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Mike Chan

Reigning champions Hong Kong Bulls have been left without a venue for China’s National Basketball League play-offs this month, after the governing body ruled Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai was not up to standard.
The Hong Kong outfit are one of eight teams in the Chinese second-tier league this season. They have confirmed receipt of a warning letter from the Chinese Basketball Association, stating there is insufficient space between the stands – the goalposts – and the walls.
The NBL’s standards are on par with the requirements of the sport’s world governing body, Fiba, whose Level 1 matches require a minimum of two metres of unobstructed space.
The post-season, which features four teams, will run between August 30 and September 25, with the final a best-of-seven series.
The Post understands that the Bulls are still actively looking for other venue options in the city to stage their play-off matches. Sources said that Hong Kong Coliseum was already found to be “off limits” and had to be booked a full year in advance.

“Kai Tak Arena could be available for some of the best-of-five semi-final series matches, but it is unlikely it could accommodate all three home matches,” the source said.
It was revealed earlier this year that the new arena, part of Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP), lacked the required size to stage NBA matches and major Fiba competitions. It would, however, be eligible to host NBL matches if available.
The Bulls have always played their home matches at the 2,000-seater Southorn Stadium since they joined the league in 2023. Sources with knowledge of the situation told the Post that the sport’s Chinese governing body had given the city’s team special concessions during their first two seasons.
However, renovations and the installation of a pair of new basketball stands at Southorn Stadium this summer reduced the space to just 90cm on either end, which stunned the league’s technical officials and visiting team Changsha Yongsheng at the June 28 season opener.
“The league had to go on, so the Bulls were allowed to continue playing their regular season home matches [in Wan Chai],” the source said. “Southorn did what they could by sourcing new stands.
“Stadium staff had since changed the protective pads [around the stand] to thinner ones to squeeze more room, but it wasn’t deemed enough.”
The Post has contacted Southorn Stadium for comment.
Last August, the Bulls played the first home match of their play-off semi-final against Changsha over the mainland China border, behind closed doors at the Shenzhen Gymnasium, because of a lack of available stadiums in Hong Kong, with Southorn already booked.
Senior team officials told the Post they had been working closely with the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and other parties including KTSP to find a solution.
“CSTB [and KTSP] have been helping us,” Bulls general manager Leo Sun Xinwei said. “We should be able to play the home matches of the play-off final [if we get there].”
The semi-final remained an issue, Sun said, adding: “We have been working very hard and always want to play our matches in Hong Kong.”
The Bulls are on a 13-match winning streak since losing to Shijiazhuang Xianglan on July 6 and, with only one loss in 16 matches so far this season, have secured a play-off spot and locked in the regular-season top spot.
League leaders with six more wins than closest rivals Changsha, the Bulls still have four regular season matches. A pair of home matches, against Hubei Wenlv and Guangxi Weizhuang on August 16 and 19 respectively, are sandwiched between an away trip to Guangxi this Saturday and the final match in Jiangsu on August 27.


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Sport

Basketball

China

Hong Kong

Bulls left without a viable arena as Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium is ruled not up to standard


Bulls left without a viable arena as Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium is ruled not up to standard.


Fiba (International Basketball Federation)

National Basketball League (China)

Leo Sun Xinwei

Hong Kong Bulls race against time to find venue for Chinese basketball play-offs

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Bulls left without a viable arena as Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium is ruled not up to standard

Bulls left without a viable arena as Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium is ruled not up to standard