You won’t have heard, but handball is a big deal in Europe

 

Roar Rookie

By milic, 26 Jan 2012 milic is a Roar Rookie

Tagged:

 Australian Handball League, European Handball, handball

4 Have your say

Email

Not since the Sydney Olympics has there been any real attraction towards team handball in our country, and other than a couple of matches during the Olympics on TV every four years, we never get the chance to watch this entertaining sport.

It is one of the most popular sports in Europe. After football it can be considered the number two sport in France, Germany, and Spain, and the number one sport in Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Hungary, and Slovenia.

It is also the most successful sport in Croatia, which has been World Champion twice and Olympic gold winner twice.

The German Bundesliga is the best handball league in the world, and nearly every match is sold out, meaning around 10,000 roaring fans make the great atmosphere German fans can create.

In France, football is obviously the number one sport, or at least the most watched sport, but handball is the most loved sport.

France being a powerhouse in the sport has lifted handball’s reputation in the country, which boasts some of the greatest players to ever play the sport. The ‘tricolour’ are current European, World and Olympic Champions.

You can in some ways compare handball to cricket. In Australia, England, India, and Pakistan cricket is a tradition and national pastime. The same is the case for Scandinavian countries with handball.

Yes, Australia does have a team, as we do in every sport, and yes we do compete at the World Cup, albeit without any success. The green and gold are known whipping boys of the sport.

I myself have watched the sport in Australia, firstly my uncles who played for one of the clubs in the Australian league. It attracted some good crowds during the 1990s, mostly from the Serbian community and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Comparing contracts and player wages to other sports it ranks right after football and basketball in Europe, with the best players earning around two million dollars a season.

During my high school days, particularly in Year 9 and 10, European handball was one of the sports on offer to play every Tuesday against other local schools. It was a great experience and a fun one too.

Australia is the best team in the Oceania region in both men’s and women’s. The men’s team has competed at six World Championships, finishing last in all but one. The women’s team has also finished last in each of their finals appearance.

The Sydney University Club is the current Oceania Handball Club Champion. Each state has its own league, and towards the end of the year, each state is represented in a wider tournament.

The sport’s biggest problem is the lack of sponsorship, active playing numbers, the lack of clubs and leagues, and of course the lack of media coverage.

The Turkey 10

The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.

Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!

Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.

Find out more.