Abstract
The research objective was to identify and compare the key characteristics of the organizational basketball systems in Spain and China. The data was collected through surveys and a detailed literature analysis on the chosen topic. The study revealed that the systems have both common and distinctive features.
It was found that the national teams of China and Spain have leading positions in the regions and receive the necessary funding and governmental support. Analysis of the results suggests that Spanish basketball is slightly ahead of China in the level of organization of the training process and professional competence of coaches. To achieve better results and move the sports game to a new level, both countries need to adjust their strategy and make changes in the structure of the organizational environment of basketball.
Introduction
Sports are inserted into all levels of modern society and have a broad impact on the main spheres of civilization. They affect national relations, business life, social status, and ethical values. Every year, there are more and more diverse games, but at the same time, the traditional ones continue to occupy the leading positions. Among team sports, basketball can be singled out as one of the most widespread and meaningful activities in the modern world.
Globalization has brought about significant changes in training and playing; more and more national elements continue to influence the global basketball culture, thereby creating standardized systems. However, at the same time, despite this bias, notable differences in organizational basketball systems still exist. Each country has distinctive features that endow basketball with unique characteristics inherent within national venues.
It can be demonstrated by comparing two organizational systems: the Chinese and the Spanish. These two countries have key points from which striking differences can be seen. It may seem impracticable at first glance, but completely contrasting styles within the same game exist. Each has its weaknesses and strengths, and understanding them will help determine the winners and losers in tomorrow’s basketball. This article has weighty theoretical and practical implications as it brings together diametrically different practices, demonstrating approaches to a unified process in distinct parts of the world.
Material and Methods
The main purpose is to present and compare the modern basketball system in China and Spain. The techniques applied in the study were interviews, questionnaires, and secondary data analysis (Potter, 2018). At the same time, 20 men, ten each from the Chinese and Spanish basketball federations, were selected for the interviews. The sampling was based on the following items: work experience (3 years) and providing detailed answers to all the questions posed. The interviews were conducted on Skype and Zoom platforms, and a meeting recording was recorded (other programs were also allowed). It should be remarked that video conferences were held at a convenient time for the participants, which helped to ensure quality and sufficient answers to the questions.
Responses were thematically grouped according to the research questions posed in the analysis. Multidisciplinary expertise and comparative data analysis were also used. A pilot interview was conducted to verify the validity of the interview method. It showed the relevance of the interview questions to the current study. Data analysis was carried out according to categories such as the main problems and challenges, strengths, development of basketball federations, funding of basketball federations organization, promotion, management; the influence of the president of the Basketball Federation on the development of this sport, the popularization of basketball development interest of the audience. The method of validating the questions is to correlate them with secondary data analysis.
The secondary data analysis is based on a review of studies already conducted. Therefore, only reputable scientific sources published in the last ten years were chosen to ensure the validity and applicability of the study results (Snyder, 2019). Google Scholar, official websites of Chinese and Spanish basketball federations, and interviews with basketball experts were used to find sources. Data analysis was conducted on issues such as the organizational structure and training of basketball youth in Spain and China and factors affecting basketball players’ professional growth and performance. The method correlates and tests the previous technique.
A detailed analysis of the scientific literature has shown a clear gap in the research. There are almost no sources comparing these countries from the point of view of the organizational system, efficiency, and training of young people. Thus, a scientific gap in this area requires additional attention. In addition, the study explained that most of the existing analysis is highly theoretical and, to some extent, relatively far from practice and reality.
Results
The results of surveys on the general development of basketball in Spain showed that progress is high. At the same time, survey participant number two said that the increase is relative. He attributed this to the fact that Spain is more successful in basketball than other African countries.
Additionally, all participants indicated that despite the achievements, the basketball industry in Spain has unsettled aspects. It should be noted that interviewee number one believes that the problematic aspects have to do with the lack of attention to basketball. Respondent number two, on the contrary, thinks basketball is growing faster than soccer today. Most people noted that the main problem for basketball is the COVID-19 epidemic.
When asked about advantages, all respondents agreed that Spain has many strengths in basketball. Respondent number three expressed the significant opinion that the Federation has a transparent structure and functioning, free from corruption and hidden influence. It is essential to note that number nine summed up the views of all the previous ones and said that the strength of professional trainers is that they teach the members not only from their practice but also from the mistakes of foreign teams.
