Do all strong teams in the world will play in WC?

[Arik]

There're many basketball fans in my country, but I'm afraid the WC will not interest them, like the Russians or other bball lovers from countries that weren't good enough to earn tickets to Japan.
No doubt, the best teams in Europe won the tickets to WC, but does it mean all other WC participants are better than Russia, Israel or some other good teams from european groups? For example, we saw some days ago Senegal in preparation tournament in Lithuania and it was the worst team in the tournament. Liths are no doubt very strong team, but also Israel and Russia have played much better than WC participant. Of course, I want to see Senegal and other teams from all over the world in WC, but why not to expand the tournament and to let some more 3-4 interesting teams from european groups to be part of it?

[rikhardur]

I believe that whether teams deserve to be there or they don't.
I like Russia very much and they have always been a good team, but they didn't make it to the WC... Those who were clearly better (even if not in a continuous way) are there and deserve it, that's all.
It makes all the sense to me, otherwise the whole thing would be preverted so to speak.

[Phantim3dx]

i can see your point arik but it wouldn't make it "fair". i personally go against the idea of having more teams from europe and expanding more in other nations if the goal is to globalize the game. same goes with football/soccer i think too many teams come from europe although i understand the bettre teams are there. i personally wanted to see canada in the wc. and an expansion in asia(east asia/southeast asia) ovcer another team in europe

[KokkinosVasilias]

but why not to expand the tournament and to let some more 3-4 interesting teams from european groups to be part of it?

more expansion?!?!

untill now there were 16 teams participating,
this year its gonna be for the first a 24 teams tournament...
FIBA can not make an expansion in every tournament!!

24 teams are more than enough...

if it was still 16 teams, and most of the asian and african teams didnt play would mind that Russia didnt also play?

they added more teams to make the competition accesable to more countries outside europe...

[Phantim3dx]

someday i hope for it to go to 32, but this should be the cap. with a more expansion to asia and americas(north and south), a couple of teams from europe and africa as well.

[re5pectas]

<...>I like Russia very much and they have always been a good team, but they didn't make it to the WC...

If Russia would made it, Lithuania wouldn't... they were plaing for that, after loosing quarterfinals.
As one of my friends said, "groups in the Europe soccer and/or basketball championships are always harder than in the World championship".
Imho, some teams seems to be really week, it's good for bbl globalisation overall

[jaja]

i can see your point arik but it wouldn't make it "fair". i personally go against the idea of having more teams from europe and expanding more in other nations if the goal is to globalize the game. same goes with football/soccer i think too many teams come from europe although i understand the bettre teams are there. i personally wanted to see canada in the wc. and an expansion in asia(east asia/southeast asia) ovcer another team in europe

fiba is trying to make internatonal basketball like fifa where they bring all the teams from europe to increase thier chances or winning. they dont need any more encouragement. as it stands i agree we need more teams from asia and african anyway.

[-K2-]

why would I pay to see Argentina roll over Lebanon when I can see Argentina play Russia, Croatia or Virgin Islands, which are better teams than Lebanon anyway?

[Levenspiel]

why would I pay to see Argentina roll over Lebanon when I can see Argentina play Russia, Croatia or Virgin Islands, which are better teams than Lebanon anyway?

Because, it's the "world" cup, not the "best teams in the world" tournament. Besides, after the first stage, you have your very good 16 teams.

Of course, I want to see Senegal and other teams from all over the world in WC, but why not to expand the tournament and to let some more 3-4 interesting teams from european groups to be part of it?

I can see your point, but even the 16th team from Europe might be better than some WC participants, so there's no end of it. It's inevitable that some better teams could not participitate.

if 16 European, 5 American, 2 Oceania, 1 Asian teams were there, could you call the event a world championship?

[-K2-]

Because, it's the "world" cup, not the "best teams in the world" tournament. Besides, after the first stage, you have your very good 16 teams.


I can see your point, but even the 16th team from Europe might be better than some WC participants, so there's no end of it. It's inevitable that some better teams could not participitate.

if 16 European, 5 American, 2 Oceania, 1 Asian teams were there, could you call the event a world championship?

then bring all em nations and play one freaking tournamen of over 100+ to please everybody

[Pija_Olimp]

then bring all em nations and play one freaking tournamen of over 100+ to please everybody

Playing each against each home and away and we'll get the best in about ... a decade?

