenty of accessible venues in the country, but not lawn bowls. 

“Playing lawn bowls requires specific pitches, and unfortunately, they are quite limited in the country.

“I hope that by organising tournaments like this, it will encourage not only the government but also private sectors to take the initiative to develop facilities for this sport. 

“This would not only help identify new talents for the country but also promote lawn bowls as a viable recreational sport during leisure time,” he added. — October 13, 2024

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