BAL president hopes to feel SA’s love in playoffs

Basketball Africa League president Amadou Gallo Fall regards SA as a key market in their grand scheme of things and is open to the country being a constant host of the continent’s biggest basketball league playoffs and finals. 

He said this depended on whether South Africans could recreate the buzz of 2024 when the playoffs and finals took place at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.  

Gallo Fall was speaking on the sidelines at the unveiling of a new outdoor basketball court at Highland School in Nyamata, Rwanda, handed over by NBA Africa and Opportunity International.

For four seasons, the playoffs and finals were played in Rwanda, but the authorities decided to give SA the hosting rights for the fifth edition after the strong support they received in the Kalahari conference in Pretoria last year.

It was the first time SA had hosted any BAL matches, but all the matches produced good attendance numbers. 

“We came there last year and we saw some good energy, good fan support and some other elements that led us to take the decision [of bringing the playoffs to Pretoria],” Gallo Fall said. 

“We have to see how the finals turnout is and see if the energy is sustained from last year, so that we can fill the arena and connect with new partners.

“Our story has to remain a story of growth and every year to get better.

“We are very open because SA is a key market.

“We are excited to be going back there for the finals but, hopefully, we have more reason after these finals to decide to go back for next year. 

“I can guarantee that it’s going to be incredible because of the competition we have so far in the three conferences and the top eight teams that are going to be in SA.”  

Asked whether the SA government had been assisting the BAL for the coming playoffs in Pretoria, Gallo Fall said: “Our team is working with different stakeholders on the ground.

“We continue to be hopeful, obviously, and because this is bringing tremendous value in the country and every country that we play.

“It is our goal to build strong relationships and engage with the government and private sector, because it costs a lot to operate this league.

“But we believe in this potential long-term.

“This is why we continue to commit our own resources, but the goal is to continue to try to work with the government and the public sector.

“So far I think there is openness, but we are waiting to see what kind of support we can get in concrete terms.”

In 2024, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said the hosting of BAL in SA was a critical step in cementing ties with the country, while also building its brand and growing basketball across the African continent. 

The NBA’s head office for its operations in Africa is based in Sandton, while the Basketball Without Borders development programmes have taken place in SA on more than 10 occasions.

They develop initiatives such as the junior NBA programme, which runs at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng.

Daily Dispatch