If the Philippines snags the hosting of the 2019 Fiba World Cup, Bacolod City and Cebu would play key roles as satellite venues of basketball’s grandest tournament on the planet.
Former Philippine Olympic Committee chair and Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella said that the organizing Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas would tap both cities in the Visayas to host the group stages of the world championship.
Puentevella, a former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission and weightlifting chief, said the plan already drew a positive response from SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan after the basketball-crazed nation made it to the shortlist of potential hosts.
Aside from the Philippines, Fiba announced that China, Germany, France, Qatar and Turkey are in strong contention to bring the world championship in their turf.
“It’s a gathering of the best players in the world and Bacolod City is proud to accommodate them,” said Puentevella.
The Fiba has required a minimum of four venues from the host country with the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay and Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao expected to be tapped aside from Bacolod City and Cebu City.
Puentevella said Bacolod is also planning to build a new sports complex, which will include an indoor basketball arena of international caliber, in time for the city’s possible hosting of the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.
Pangilinan, who made the Fiba Asia hosting dream of the Philippines in 2013 a reality, is again spearheading the country’s bid for the world tourney, but this time on a much bigger and wider scale.
SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, PBA chair Patrick Gregorio, SBP deputy executive director for international affairs Butch Antonio and SBP logistics chief Andrew Teh participated in a two-day workshop at the Fiba headquarters in Switzerland last month with Tourism undersecretary Domingo Ramon Enerio III.
According to the Fiba website, the winner of the 2019 hosting bid will be announced in June along with the host of the 2023 edition.