Basketball in Austria is not often played by the citizens there because Austria is surrounded with mountains which make it difficult for them to play basketball or other sports that needs a wide, flat, even surface and a ball.
The most popular sport they play is alpine skiing wherein their mountainous location is pretty much used for their advantage. Basketball in Austria is not that popular for they are not that into team sports. The only team sport that had dominated the country is football, and football is often played by the citizens there in fact they had been competing internationally, they are even one of the most successful European country in terms of football.
They were able to rank 4th in the 1934 FIFA World Cup that made them be known in the field of football. Other sports that the Austrians play are ice skating, swimming, tennis, bike and skate hire, mountain biking, keep fit, sailing and windsurfing, golf, and horseback riding.
Although basketball is not that known in the country there are still clubs and organizations created for basketball lovers. It is in the organizations and clubs that the basketball players are able to show and share their talents and skills to one another.
Basketball is even supported by the government, they give financial, emotional and physical support to certain basketball teams, by that act more basketball teams and organizations are encourage to make their team better.
The major basketball league in Austria is the Osterreichische Basketball Bundesliga or The Austrian Basketball League in English, which is also known as the Admiral Basketball League in honor of the leagues’ main sponsor, Admiral Sportwetten. With the help of the said league, the few professional basketball players can encourage the Austrians especially the skilled ones and the young ones to play basketball.
Even though Austria is not so much into basketball, the country still has a national team, the Austrian National Basketball Team. Unlike most of the countries that have that have national teams, Austria do not have a national women’s basketball team which is totally understandable because of the standing of the sport in Austria is not that good.
Even though the government supports the national team, the Austrian National Basketball team is not supported by their fellow Austrians, because their mind and heart is not into basketball. However, I believe that people, especially the ones in the same country, should support their countrymen in whatever sport they play because they are the ones who give pride and honor to the country even if they do not win any gold, silver, or bronze medals.
Basketball in Austria as of now is still often ignored yet a number of citizens there are already getting hooked to the said sport and is already starting to embrace it. Plenty are starting to learn playing basketball and a lot are watching basketball as well. Eventually, and hopefully, the Austrians accept the sport just like the other sports in their country.
The Austrian National Basketball Team
The World Sports Festival 2011
The Major Professional League In Australia