Which is more highly regarded, WBC or Olympics?

[saalsapr]

For the players, especially the ones that play in the United States, the Olympics are more important.

When the Olympic starts, basketball is the most awaited team sport, and the biggest stars of all countries participate. You almost hear nothing about soccer or baseball, etc, but everyone goes cucco when Yao Ming takes on the USA, even if the end result is a blowout.

The main problem for this is the huge gap between 1st place and 24th place

Its like an expected blowout everytime.

In the Olympics, only 12 teams compete, and because its usually the 11 best in the world, with the 12th team usually being the crappy host, the games are closer and more enjoyable to watch.

[sinobball]

In the Olympics, only 12 teams compete, and because its usually the 11 best in the world, with the 12th team usually being the crappy host, the games are closer and more enjoyable to watch.

I can't remember the host ever finishing 12th, maybe you are predicting 2012?

[Alyosha12]

As a fan i look more forward to the WC because its a competition with more top teams, and there are more great games to watch.

IMO the fact that these two competitions are virtually the same except that the OG feature less great teams takes a lot of emphasis from one another. OG are less important and WC is less important. No competition gains anything from the other one existing.

IMO there should only be one, and that one should be the WC because its strictly a basketball competition and the OG are a a multisport competition. Basketball should be U23 or something like soccer at the OG.

[Franz]

I think this only illustrates that attendance for WBC is a lot poorer -- the Spanish fans couldn't get Finals ticket in Beijing because they were sold out quickly. Such is not the case for WBC finals.


World Championship (2002)


Olympics Women (2008)

No, this only illustrates that attendance (awareness) for the WC has been improving. The 2002 WC was held in Indianapolis, where basketball is pretty popular. But the attendance was atrocious, not only for the final but the whole tournament. In 2006, the WC was held in Japan where in spite of basketball's unpopularity, attendance was surprisingly better.

Such is not the case for WBC finals.

If this is the case, then why such a huge turnout in 2006 final? If people could careless about WC, then why did so many Spanish fans come to Japan? Greek? Japanese who have baseball to watch?

I think you're afraid to admit that WC may actually have significance to the world (not more or less than the Olympics).

Certainly this may not be scientific, but you get the idea.

The only idea I get is that the WC is considered by many Olympic enthusiasts as a second tier tournament. It seems you're one of those people.

[Alvertis4]

Players "skip" the WC because of the NBA really.

Americans don't care about anything else other than the Olympics, so they do not allow their players to go to this one.

Dirk Nowitzki?
Tony Parker?
Manu Ginobili?
Andrei Kirilenko?

As a result, players like Kaman don't attend as they don't want to be "tortured". Germany without Nowitzki, Kaman or not, sucks. So Cuban ruined Germany's chances of a decent run in the tournament, Germans won't care much.

France could have been a contender if they had their stars. Half of them were not allowed to come, the rest decided not to go as it won't be the same. Am I saying something wrong here?

Look at the USA. Bron, Melo, Wade, Kobe, Howard all decided not to go. Chris Paul and DWill were supposed to go, same with Amare. First two didn't want to go as the rest of the crew didn't join, and Amare changed his mind or was forced by the Knicks who invested $100m on him not to go.

It's not the players' choice not to attend, it's their NBA teams that force them not to go.

[sinobball]

I think you're afraid to admit that WC may actually have significance to the world (not more or less than the Olympics).

The only idea I get is that the WC is considered by many Olympic enthusiasts as a second tier tournament. It seems you're one of those people.

You are completely wrong about me; I consider WBC the same as Olympics basketball. Calling me an Olympic enthusiast is a joke, many people on this forum know I don't give a damn about other sports. What I'm merely stating is the attendance of WBC is abysmal compared to the Olympics, a point you even admitted. I don't know why you are offended over this. The fact that the WBC'06 final is crowded with Greek/Spanish fans and not Japanese fans doesn't speak highly of the event's influence, I don't know if you can see that.

[saalsapr]

I can't remember the host ever finishing 12th, maybe you are predicting 2012?

Nope, but the host, even playing at home, has medaled only 4 times in history.

Three of those where the US, and one was the Soviet Union.

