P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Showtime Arena-style Formula Polo takes hold in Argentina By Lucas Noel
Fast, entertaining and very easy to enjoy for those who are not experts in this sport. Formula Polo, a three vs. three contest, similar to arena polo, with a lot of excitement included was born in Buenos Aires and quickly began to spread to several countries until it developed its own World Cup. Argentina is the country where polo is played at the highest level. However, the beach version was never fully developed. It has always functioned as a summer advertising attraction rather than a truly settled championship. But its potential was always there. With that vision, in 2019, Formula Polo was born in order to promote the traditional modality on
sand with a fixed annual season. Its success was immediate. The key was the attractive social aspect. Located in the heart of Buenos Aires, in the Palermo neighborhood, its venue is located behind one of the most fun and popular restaurants in the city. Every night, diners come to Belisario Roldán to taste its dishes and meet celebrities from Argentina’s artistic, sports and political circles. In this way, this concept of a dinner night with polo friends in Buenos Aires managed to merge two fundamental pieces: what happens on and off the playing field. One of the essential points of the success of this contest is the adaptation of the rules so that everyone
Rules have been adapted to make them easily understood for the spectators. For example, teams don’t change goals.
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