Beyblade Execs Aren't Ruling Out a Future at the Olympics
Is it time for Beyblade to join the Olympics...?
It won't be long now until the Summer Olympics get underway, and the event will put all eyes on the world's top athletes. From swimming to sprinting and gymnastics, the 2024 Olympic Games will showcase a slew of sports. Of course, quite a few sports have joined the games since the Olympics began, and a new report suggests Beyblade executives are eyeing an Olympic debut.
And yes, you did read that right. The team behind Beyblade wants to see the Olympics let it rip. So if you are a fan of the series, well – Beyblade may net you a trip to a future Summer Games.
Recently, Metro UK was given an in-depth look at Takara Tomy as the company behind Beyblade discussed the franchise's 20th anniversary. It was there designer Kenji Horikoshi detailed the rise of competitive Beyblade.
"In the beginning it was solely geared towards children and for them to have fun as a toy. But as time went on more adults were able to find joy in playing Beyblade as well. And so that became more of a competitive feel," they shared.
Metro UK went on to explore the recent surge in Beyblade's popularity, and social media is to thank. During the pandemic, sites like Roblox launched sections dedicated to Beyblade, and this lift in visibility has been felt at Takara Tomy. 'The pandemic was really rough for everyone, but fans were able to really understand and appreciate the Beyblade community and with tournaments making a comeback a lot more fans are becoming a lot more engaged and coming to these areas where they can interact with each other,' Horikoshi explained.
And as for Beyblade entering the Olympics? Well, it wouldn't be the first accessory-assisted sport to take on the Summer Games. Everything from track & field to golf uses apparatuses, so Beylade would be in good company. It appears the team at Takara Tomy is all for an Olympic debut as global competitors have proven the top-spinning game requires plenty of skill. But for now, Horikoshi says he's satisfied just seeing Beyblade on the global stage.
"Our mission here is to make sure we continue innovating and as the years progress, even without it being an Olympic sport, we just want to make sure people globally can have a chance to really appreciate and play with each other and have that competitive feel."
What do you think about this Beyblade pitch? Do the Olympic Games need to let it rip? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!