[honeybadger]

Americans do not wish to send their stars to the World Cup because they are tired of the 82+ games they play each year.
Also, because they are scared that those same stars will lose to a bunch of pissed off Serbs.
Jokes aside, Olympics are 10x more important than the World Cup, because it is the only time we see NBA stars in action against the rest of the world. I really wish they could all come to Turkey this year, or the next WC, but we all know it will never happen. :7
One thing I do not understand, how come soccer players at the Olympics are all U21?

[JGX]

What I'm merely stating is the attendance of WBC is abysmal compared to the Olympics, a point you even admitted.

I posted this in another thread, but these articles sum it up nicely:

1998: "FIBA: Low Attendance hurting sport's image"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19569087.html

2002: "Poor Attendance at World Games"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-67148690.html

2006: "Not so big in Japan: World championship fails to draw fans"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-127961320.html

Canada '94 was probably the most successful WC...they benefitted from big local contingents of Greece and Croatia fans along with the hosts and US being big draws...even so there were lots of empty seats.

It sounds like Turkey will do pretty well though. What are ticket prices like?

[donmar]

Americans do not wish to send their stars to the World Cup because they are tired of the 82+ games they play each year.
Also, because they are scared that those same stars will lose to a bunch of pissed off Serbs.
Jokes aside, Olympics are 10x more important than the World Cup, because it is the only time we see NBA stars in action against the rest of the world. I really wish they could all come to Turkey this year, or the next WC, but we all know it will never happen. :7
One thing I do not understand, how come soccer players at the Olympics are all U21?

Somehow FIFA did pretty well in making the Olympics insignificant while making sure the big prize is the World Cup...

Concerning basketball, it goes back to history... if we look at history, Americans set the tone since the game was born in their soil.. anyway, back then, US always sent their best teams in the Olympic Games while disregarding (despite sending a delegation) the World Championships.. if we look at US Olympic and WC record, its basically, all Olympics even to these days..

Personally, I tried my best to treat both competition as equal significance... if FIBA wants to do what FIFA did.. they can always make the Olympic competition for U21 instead for seniors but that would just ruin Olympic basketball records and history in my opinion... and less competitions for the best teams in the world (which is a big NO for me)..

[Khalid80]

I posted this in another thread, but these articles sum it up nicely:

1998: "FIBA: Low Attendance hurting sport's image"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19569087.html

2002: "Poor Attendance at World Games"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-67148690.html

2006: "Not so big in Japan: World championship fails to draw fans"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-127961320.html

Canada '94 was probably the most successful WC...they benefitted from big local contingents of Greece and Croatia fans along with the hosts and US being big draws...even so there were lots of empty seats.

It sounds like Turkey will do pretty well though. What are ticket prices like?

I bought Zone 1 tickets for the first round in Izmir as well as Zone 3 tickets for the second round and zone 4 tickets for the quarterfinals (best tickets I could get as all else is sold out).

The prices are as follows:

Preliminary Round:
Zone 1 = 45 Euros
Zone 2 = 35 Euros
Zone 3 = 25 Euros
Zone 4 = 20 Euros
Zone 5 = 10 Euros

Second Round (Zones 1 and 2 sold out):
Zone 1 = 60 Euros
Zone 2 = 45 Euros
Zone 3 = 35 Euros
Zone 4 = 25 Euros
Zone 5 = 12 Euros

Quarterfinals (September 8 games only Zone 5 tickets left, September 9 sold out):
Zone 1 = 75 Euros
Zone 2 = 55 Euros
Zone 3 = 40 Euros
Zone 4 = 30 Euros
Zone 5 = 15 Euros

Semifinals (sold out):
Zone 1 = 100 Euros
Zone 2 = 70 Euros
Zone 3 = 50 Euros
Zone 4 = 35 Euros
Zone 5 = 25 Euros

Final (sold out):
Zone 1 = 130 Euros
Zone 2 = 90 Euros
Zone 3 = 65 Euros
Zone 4 = 45 Euros
Zone 5 = 30 Euros

[Hepcat]

The Olympics by far. It isn't even close, particularly in North America where the World championships are just a sidelight on the sports pages.

[Federoy]

Players "skip" the WC because of the NBA really.

