But how many of them, you wondered, fully realised the significance of a display set up at the far end of the room - a full-sized volleyball net, but a net with a dazzling difference - a net which came periodically alive with lights of all colours and gliding words thanks to hundreds of small but very sturdy LED lights woven into the design?

That was a rhetorical question of course, although the answer would probably be: not many.

Had they asked Michael Payne, the sports marketing guru currently advising the effervescent, recently ensconced President of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Dr. Ary Graça as he seeks to renovate and re-energise the sport, they would have been in no doubt. This glowing, fizzing, flowing net was a "game changer".

A new net currently being pioneered could revolutionise volleyball, it is predicted ©ITG

Let Payne explain.

"At the London 2012 Olympics, beach volleyball was pushing the entertainment levels, and if anything indoor volleyball was lagging behind," he said. "The sport was in danger of becoming polarised. So this development is a game changer for the sport in terms of field of play."

Graça, too, is enthused by the new possibilities opening up in the field of play.

"For example, one player spikes, the other blocks," said Graça in characteristically animated fashion. "When the ball falls, you are going to see 'Block!...Block!...Block!...Block!' on the net.

"Or maybe you can use it for information, everything about the players. Or in the gap between two sets, you can use it as a commercial, as a merchandising tool."

Polish players rise to block a Serbian spike in the opening match of the World Championships. In future years, the net between the players could become something of a player itself
©Getty Images

The net could be put to yet other uses. After the President had explained how the FIVB has brought in a rule requiring a serve to be made no later than eight seconds after the ball has been grounded, he mooted the idea of having the net blank on the receiver's side, but offering a graphic countdown on the side of the server.

"FIFA could learn from that," observed someone sagely. "The time taken by goalkeepers..."

It is certainly an intriguing proposition.

"Over the next few months it will be taken into sporting competition and the Federation will begin to work out the rules of when the net is used as a presentation for the sport, and when it is used as a in a commercial way," said Payne. "We need to work out a new protocol."

Mike Rowbottom captured at the Stadion Narodowy, unusually, without his bread and cheese selection and flute of champagne ©ITG

On the night, however, the proud inventors of this new toy were happy to see it scan blameless slogans and messages across its twinkling frontage. The word 'volleyball' slid across, flashing white. Who would argue with that?

Given the location, however, the gliding messages should more usefully have read: "That's your fourth glass!", "Nice canapé action!" or "She's still not interested in you!"

Who knows, similar technology might also be adopted in other sports with nets. One could imagine a message sliding across the rigging inside Wimbledon's Centre Court, for instance: "Mr Nadal, you have eight seconds in which to serve, seven, six, five, four..."

I'm sure Mr Nadal would be thrilled to have such a useful reminder in front of him at all times.

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, covered the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as chief feature writer for insidethegames, having covered the previous five summer Games, and four winter Games, for The Independent. He has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, The Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. His latest book Foul Play – the Dark Arts of Cheating in Sport (Bloomsbury £8.99) is available at the insidethegames.biz shop. To follow him on Twitter click here.