Hong Kong basketball chiefs announce U-turn after backlash about staging women’s final at venue without fans
- Association had said hosting next week’s women’s final at Queen Elizabeth Stadium, as first planned, was ‘a waste of resources’
- But criticism leads to change of heart, with Southorn Stadium now set to stage the match in a slot vacated by the Hong Kong Bulls
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The Hong Kong Basketball Association has backtracked on its plan to move the women’s Senior Shield final to a more modest venue and will now use Southorn Stadium, having claimed previously that booking a proper arena was “a waste of resources”.
News of the plan to relocate the deciding match between Fukien and Well Born from Queen Elizabeth Stadium to Island East Sports Centre – which has no room for spectators – had caused a backlash from the basketball community and the media.
Sources confirmed to the Post that the Hong Kong Bulls, who had originally been scheduled to use Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium next Wednesday, had agreed to let the association use the arena for the women’s game. The arena became available after the Bulls’ first-round elimination from the playoffs of China’s National Basketball League.
The association has since announced the decision on its website.
Wong Ka-lok, chief officer of the Hong Kong Basketball Association’s (HKBA’s) competition group, was quoted as saying a potentially low attendance meant it was “a waste of resources” to host the women’s final at Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
The Post established that the venue would normally cost an organisation a hire fee of HK$13,900 or 20 per cent of ticket sales, whichever is higher. The Island East venue would cost HK$444 for three hours.
Sources revealed, however, that all arena rental costs are subsidised by the government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and the HKBA was paying nothing out of its own pocket.
When asked to elaborate on the decision to use Island East, Wong said he could not.
“It had always been difficult for us to find a venue,” he added. “We knew some of the arenas are not suitable to host a game, but we just want to play the final before the players set off for the Asian Games.”
A coach at a local team, who wished to remain anonymous, accused the association of not paying enough attention to the women’s game.
“Earlier rounds [of the Senior Shield] always had the entire 200 seats filled at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre, so there was demand,” they said.
“The Island East Sports Centre is not suitable for any game, let alone a final. The association should be thinking about how to encourage attendances, instead of opting to avoid a potential issue.
“Every athlete deserves respect – why didn’t the association try [Southorn Stadium] before settling on the earlier decision?”
The association’s chairman acknowledged it was “reasonable” that players wanted to play the final at a grander arena.
“Personally, it makes total sense, but I can’t answer regarding the decision,” Norman Chan Sui-tim said. “The competition group operates independently of the association, so it was their call.
“It’s not good if we interfere too much, but I do not understand why they chose not to use Queen Elizabeth Stadium.”
