Caro lyn Greco and Margaret Osmundson are professional athletes who together placed third in the world at a recent competition staged in Anaheim, California, that was streamed globally on ESPN3. Yet many Americans have never heard of their sport: teqball. The two former professional soccer players and a handful of entrepreneurs are trying to change that, one kick at a time.
The Hungarian-born fusion of soccer, pingpong and tennis has been around for about a decade. It’s played on a curved tabletop measuring 9.8 feet long and 5.6 feet wide—with the highest point reaching 2.5 feet high—that’s bisected by a solid net. The game is typically played in three-set bouts, and doubles competitions are generally more popular than singles. Players use a slightly underinflated soccer ball. As in soccer, they may hit it with any part of the body but their hands, resulting in movements that somewhat resemble martial arts: Spiral kicks and the fanciest soccer footwork abound. Officials are making a play for teqball to be included in forthcoming Olympic Games, a process that takes years of arduous campaigning even when it goes well.
This story is from the November 14, 2022 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 14, 2022 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Instagram's Founders Say It's Time for a New Social App
The rise of AI and the fall of Twitter could create opportunities for upstarts
Running in Circles
A subscription running shoe program aims to fight footwear waste
What I Learned Working at a Hawaiien Mega-Resort
Nine wild secrets from the staff at Turtle Bay, who have to manage everyone from haughty honeymooners to go-go-dancing golfers.
How Noma Will Blossom In Kyoto
The best restaurant in the world just began its second pop-up in Japan. Here's what's cooking
The Last-Mover Problem
A startup called Sennder is trying to bring an extremely tech-resistant industry into the age of apps
Tick Tock, TikTok
The US thinks the Chinese-owned social media app is a major national security risk. TikTok is running out of ways to avoid a ban
Cleaner Clothing Dye, Made From Bacteria
A UK company produces colors with less water than conventional methods and no toxic chemicals
Pumping Heat in Hamburg
The German port city plans to store hot water underground and bring it up to heat homes in the winter
Sustainability: Calamari's Climate Edge
Squid's ability to flourish in warmer waters makes it fitting for a diet for the changing environment
New Money, New Problems
In Naples, an influx of wealthy is displacing out-of-towners lower-income workers