2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup: Too many teams?
Welcome to the first edition of The International Basketball Opinion (TIBO), the world’s newest and only blog specifically dedicated to international basketball current events and news. In the recently concluded 2019 men’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, for the first time in the 69-year history of the competition a total of 32 teams from FIBA’s five regions competed for the Naismith Trophy. The Marc Gasol-lead Spanish squad reigned supreme in China, beating out tournament surprise and fan-favorite Argentina to secure their second FIBA championship. Question: Is 32 teams the right amount for the FIBA WC, or is it too many? FIBA has a global membership of 213 national federations. Doing some simple math tells us that just 15% of its total membership qualifies for the World Cup, or three out of every 20 teams. That percentage is on par with other similar international competitions, but low compared to top professional championships in various sports. Let’s compare: FIFA