Bringing the FIBA World Cup Down Under would be the perfect way to grow basketball in Australia.
While domestic basketball isn’t the top level of the game – although it is growing – the international game, the NBA and grassroots have always strongly been supported.
However, more must be done.
The National Basketball League (NBL) has regularly failed, with teams dropping out left right and centre.
Things may have turned around over the last 12 months, with Larry Kestleman taking over, and the Brisbane Bullets returning to the big time – but with that comes the Townsville Crocodiles falling over in the last few weeks, meaning the league remains at eight teams.
Fox Sports and Channel Nine took an interest in the NBL, but the international game is one way to promote the best the NBL has to offer, thus improving its popularity, and the sport of basketball right throughout the nation.
It doesn’t matter the sport, Australia competing against other nations sells tickets.
While I acknowledge that not every game in a World Cup would feature Australia, the best NBA players in the world would be in town, and the number of people who sign up for the NBA League Pass, watch games on ESPN or search for coverage in the media show it is a popular competition, even on the other side of the world.
Of course, it helps that there are plenty of Australians performing solidly in the NBA – and it is a difficult not to get caught up in the party if you are a basketball fan. But these players, plus the best from other nations, must be used to bring popularity to the sport in Australia.
Imagine a packed house at the Sydney Superdome to watch Team USA, led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, taking on the Aussies with Andrew Bogut, Matthew Deledadova and Chris Goulding or Kevin Lisch. It would be absolutely fascinating, and would bring exposure to the best NBL players. It’s not just the local Australian players who would benefit either, with players from other countries appearing on NBL rosters.
The next World Cup will be held in China during 2019, after the last one, in Spain two years ago, went relatively unnoticed by many parts of the world. But with teams competing in the final stage going from 24 to 32, the event’s global exposure will only increase.
As seen in the recent NBL All-Australian tour to China, basketball is booming in Asia and China’s will be a very popular World Cup. With massive crowds expected, and a high quality of play, it should show why Australia need to bring the event Down Under.
The 2023 World Cup currently seems the best option for an Australian bid. With the only major event between now and then in Australia being the Commonwealth Games, the government should throw its support behind the bid – certainly there is potential for a lot of revenue to be raised.
The potential bids for 2023 currently stand as Germany, Turkey, the Phillipines, Qatar and Russia. Considering Australia has never hosted the event, we would be in with a solid chance.
It’s not as if Australian doesn’t have the infrastructure to host a tournament of this magnitude either. There are some massive indoor stadiums in Australia, and while the USA or countries in Asia could do it better due to the amount of big-capacity stadiums, the likes of the Sydney Superdome or Rod Laver Arena are more than capable of hosting the big games.
In fact, a run down of capacities at Australia’s basketball stadiums shows that there are plenty of venues throughout the major cities capable of hosting big matches, such as the final or the all-powerful Team USA matches.
The biggest indoor venue in Australia is the Sydney Superdome – opened for the 2000 Olympics, and now named the Qudos Bank Arena. With a capacity of 21,000 and a return to regular basketball action in the coming months, it mirrors any NBA venue, and is the same size as many around the world. This would be a fine venue for the final.
There are a further five venues with a capacity above 10,000 – Rod Laver Arena, Perth Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Hisense Arena – so games could be spread out across the country.
Add to that a couple of lower ranging group games that could be played in Wollongong, Cairns, Townsville, Canberra or Hobart, and we have a complete list of probable venues spread out all over the country. Plenty of people would have a chance to get out and watch games.
At the end of the day, Australians love an event, and grassroots participation rates show basketball is a very popular sport here. The NBA is supported heavily here, but so often the local NBL and Boomers are swept under the rug.
The Basketball World Cup could be Australian basketball’s golden opportunity.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
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