Americans don't care about anything else other than the Olympics, so they do not allow their players to go to this one.

Yes, Americans generally do value the Olympics over the WC for a variety of reasons:

1) The Olympic competition is an older, more established tournament.

2) The Olympic tournament is arguably better because it condenses the world's best NTs down to 12, unlike the watered down WC, where you have huge disparities in talent and skill from 1st-24th. The Olympics are more of a grindfest because every team encountered is capable of winning.

3) Although the Olympics is a multi-sport competition, basketball, along with athletes and swimming, is a premier event and commands a lot of attention from viewers and advertisers. So from FIBA's perspective, it's better to have the lead role in a mega multi-sporting event like the Olympics where BILLIONS are watching versus being just another summer co-star after the World Cup ends.

4) The US hasn't always sent its best players, so up until recently, there hasn't been a seriousness placed on the WC as a legitimate compliment to the Olympic tournament. We once had an Air Force recreation team represent us at the WC. Now is that legit or what?

As a result, players like Kaman don't attend as they don't want to be "tortured". Germany without Nowitzki, Kaman or not, sucks. So Cuban ruined Germany's chances of a decent run in the tournament, Germans won't care much.

Cuban doesn't like any of his "investments", German, American or otherwise, to participate in any non-NBA sanctioned event, but that didn't stop Jason Kidd from playing in 2008 or Nowitzki from playing on past German teams. This subject has been brought up before, and the fact is, unless players are injuried or have a history of injuries (thereby increasing the insurance that some teams aren't willing to pay on big contracts...i.e. Amare's removal from USA's NT camp because of the Knicks unwillingness to pay), NBA owners are bound by agreement with FIBA to release their players for NT duties. Sure, owners like Cuban can "persuade" their players from participating, but they can't outright legally stop them unless a prevision is built into their contracts.

[Federoy]

Somehow FIFA did pretty well in making the Olympics insignificant while making sure the big prize is the World Cup...

Concerning basketball, it goes back to history... if we look at history, Americans set the tone since the game was born in their soil.. anyway, back then, US always sent their best teams in the Olympic Games while disregarding (despite sending a delegation) the World Championships.. if we look at US Olympic and WC record, its basically, all Olympics even to these days..

Personally, I tried my best to treat both competition as equal significance... if FIBA wants to do what FIFA did.. they can always make the Olympic competition for U21 instead for seniors but that would just ruin Olympic basketball records and history in my opinion... and less competitions for the best teams in the world (which is a big NO for me)..

I think just as importantly, FIBA needs to hold the WC a year before or after the World Cup. The World Cup takes so much attention away from other sports, so I never understood why FIBA hasn't considered moving the championship to an odd year so most of the attention and promotion can be given to basketball. I would prefer that the Olympics be reduced to an U-21 tournament while the WC become the senior championship. Under the current structure, I don't see that happending anytime soon.

[JGX]

2) The Olympic tournament is arguably better because it condenses the world's best NTs down to 12, unlike the watered down WC, where you have huge disparities in talent and skill from 1st-24th.

Right, for the elite teams the elite tournament is more important.

4) The US hasn't always sent its best players, so up until recently, there hasn't been a seriousness placed on the WC as a legitimate compliment to the Olympic tournament. We once had an Air Force recreation team represent us at the WC. Now is that legit or what?

I wonder about the early history of the WC. The first five were all held in South America, during the Southern Hemisphere's summer and during the normal basketball season which of course made it difficult to send a real team. What's the story with that?

Amare's removal from USA's NT camp because of the Knicks unwillingness to pay)

I thought the problem was that his current insurance didn't cover his bad knee and they were having trouble getting a new policy.

I would prefer that the Olympics be reduced to an U-21 tournament while the WC become the senior championship. Under the current structure, I don't see that happending anytime soon.

I can't imagine that happening either, for two reasons:

1. The IOC wouldn't allow it. Soccer gets away with it because it can still fill big stadiums and lets the organizers spread games around the country a bit, but even so, they have to allow some overage players at the insistence of IOC. No chance any other sport could hold a junior competition at the Olympics.

2. FIBA would be stupid to eliminate their highest-profile event.