The heartfelt local support for the Philippine women’s team in the Fiba 3×3 World Cup has revitalized talk on why there isn’t that much going on for their game in the country.
The talent is there, of course, but there is probably just too much men’s basketball going around that there’s not enough sponsorship, media time and space to spare.
There are school leagues, of course, but nothing really beyond graduation. The Philippine Basketball Association also tried to lend a hand with some women’s three-on-three games in between the regular doubleheader.
There also seems to be gender issues affecting acceptance of the women’s game. I do not claim to be an expert on such concerns, but talent should be judged on merit alone.
Having watched men’s basketball for the longest time, we have a natural tendency to expect the women’s game to be played in the same way. The women’s version has to be appreciated on its own.
So here’s a suggestion: Maybe it’s time that the players and those who are in women’s basketball organize themselves. It doesn’t have to be a full court, five-on-five league right away. There are operating costs, of course, but if they’re kept manageable, then growth could be achieved.
The niche could be three-on-three hoops. And the league could be a traveling tournament hitting the malls and open parks in the metropolis. The fast-paced format of 3×3 basketball is ideal for audiences that want brisk action and scoring that’s easy to follow.
The peg could be what the Beach Volleyball Republic group did: Get the players together, sell the concept to places like beaches and resorts throughout the country and find some broadcast and media time because an audience needs to be built.
It’s a matter of getting used to. When volleyball started to grow, fans could not right away care about the nuances of formations, tempos or the complex rules like rotation miscues or the catch and throw violation (simply known as “lifting”).
The excitement of the game simply took over. School teams eventually gave rise to commercial squads or those that already had post-college teams now had a bigger stage to play on. What also helped the growth were talented players who had personality and charm. And for sure, social media helped to connect fans everywhere.
Women’s basketball could follow the same route. The excitement has to be built and spread around so that an audience will watch.