Additionally, all the respondents agreed that the Spanish Basketball Federation is actively involved in organizing, promoting, managing, developing, and supporting various social, educational, cultural, and sporting activities in favor of basketball. For example, person number one indicated that the Federation tries to communicate and interact with society in various ways. It is essential to show that all respondents stated that the Spanish Basketball Federation has ensured the stability of basic resources through sponsorship, social fundraising, and government grants.
Participant number five rightly remarked that the Spanish Federation is trying to replicate the success of the United States. They seek to do so through the following principles of the industry’s commercialization. The question concerning the influence of the Basketball Federation president on the development of the sport received the same answers from all the participants. They perceived that the current president had done well in his duties.
Participants from the Chinese Basketball Association stated that basketball is completely developed. It is essential to emphasize that respondent eleven noted that basketball is one of the most popular games in China. And person number twenty points to great industry progress now, compared to the past. No ambiguous answers were provided to the questions about problems and challenges. Respondent number seventeen spoke negatively; he perceived that basketball faces low funding, lack of experience, and bureaucracy.
Additionally, Participant Eleven stated that the pandemic had hurt the sport. On the other hand, person number thirteen pointed out that China had quickly coped with the effects of the pandemic, and basketball was hardly affected. As a drawback, the thirteenth person pointed out that it is hard for young players to combine professional play and education.
Concerning strengths, opinions were also divided. For example, interlocutor number twenty remarked that the main advantage of the Association is the ability to strategically project for the future and follow that plan. And participant number eighteen argued that people are the main strength and advantage.
At the same time, member number fifteen attributed the powerful position to the remarkable work of the Association’s president. The interviewees’ answers to organization, promotion, management, and development were almost identical. For example, interviewee number eleven stated that they organized numerous sports events in close cooperation with FIBA. At the same time, person number twelve declared that they actively cooperate with local, national, and foreign authorities to organize various events throughout the country.
All respondents said that the Chinese Basketball Federation has been able to solve financial problems. Respondent number 20 stated that the Chinese Basketball Federation was very financially dependent on government funding in the past. Today, they use fundraising and sponsorship. Person number three perceived that the Association is constantly working with businesses to obtain additional funding to develop and promote basketball. It’s essential to note that the biggest overlap was in the responses to the president’s influence. All participants agreed that the current president is a great team player, leader, and manager (Li, 2018). He uses his experience and knowledge to produce results financially.
The highest governing body in Spain is the National Sports Council. The Spanish Basketball Federation is also responsible for administering and supporting all national basketball teams (men’s and women’s). The Chinese sports administration organization system consists of the government sports management system and the social sports administration system. (Moya, 2018). If one reviews the basketball practice, it is organized and supported by the Chinese Basketball Federation. It represents Chinese basketball in the most prestigious international competitions of FIBA and FIBA Asia. It is liable for the promotion and growth of basketball within the All-China Sports Federation.
A literature review describing the Spanish Basketball Federation concludes that the youth basketball organization recruits the most necessary players because of the coaches’ experience. Researchers explain that youth is the main impetus for success in basketball (Mancha-Triguero et al., 2019). Studies show that in recognition of well-planned training programs, there is noticeable progress in the physical characteristics of basketball athletes in different age categories. Importantly, Moya (2018) emphasizes that youth development largely depends on government and community attention to sports. Basketball is Spain’s second most common game, so much attention is paid to its promotion and development.
He also states that the Spanish government’s sports departments and sports associations organize competitions for high-level professional clubs of different ages to popularize basketball and increase the players’ motivation to train better. Buñuel et al. (2005) argue that basketball succeeds because the Spanish system focuses on finding vulnerable talent. Thus, some people carefully analyze and evaluate players’ physical attributes, athletic skills, anthropometric factors, and ability and aptitude to learn. Similarly, Torres-Unda et al. (2012) evaluated young Spanish players’ main anthropometric, maturation, and physiological characteristics. They found a strong correlation between the best performance and the player’s month of birth.
