MANILA – Following the news that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Philippines successfully won the right to host one of three Olympic qualifiers in 2016, a logo was immediately crafted by DDB Philippines.
Manila joins Turin, Italy and Belgrade, Serbia as hosts for 18 teams hoping to earn three bids to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The tournaments will be held on the week of July 4-10 and will feature 18 teams. Aside from the Philippines, Italy, and Serbia, the other participating nations will be Angola, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Iran, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Tunisia, Latvia, Croatia, and Turkey.
When Manila served as host for the FIBA-Asia Basketball tournament in 2013, a rowdy and basketball-crazy crowd seemingly willed Gilas-Pilipinas to a stunning victory over South Korea to march into the Finals. Only a Hamed Haddadi-powered Iran squad prevented Gilas from claiming gold, but the second place was finish was good enough to earn a spot at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
The massive outpouring of support in those tournaments, as well as last year’s FIBA-Asia Basketball tournament in Changsha, Hunan, China showcased the passion that Filipinos have for basketball wherever they may be. That same passion, coupled with the experience of hosting FIBA-Asia in 2013, helped the international governing body for basketball to reward the Philippines with this honor.
The colorful logo for the Olympic qualifier features a basketball of many colors, symbolizing the global appeal of this sport that is closest to the hearts of many Filipinos. It also has the words “PHL 2016” on top of the words, “Where basketball is alive.” For the millions of Filipinos worldwide who follow, if not outright play this game, there are perhaps no truer words to describe the country.
Even as the Philippines makes a big push for its first appearance in Olympic basketball competition since 1972, the hosting of this qualifying tournament will allow Filipinos to fully support Gilas-Pilipinas. And with the raucous cheers from the home crowd, the Olympic dream burns brightly once more for this basketball-loving nation.