[QuizCro]

Because, it's the "world" cup, not the "best teams in the world" tournament. Besides, after the first stage, you have your very good 16 teams.


I can see your point, but even the 16th team from Europe might be better than some WC participants, so there's no end of it. It's inevitable that some better teams could not participitate.

if 16 European, 5 American, 2 Oceania, 1 Asian teams were there, could you call the event a world championship?

Well, World Cup should be - best teams of the world and it is possible to make that sort of competition. If FIBA would only allow qualifications between european nations against african, south american and etc that didn't manage to qualify through the EC and similar competitions.

[wardjdim]

12 teams from Europe, 6 from Americal, 2 from Asia, 2 from Africa and 2 from Oceania makes more sense, but since FIBA wants to expend the product, theres nothing that we can do right now.

[jaja]

that doesnt make sense. it would make sense if all the teams in the world played eah other but for some guys at fiba is simply pick 12 european teams to play the game is lopsided.

[kestas]

Well, World Cup should be - best teams of the world and it is possible to make that sort of competition.

keep in mind that World Cup IS the tournament for the best teams in the World. if the team did not make it to the top 6 in Europe just a year ago, what on earth makes you believe it's got a shot at being the best in the World? if to many European teams will be allowed, the tournament may collapse. USA are already looking at it through fingers, everyone wants Europe to have a new quallification tournament (that could ruin the European basketball and also international basketbal afterwards), but you advertise even larger controversy. no need for that, especially after the latest inflation of the tournament. the only thing that should be reviewed for the next tournement, imho, is the wild card system. maybe there are to many of these, maybe one wild card would be enough (in case the US flops in the Americas tournament )

[Levenspiel]

Well, World Cup should be - best teams of the world and it is possible to make that sort of competition. If FIBA would only allow qualifications between european nations against african, south american and etc that didn't manage to qualify through the EC and similar competitions.

But, it's not about competition only, at least in my perspective. Inviting representatives of countries from all parts of the world serves some important purposes, and brings some meaning to it. Their number is proportional to their bball level, so no need to worry about a 100 teams, 32 is just fine.

Of course, it's not very exciting when you play against one of those weak opponents, but you will do it only once or twice throughout the entire tournament! After the first stage, a considerable number (16) of stronger teams will continue, which should be enough to satisfy your expectations. Remember, there were only 16 wc participants on the whole before.

When you list strongest teams in the world and then take the first 24, some really weird combinations may occur (possibly an Euro-American cup).

Playoff system that FIFA is using can be applied, but some of those "unwanted" teams will still be there (assuming you cannot force all of them to pass through a pre-elimination round), and some "better" teams will again stay aside. Then they'll begin to say, hey we deserve more to be there! Inevitable.

Cheers!

[Saskibaloia]

why would I pay to see Argentina roll over Lebanon when I can see Argentina play Russia, Croatia or Virgin Islands, which are better teams than Lebanon anyway?

Hey no one is going to roll over Lebanon like last time. This time it's going to be different and Lebanon rightly deserves its place in the World Championship. Their team is loaded besides Fadi El Khatib there's also big man Joe Vogel.

[kecal]

the only thing that should be reviewed for the next tournement, imho, is the wild card system. maybe there are to many of these, maybe one wild card would be enough (in case the US flops in the Americas tournament )

I think there should be no wildcards at all. If somebody fails badly (even if it is Lithuania or USA ), let it be. Wildcards - disgrace to sport, from my point of view.

I was happy Russia didn't get one, because it looked like they they were expecting it while playing in the European championship already. You should fight for the card, and not wait for it doing nothing.

[kestas]

I think there should be no wildcards at all. If somebody fails badly (even if it is Lithuania or USA ), let it be. Wildcards - disgrace to sport, from my point of view.

wildcards is the sign that we accept there can be special circumstances in sports. Tennis has wildcards for years. when wildcard ageing Ivanicevic (at least I think he was a wildcard) won Wimbledon it was enormous - I will always remember this tournament as the greatest tennis tournament ever however, 4 wildcards in basketball may be to much indeed. it would probably be better to have none than four, but it's a tough question to discuss..

[Civilis]

Imho, the wild-card thing is always controversial. If properly used, it can increase the basket popularity in certain cases. But it opens room for corruption and favouritism, which is bad. So at this point in time, imo it is enough for the popularity of Bball to increase the number of teams in WC, but to give no wild-cards. However, if there are 24 places overall, Europe should have at least 8 of them.