The researchers emphasize that children born at the beginning of the year are more successful in sports than those born at the end of the year. Cañadas et al. (2018) highlight that youth basketball training is divided into the following age categories: U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-18. They have their specific requirements and approaches to young athletes. For example, players are mostly trained physically in the first stage, becoming a solid foundation for future performance and growth.
Moreover, during the training process, Spanish coaches actively use game situations similar to real situations. External gamers of basketball remark that real-game situations are effective for learning. In addition, Sánchez (2002) used an in-depth biographical method to review the basketball training system in Spain. He explained that for the growth of a professional basketball athlete, the training process should focus on the players’ academic, physical, and psychological improvement. Thus, Sánchez shared that a basketball player’s development is divided into three central stages. Spain’s basketball results can be summed up well with the country’s successes in global championships.
When the Federation selects players for the youth organization, the Chinese focus on children as young as six. In a study by Bonal (2019), the author surveyed athletes regarding the factors that, from their perspective, most affect their performance. Researchers found that eight key dimensions represent a key role for basketball athletes: social context, athletic context, tactical factors, intra-individual skills, anthropometric factors, technical factors, and physical condition factors.
Chinese basketball players criticize their teachers for excessive training hours and poor practice structure. In China, politics and sports are interconnected at the national and international levels. (Wallbank & Cang, 2019). The party did not forbid basketball for ideological reasons, so the author can explain the high popularity of this sport in China (Gao, 2012). The system’s functioning affects talent selection in China because considering only anthropometric criteria is not the right decision. (Ibanez et al., 2014).
The literature discourages the negative impact of commercialization on China’s sport. At the same time, certain prohibitions have been proposed, such as restricting player salaries or controlling the basketball Federation (Tan & Bairner, 2011). The research suggests that China’s main mission is to win the competition. The country can interfere with athlete transfers and shorten the CBA season to support the core mission (Slusher, 2016). A comprehensive analysis of the theoretical literature explained that many scholars had devoted their research to separately studying basketball in China and Spain. Almost no sources compare these countries regarding organizational systems, efficiency, performance, youth training, and competitiveness.
Discussion
Several facts can be stated through a thorough methodology selection and after a constructive analysis of the literature review and survey results. First, it is worth noting that the organizational basketball systems in China and Spain have similarities and unique features. The countries currently have leading basketball teams within their regions. Thus, China is the Asian leader, and Spain, in turn, is at the top of the European rankings. Each team has certain advantages in conquering global goals and reaching such heights, but they also have weak points.
Both nations spend significant financial resources and effort developing basketball and achieving short- and long-term goals. Despite historical, economic, and social differences and distinct strategies, China and Spain strive to build effective basketball environments and independent, profitable sports systems (Alsasua et al., 2019). The main sources of profit and funding for clubs are similar and depend on size, location, and popularity. Much of the money comes from the government, but there is a tendency and desire for more commercial private profits. The most meaningful are revenue from match broadcasting rights and sponsorship fees. Increased profitability and greater independence are also always on the agenda of both basketball organizations.
China and Spain are trying to adapt the NBA model to their national systems and features while considering all the specificities and not adopting a blind imitation of the American experience. However, they have rather different approaches, methods, and visions for the direction and strategy of basketball organizations. Spain has had great success implementing the NBA model, which is traceable by the distinct structure and organization of the Spanish basketball system and the elements of the game corresponding to the standards (Feu et al., 2018). At the same time, the findings indicate that adapting the NBA model is more important for China, so new reforms have already begun to be introduced to change the strategy for success. An evaluation and critical analysis of the literature suggest that changes are already actively occurring and positively impact the development of China’s basketball potential.
Furthermore, questionnaires show that basketball players in China begin training at an earlier age than their Spanish counterparts. However, it should be remarked that this feature does not affect their performance later in their careers. There is no single justification for this phenomenon, but it can be assumed that it is due to the lack of regular education and intellectual development during childhood and adolescence. In China, more emphasis is placed on improving players’ physiological characteristics, such as strength, speed, and endurance. It is believed that the earlier you start training these qualities, the greater the results the player will achieve in the future. In Spain, the intellectual aspects are considered more valuable; therefore, the focus on them is an inseparable component of the training process.
