Is sumo’s popularity heading for a slump?
Unlikely a prospect as that may seem after a three-year run of thrilling title finishes, unexpected champions and miraculous comebacks, there has been a palpable mood shift among fans in recent weeks and — in a sport notorious for periods of boom and bust — early warning signs can’t be ignored.
While a notable uptick in the number of “this tournament is boring”-type posts on social media can partially be attributed to the fickle nature of sports fandom in general, as well as the lack of a storyline in September to rival those of recent times, the fact that engagement and discussion around sumo appears to be waning has to be of concern.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.