Craig O’Donoghue: HoopsFest is already a massive hit and WA needs to become its permanent home

Western Australia needs to lock in HoopsFest as an annual event for as long as possible and make itself the home of big-time basketball in Australia. The decision to host the inaugural basketball extravaganza came with risk and reward. The risk was that it wouldn’t be everything that basketball people had hoped for. The reward was that it would exceed expectations. Well, the attendance for Thursday night’s opening game of the NBL season between last season’s grand finalists Tasmania JackJumpers and Melbourne United was larger than the crowd for the actual grand final in Hobart. MyState Bank Arena produces an incredible atmosphere when the JackJumpers are in action, despite only 4340 being able to attend. But 4622 people went to RAC Arena on Thursday night for a neutral game. That’s brilliant support. The game then attracted similar broadcast numbers to the opening match of the grand final series. The Wildcats’ game on Friday night sold out too. Star power certainly helps and nobody in Perth would have thought we’d have former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony plus NBA championship winner and TV star Kenny Smith on our shores for the weekend when the HoopsFest contract was signed. But there they were, sitting courtside with NBL owner Larry Kestelman on Thursday and Friday. The pair also attended the Fan Zone in the city on Friday. Anthony and Smith have both posted photos of their trip to their huge social media following. They weren’t the only big names in town. Tennis star Nick Kyrgios hasn’t played in Perth for years but he came to RAC Arena for the basketball. It helps that he’s a part-owner of South East Melbourne Phoenix, but owners don’t always travel. He hasn’t been seen here with the team before. Everywhere you looked there were big names. Andrew Gaze was commentating, Luc Longley was in a courtside box at one end while Cal Bruton and Fremantle Dockers star Luke Jackson were at the other. Wildcats owner Mark Arena was darting around the stadium building contacts. An entire box of NBA scouts and key staff came to Perth. Scouts were common at games last season when number two draft pick Alex Sarr was playing for Perth. But, given they’ve flown from either the US or Europe, they often talked about how it was easier to stay on the east coast and take advantage of short flights to watch multiple games. But when they get to Perth, the response is always that they’ll come more often because the enjoyment they get from the overall experience is worth the time in the air. They’re not the only ones happy to fly across the world. Two NBA assistant coaches are in Perth for the Basketball Without Borders event at Warwick Stadium. So is former NBA coach Terry Porter, plus multiple ex-NBA players including Longley and Aron Baynes. Four-time WNBA champion Cynthia Cooper and dual Australian Olympic medalist Jenni Screen were also among the stars coaching the next generation of stars. That event was launched on Thursday at the same time as Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers were training at the stadium. Across town in Morley, Brisbane Bullets and the Phoenix were completing their preparation. Kenny Smith was at Bullets training. The entire round one, comprising five NBL games and eight WNBL pre-season matches, have given fans plenty to watch across five days. The WNBL scheduling is the biggest challenge because their regular season doesn’t start until October 30. The WNBA regular season didn’t finish until Friday morning which means Australia’s biggest names are all overseas. Of those who are in the country, most have been resting after playing NBL1. Teams have focused on giving opportunities to youngsters which robs the competition of the star power needed to gain the best exposure. The solution may be to bring the big names who aren’t ready to play to the Fan Zone or even take part in a three-point shooting contest. But young girls need to see their heroes up close. Many of those youngsters are playing in the Under 18 Club Championships after flying to WA. School terms need to be taken into account for that scheduling. Removing the seats from one end of RAC Arena and building a 30m wide and two-storey high Boombox with amazing graphics for superstar DJ Hayden James to perform from was a brilliant idea which added to the spectacle. Sneakerland will be held at RAC Arena on Saturday to attract another type of audience. That event will have plenty of huge names too – as excited customers. When the AFL introduced Gather Round and South Australia won the contract, there was immediate talk from clubs that the scheduling meant Adelaide and Port Adelaide had an unfair advantage and the event should be rotated around the nation. But NBL clubs have been glowing in their reaction to it staying in Perth. “When you establish something, it’s great to have it in the one location and let it grow and get to the point where everyone feels value in going to it,” Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman said. “If other states around the country want to put their hand up and think they can do it better, there should be an opportunity to tender down the track. But I’m happy to have it locked in here for a couple of years.” Lock it in.