David
Years ago

Scrap either Olympics or World Championchips?

Does anyone think that it might be time to scrap either playing both basketball in the Olympics and World Championships and just have one or the other?

First having the Olympics takes alot of shine off the World Championships. Basketball World championships have been very poorly supported just ask Indiana which lost 5 million dollars hosting the event.

- Owners of teams might be able to stomach there players playing every 4 years for there country instead of every 2 years. Which you will have less problems with players securing releases from there clubs to play.

- Players might be more willing to play for there country if it meant representing there counrty every four years. The amount of players that have pulled out for the USA is huge but it is starting to happen for some of the teams in Europe as well. Players are concerned about sustaining injuries with million dollars contracts on the table so they are being more careful now with the management of their bodies.

What do you guys think?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

A lot of players play every year. Cant see either being gotten rid of. Basketball is close to the most watched sport at the Olympics and the WCs are FIBA's flagship event and their main avenue for growth of the sport.

One thing being considered is making more Olympic spots only available via the WCs eg places 1-5 qualify. I like that idea.

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BJF  
Years ago

There is a lot more money in soccer globally because they run their sport as a business.

Olympics get restricted teams but the stars are saved for the World Cup and its billions of dollars.

IMO Basketball would be wise to follow the same path.

Olympics becomes an under 25 competition with say 2 non < 25's on each team

Basketball is a popular as soccer globally but the World Cup kills the world champs in $, TV and attendances.

Soccer is smart enough not to give away its golden goose every 4 year to the Olympic ideal

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LC  
Years ago

Why mess with something that is working?

Basketball is one of the most popular team sports at the Olympics already, whilst the WC's are just that - the WC's!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Olympics is the biggest event there is (despite the now acknowledged crap FIFA used to put out about their tv numbers) so basketball is not likely to let go of their place as the premier team sport at the Olympics.

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BJF  
Years ago

and FIBA makes $0 out of it v FIFA making millions out of the World cup

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paul  
Years ago

FIBA might make $0 out of it directly but basketball (and hence FIBA and their federations) benefits enormously.

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HO  
Years ago

BJF, you might want to rethink your comments. All Olympic sports are funded by the IOC, that is how you make money out of the olympics. I was involved in baseball at one point and internationally their biggest fear was losing their IOC money of they were kicked out of the Olympics. And in the case of a sport like basketball, the prestige of being an olympic sport I am sure helps their marketing generally.

FIFA does not make more money than FIBA because their sport is run like a "business". Whatever you think of the management of basketball internationally, football excels because of demand.

It get's better TV ratings cash in almost every market in the world, except maybe Lithuania, USA and China. It draws bigger crowds in most markets in the world, filling stadiums regularly that are vastly bigger than the same city's basketball stadium, which in turn is not sold out.

Even in Europe, for Euroleague, teams in big stadiums regularly do not sell out.

Basketball may even be more popular than football in terms of participants, but it is well behind football in crowds, TV and $, if you would also like to factor those things as a measure of popularity.

Football is a culturally embedded sport, and that flows through to incredible success for their governing bodies.

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