By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
One year before the FIBA World Cup in China the festivities started with the first-ever FIBA World Summit, in which top executives and shareholder of the sport from all over the globe present their ideas and aspirations for basketball.
According to the FIBA press release:
Day 1 of the inaugural FIBA World Basketball Summit in Xi’an, China, is in the books and witnessed some inspiring speeches as well as passionate panel discussions.
Here are some of the highlights:
Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC), opened the proceedings by presenting the key factors which lead to success for national federations. He also stressed the importance for all of basketball’s stakeholders to work together, as members of one same team, in order to achieve FIBA’s main mission of growing the game.
Craig Zanon, Global Head of Basketball at Nike, confirmed the sport’s power in everyday life and is convinced its energy is at its highest.
Cao Weidong, Chairman of Beijing Sport University, explained the numerous ways in which China offers tremendous opportunities for foreign collaboration and to make the most of the ever-growing Chinese domestic market.
Burton Shipley, FIBA Oceania President and FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Coordination Commission Chairman, outlined how and why the upcoming edition of FIBA’s flagship competition is the first of its kind and, with less than a year to the start of China 2019, presented the exciting promotional activities until the action tips off.
In a conversation, Mark Tatum, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, highlighted the role of basketball’s biggest league in the global growth of the sport.
In the day’s closing conversation, Casey Wasserman, Chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, expressed his conviction that the second biggest city in the USA, as a real basketball hub, will provide the best possible platform for the sport in 2028 and highlighted the fantastic opportunities for 3×3, FIBA’s urban discipline which will make its debut as part of the Olympic basketball program at the Tokyo 2020 Games. He also indicated that, if anyone were to bet on any sport today, it would have to be basketball as it is the one best placed to benefit from all of the current global trends.
A Federations Panel with the Presidents of the national basketball governing bodies of Russia (Andrei Kirilenko), Philippines (Alfredo Panlilio) and Finland (Antti Zitting) confirmed that these very authorities are the ones which serve as the sport’s driving force and underlined the need for an action plan which they can implement. Mr Kirilenko shared that kids between the ages of 8 and 12 constitute a key category to attract and for people to get hooked to basketball. Mr Panlilio indicated how 3×3 and the women’s game are the future focus for the Philippines Basketball Assocication (PBA).
A Brands Panel with high-ranking officials Mark Gao (President of CAA Sports China & Founder and CEO of Momentum Sports), Chen Mengjia (Vice-President of FIBA Partner Ganten) and Kiyo Tamiaki (CEO of FIBA Partner Molten) discussed the huge power and influence that sport holds and plays in the field.
A China Panel with Wang Xuan (General Director of Basketball Administration Center under the Chinese Sports Ministry), Wang Yi (Party Secretary of Shandong Sports University and President of the National Basketball College) and Gong Luming (Vice-President of the Chinese Basketball Association and Chairman of Anhui Wenyi Basketball Club) underlined the significant value that international experiences bring to the country.
A Leagues & Clubs Panel with Zhu Fangyu (CEO of Guangdong Winnerway Basketball Club) and Tomas Van Den Spiegel (President of the Union of European Leagues of Basketball) discussed the co-existence and fine balance to be achieved between club competitions and national team competitions.
Photo credit: FIBA