Guardian article

[topcata]

amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/12/the-missed-opportunities-and-unfulfilled-potential-of-british-basketball

Thoughts?
Nothing new here at all.
Often seems we moan about the same things.

Surprised though that 67 current Brits playing College level ball.

Thought the Newham claims were a bit far fetched though claiming basketball was a contributor to reduction in knife crime- guess it can’t be proven either way though so worth hanging their hat on

[Solly]

Apr 12, 2022 14:02:56 GMT topcata said:

amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/12/the-missed-opportunities-and-unfulfilled-potential-of-british-basketball

Thoughts?
Nothing new here at all.
Often seems we moan about the same things.

Surprised though that 67 current Brits playing College level ball.

Thought the Newham claims were a bit far fetched though claiming basketball was a contributor to reduction in knife crime- guess it can’t be proven either way though so worth hanging their hat on

As you say, not a lot new here for people like myself who have lived through those periods of time, and before.

Difficult for sports other than the big three of Soccer, Cricket and Rugby Yawnion to get presence.

So many missed opportunities that were not capitalized on e.g. 2012 Olympics.

There are pockets of great interest across the country, with the biggest being Plymouth, Newcastle, Birmingham and Worcester. Those pockets need to be linked together though and the in-between areas infilled.

[milehigh]

The same old left wing areguments that have been pubished many many times before.

What is the basketball community, and the governing bodies doing to 1 attract outside funding? 2 make the sport an effective choice for companies marketing budgets?

Until the sport, from governing body down to every single participant works to make the sport, and the product it offers, better there is zero chance of atteacting significant outside investment.

Attacking other sports, that are succeeding, is not the way to attract public and comercial support, Basketball in the UK has to show itself as an attractive and viable product before funds will be made available.

[hayesboy]

I think that basketball and the governing bodies do need to do better.
However when the prime focus of getting access to the funding is as it is I also think that will be hard.
Not a Guardian reader myself but I think the point of that article is to point out that there is a good case for basketball to be achieve a better standing in the UK sporting hierarchy.
I don't read it as attacks so much on the others sports (maybe the odd snipe). Personally I think you have to congratulate them for a job well done accessing the funding and making the best of it.

Bottom line though is that if BE could get its act together then would they be able to get the funding anyway? There is little to no chance of the UK becoming a genuine medal hope anytime soon.

Equally when it comes to attracting private funding that money also tends to be largely where the big viewing figures are....not so much the participation. So very chicken and egg I guess. The corporate social culture of rugby and cricket really lend themselves to being in a great place to attract that money.

So much could and should be improved but many of us have been around to witness so many false dawns its hard to be optimistic