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Mike Chan

A major restructuring of youth basketball in Hong Kong is expected to be announced this weekend, with the Jockey Club preparing to unveil a significant investment in the sport, sources have told the Post.
The game-changing development will reportedly be revealed on Saturday, and follows the decision by city lawmakers on Thursday to legalise betting on the game.
According to a previous estimate by the club, authorised basketball betting could generate HK$1.5 billion in tax revenue annually, though a source told the Post it may take three to four years to reach that level.
The plans, which one source called a “serious commitment to the development of basketball”, would be aimed at children and young people across Hong Kong, with a pathway to the elite levels of the sport included in what is expected to be a community-focused project.

Led and funded by the club’s Charities Trust, the Post has been told that three non-government organisations – the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG), the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, and InspiringHK Sports Foundation – have been approached to be part of the programme.
Each of the organisations would have different mandates in the long-term programme, with InspiringHK focusing on the development of 3x3 basketball at primary school level.
The East Asia Super League (EASL), a regional competition involving professional teams from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Mongolia, Macau and Hong Kong, has also signed up, sources said.
EASL and HKFYG are expected to work together on grass-roots basketball programmes targeting underprivileged families. There would also be opportunities for elite training for young players with potential.
Renovating the city’s courts, both at public and professional levels, and increasing the number of indoor courts in Hong Kong available to the public could also be among the club’s plans, the Post has learned.
“It’s going to be very positive support for basketball development in the city,” said a source with close ties to the game locally.
“And I think it’s going to open up a lot of opportunities for the youth to use basketball from both an academic and a career perspective.”
The club’s programme “is going to be huge, huge for basketball in Hong Kong and for the Greater Bay Area”, a source told the Post.
“With the Jockey Club’s support and commitment, I think it’s going to be very good for development and youth, and you’re going to see a lot of pathways, and open up stuff that never existed.”
The Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China is expected to be involved in some capacity in the planned restructuring.
A multi-person working group, headed by basketball association chairman Norman Chan Shui-tim, has been established to liaise with the Jockey Club.
Sources with knowledge of the plans told the Post any funding could be similarly to that provided by the club to the Football Association of Hong Kong, China, which is aimed at promoting the popularisation of the game at grass-roots level.
Pilot programmes could be carried out in several districts before expanding to all, with inter-district competitions and overseas training opportunities potentially following.
“The goal is to increase the number of basketball players, identify potential players at the grass-roots level, especially from ethnic minorities, and popularise basketball,” a source said.


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Sport

Basketball

Hong Kong

Jockey Club poised to announce significant investment to develop the sport’s grass roots, sources say


Jockey Club poised to announce significant investment to develop the sport’s grass roots, sources say.


Hong Kong Jockey Club

East Asia Super League

Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Jockey Club poised to announce significant investment to develop the sport’s grass roots, sources say

Jockey Club poised to announce significant investment to develop the sport’s grass roots, sources say