Professional basketball in Vietnam transitioned from an obscure pastime into a thriving subculture in less than ten years. Soccer remains the most popular sport in Vietnam, and the VBA has generated enough interest to host competitive professional-level basketball games. The profit generated by these games shifted the public’s perspective on both the Saigon Heat and Hanoi Buffaloes franchises.
The Saigon Heat and Their Historical Success
Saigon Heat was Vietnam’s first professional basketball team when it formed in 2011. When the Saigon Heat entered the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) as the first Vietnamese team in the league, they were confronted with many challenges that hindered them from establishing a winning tradition. The transition of the Saigon Heat into the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA) has allowed them to become a benchmark for Vietnamese basketball.
Today, with MelBet digital platforms giving fans an opportunity to view the entire history of basketball in Vietnam, and also the Saigon Heat’s performance and trends, the Saigon Heat are now viewed by fans in Vietnam as a “Professional Dynasty” rather than a “Pioneering Experiment” since they won three straight VBA Championships from 2019-2022. An important factor in their success has been the excellent and efficient scoring of both Madarious Gibbs and local legend Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh.
Saigon Heat’s three championships illustrate the strength of the team’s win/loss record. Below is a table that illustrates the win/loss records of the VBA top franchises during the transitional year.
Public Fascination and Rivalry Shifts
The Saigon Heat were the first professional basketball team in Vietnam, established in 2011. Once the franchise entered the ASEAN Basketball League, the team encountered multiple obstacles in developing a winning culture. When the Saigon Heat entered the Vietnam Basketball Association, the team began to establish itself as a benchmark in domestic basketball. Digital websites such as MelBet mobile now have all of the information needed to analyze the history of basketball in Vietnam, including the trends and performances of the Saigon Heat. From 2019-2022, the Saigon Heat won three consecutive VBA Championships, altering the narrative from ‘a pioneering experiment’ to ‘a professional dynasty’. A large part of this success came from the excellent, efficient scoring abilities of Madarious Gibbs and local legends such as Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh.
The Saigon Heat’s three championships demonstrate the strength of the team’s win/loss record. The following table demonstrates the results of some of the other top franchises in the league during the transitional year for the VBA.
Increased interest in the league and its corresponding narratives can be attributed to:
- Overseas Vietnamese players such as the Truong twins (Truong Thao My and Truong Thao Vy), who have played overseas and thus have experience competing internationally, are helping develop the league.
- After the lockdown was lifted and the gymnasiums reopened, the new, upgraded facilities allowed for a sellout crowd for games in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and for fans to attend games in person again.
- The addition of new teams, specifically the Nha Trang Dolphins, has caused a shakeup of the original teams and the order of teams based on success.
Infrastructure Development and Youth Talent Cultivation
Professional franchises in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have contributed to the development of many basketball academies throughout Vietnam. Prior to the development of these academies, they existed solely as training camps for young basketball players. Today, the academies have developed into complex developmental systems for the preparation of future international basketball players.
Coaches based in Vietnam have brought modern coaching methods from North America and Europe, significantly improving the overall physical endurance and shooting ability of the country’s local players. Clubs in Vietnam are now employing state-of-the-art sports technologies, such as motion analysis and biometric tracking, as the standard, and to help manage injury risks for future professional players.
The Growth of Basketball as a Business
More people are watching basketball, so more companies are investing in building arenas and buying broadcasting rights. Companies view basketball as a means to connect with and market to youth. This has also positively impacted the market valuations of the core VBA franchises.
This is evident in increases in budgets for hiring overseas players and for the coaching staff, which are directly related to the quality of the basketball played. Basketball is no longer just a subject in physical education. It has become a profitable segment of the sports and entertainment industry with a viable business model.
Additionally, the business opportunities in the field have grown since ticketing, with the creation of a database, digital content, and marketing ecosystem. Franchises have increased monetization of their expanding fandoms, creating proprietary apparel lines and partnering with regional influencers to sell jerseys.
