Two sports have seen similar controversies in recent times. Both caused by near-identical innovations. These innovations share a primary objective, that of making the sports better viewed on television. One of these sports has even changed the colour of the its ball to a colour close to what is used in the other sport.
Both changes have had players and coaches cry foul. Which sports, and what's the change?
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The sports are hockey and tennis, and the innovation is playing on a blue surface. The hockey events at the London Olympics will be played on a blue surface (with a yellow ball), and practice events have been held to let teams get a feel for it. In tennis, the 2012 Madrid Masters event was held on blue clay. In each, players found it very difficult to adjust. Tennis players like Rafael Nadal were angry enough to say they wouldn't come back the next year if the surface didn't revert to traditional orange clay.
This day last year: Q.241