Based on the results obtained, it is also possible to establish both the weaknesses and strengths of each state in developing basketball organizations. First, it is imperative to record that player performance has significantly modified over time, and there are notable variations in players’ characteristics. In particular, indicators of strength, speed, and reaction are different. It can be attributed to diverse approaches to recruitment, talent acquisition, teaching and coaching, the profession’s economic potential, and the competition level.
A detailed evaluation of the literature concludes that in China, the development of the basketball system is slowed by the high level of bureaucracy and the limited influence of the Ming. Dependence on the political force also negatively affects basketball and impedes its improvement (Haitao, 2020). In China, much attention is given to winning by any means, while other important issues are neglected. Not enough time is devoted to prioritizing the indicators that affect the motivation of basketball players, which leads to a decrease in their productivity.
In addition, the findings point to the educational difficulties of Chinese players. Many attend sports educational institutions where the focus is on developing physical rather than intellectual and psychological qualities. It, in turn, leads to the problem of the player being deprived of the opportunity to reach his potential on the court. A quality educational process is a prerequisite for an effective training environment, so more attention should be paid to this issue, and access to services should not be restricted.
There is also a problem in China with the lack of new basketball talents and their development into top-level players. The national teams have virtually no promising members, making it impossible for basketball to become established and advance nationally and globally (Bonal et al., 2020). The reason for this may be the relatively low level of coaching of Chinese national teams. Their professional and personal skills are weaker than those required by professional sports, directly affecting the players’ results.
The basketball infrastructure and uneven game development in different parts of the state continue to be problematic. Such differences and inconsistencies create a chasm between regions and lead to an imbalanced situation within the state. The chief difficulty in developing basketball teams in the country is the lack of players, so the focus on changing the strategy to find them should be made. It is also important to rethink teaching and training strategies that will allow us to move from the dead point and turn basketball into a profitable and effective team game.
When discussing the situation of Spanish basketball, it can be noted that the circumstances are somewhat better than in China. However, it should also be stated that soccer has traditionally been at the forefront of the sports industry, crowding out other games. As a result, basketball receives less government support and funding, which negatively affects the development of the industry and its promotion. Fewer people attend basketball matches, and there are not enough sponsorship contracts, which has a direct negative impact.
Furthermore, there is a fairly high proportion of foreign players at all levels of Spanish clubs. At the same time, national representatives get a smaller share of playing time and are forced to move to other, often foreign, teams. Therefore, the focus on hiring national representatives and keeping them in the clubs should be made.
At the same time, based on the data obtained from the literature analysis and surveys, it can be concluded that basketball development is at a high level despite all the shortcomings. Basketball infrastructure is available to players of all ages, and coaches have sufficient skills and a great level of professional competence. It has a positive effect on players having equal opportunities in all regions of the state, notwithstanding the distance from the capital and the size of the city.
The Spanish Federation actively promotes youth basketball and actively cooperates with the youth clubs, laying a solid foundation for further promotion and development of the sport (Adell et al., 2019). This strategy contributes to positive dynamics and affects performance indicators in both the short and long term. The country should focus more on promoting basketball to the masses because its popularization will benefit both the players and the country.
Conclusion
Based on a study of the characteristics of the basketball organizations of China and Spain, it can be concluded that they share both common and distinct characteristics. The states continue to be leaders within the regions, and significant funds and resources are devoted to developing the basketball environment. Both states are also looking to borrow features from the NBA and implement new and effective strategies for continued growth. The basketball organizations in China and Spain are solid but have both strengths and weaknesses.
From the comparison of results, it can be stated that the level of basketball development in Spain is slightly higher but inferior to that of soccer, which has been a leader in the sports industry for many years. At the same time, the achievements of Spanish basketball teams are sufficient to conclude a valid status at the international level. It is primarily due to the coaching staff and the specificity of the training process, which focuses on both intellectual and physical development. The chosen strategy also demonstrates effective results and allows the creation of a harmonious environment within the team.
China’s basketball organization is also high-grade but somewhat inferior to its Spanish rivals. In turn, although it has many shortcomings, it is beginning to move in the right direction. At present, the basketball structure requires some transformations in order to strengthen its position both internationally and regionally. Among the main problems is a focus solely on winning, which leads to a disregard for the players’ desires. Coaching skills and the teaching process also remain low, hindering the full development of players’ potential and talent.
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