By Nick Butler at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo

The FIBA World Cup, won by the United States last month, has been hailed as a huge success ©AFP/Getty ImagesLast month's International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Men's World Cup was a major boost for the sport, and the result of a detailed effort to maximise its appeal, director general of FIBA Media and Marketing Services Frank Leenders has claimed.


The quadrennial event was won by a star-studded United States team, who defeated Serbia 129-92 in the final, after hosts Spain were eliminated at the quarter-final stage.

In total, more than 650,000 tickets were sold for the 15-day event, with an average of more than 80 per cent of seats filled across all 76 games.

Speaking during the Sportel World Sport Content Media Convention here, Leenders told insidethegames they are "very happy" with the event, and that the strong support for games involving teams other than the likes of the US and Spain was "an enormous success".

"Widening the axis of time and the axis of geography," was described as the key strategy they had utilised, along with a name change from "World Championships" to "World Cup" and a range of other marketing measures they had not attempted before.

"The objective of this World Cup was based on two levels that were different from the past," said Leenders.

"That it was not just a 15-day event of Spain, but a 500-day event with a global reach.

"We started in early 2012 and from then onwards we had an international promotional programme.

"This included logical events such as the draw which started the ticket sales, as well as mascots, business workshops and a physical roadshow in the capitals of participating European countries, involving the trophy and other activities.

"We also had a trophy tour in the rest of the world, in places like Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, China and South Africa, with ambassadors helping to stimulate the appeal of the World Cup in those countries."

The FIBA World Cup Trophy Tour, seen here during a visit to Manila in the Philippines, was cited as as a key way to raise the profile of the event ©FIBAThe FIBA World Cup Trophy Tour, seen here during a visit to Manila in the Philippines, was cited as as a key way to raise the profile of the event ©FIBA





Leenders also praised the successful sponsorship and television broadcasting for the World Cup, particularly the fact that, even in the context of the economic problems still affecting Spain and other European basketball powers, all sponsors were in place a year beforehand.

They are now aiming to raise the profile further ahead of the next edition, which will be held in five years' time in 2019 so as to avoid a clash of years with the corresponding FIFA World Cup in football.  

But on a more general level, the official also praised the many other successful basketball events held in recent months, including the Asian Games and Women's World Championships in Turkey, where the US beat Spain in the final, claiming that all events that involve basketball are "important to growing the sport".

He also echoed the recent comments of FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann that 3x3 basketball is the sport's future, because it is attracting a whole new group of potential players, and new markets beyond the traditional basketball powers. 

But, when asked about the fiercely criticised FIBA stance on the wearing of headgear during matches, following the situation at the Asian Games involving the Qatari women's team withdrawing after being denied permission to play wearing hijabs, Leenders was less definite. 

"This was discussed at our latest Central Board meeting but, honestly speaking, this is a very political topic that is not really my domain," he told insidethegames. 

"I would say it is unfortunate because such a topic takes the attention away from the sport."

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