Sumo Stomp! Open House: Come on in and introduce yourself
We are close to 500 strong here, let's talk.
Hi all,
This past month I’ve had a lot of new subscribers, boosting the overall number to 470! I am stunned and delighted by this number.
Below you can that Sumo Stomp has subscribers across 44 countries. Most subscribers are in the US, but in the runner up spots are my home nations of Canada and the UK.
We have folks reading this newsletter from across the globe, though, with readers in Chile, Nigeria, Finland, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, New Zealand and so on. That’s pretty cool.
Special Offer
Between now and May 1st you can purchase a year-long subscription to Sumo Stomp! at a reduced price. Now is a great time to upgrade to a paid membership, with a number of premium articles coming down the pipeline. Those include report cards for every top division rikishi and a special breakdown on Kotonowaka’s March tournament.
Substack also offers a breakdown of US States. Most American readers, by far, are in California.
Given that we have so many new subscribers here, and that it’s been a long time since we last did this, I think it’s time for an Open House.
If you’re reading this, please consider commenting on this post and introducing yourself.
If you’d like, you can answer the following questions:
Where are you reading from?
How long have you been following sumo?
Who is your favourite active rikishi right now?
I’m looking forward to your responses!
Tim
Hey all, proud Sumo Stomp subscriber here—slowly learning about this fascinating sport thanks to Tim’s excellent work. No favourites yet!
Hi,
I’m Danny, from the UK. I’m no expert, but I started watching sumo back in the 20th century, when our newest broadcaster Channel 4 (yep, we were pleased to have increased our choice of TV channels by 33% in one go) took up Sumo in 1988. Those were the golden days of the wolf Chiyonofuji and the flailing arms of Terao.
I lost track for quite a few years after Sumo was chopped from the schedules, but with the internet connecting communities I was lucky to be back on board to witness the greatness of Hakuho via YouTube.
What I love about Sumo: its rituals and stoicism. Its clever grading system that facilitates greatness and also competition. For each bout the sense of an impending thunderstorm as the rikishi prepare, knowing a lightning strike is likely (unless it was the dull rumble of Hokuseiho) but not knowing where or when.
Who do I like: Ura is my standout. The creativity and the joy no matter the result. I like Hoshoryu for his style. I like Takanosho as a standard sumo fighter from which to compare all others. And Tamawashi for his sheer endurance.
Sumo is not perfect as a sport or in how it is run, but it is always interesting, dynamic and it has a great foreign crowd of enthusiasts.
Thanks for bringing us together.