Still think basketball is just a charity expense, not a real business? Here’s why that mindset suffocates the sport’s future—and how we can change it.
I was clearing out some old files the other day when I came across a set of notes I’d taken a while back, based on Kazumasa Ashihara’s book 日本のスポーツビジネスが世界に通用しない本当の理由 (The Real Reason Japan’s Sports Business Struggles to Compete Globally). For those unfamiliar, Ashihara isn’t just an author—he was the first Secretary General of Japan’s B.League, the country’s professional basketball league.
Reading his book the first time gave me a ton of insights into the challenges of professionalizing sports. But re-reading my notes recently made me realize something even bigger: these lessons are just as relevant to Malaysia as they are to Japan.
A lot of people assume “professionalizing” sports is just about paying athletes and slapping sponsor logos on jerseys. But Ashihara’s deeper point hits harder: True professionalization involves establishing clubs as independent, well-governed, market-driven entities—so they can sustain themselves beyond one season or one billionaire’s whim.
After re-reading my notes, I felt the urgency all over again, especially when thinking about basketball scenes in Malaysia.
The Problem: Traditional vs. Professional Models
Kazumasa Ashihara focuses on how many Japanese sports teams operate under a parent company’s oversight, meaning budgets are lumped into a corporate general affairs department, and there’s no separate legal structure ensuring real accountability. In Japan’s case:
- Lack of Financial Transparency: Sponsors and fans never fully see where the money goes.
- Limited Long-Term Planning: Goals can shift whenever the parent company has a corporate shuffle.
- Minimal Accountability: Without a separate entity, nobody’s on the hook for inefficiency or poor decisions.
But Japan’s Situation Has Improved
With the growth and success of the B.League, which launched its first season in 2016, the basketball landscape in Japan is in much better shape today. The B.League has rapidly become one of the best basketball leagues in Asia, if not the best, demonstrating that professionalization—when executed effectively—can transform an entire sports culture. It also underscores just how crucial independent club structures, transparent governance, and market-driven practices are in creating a thriving league.
The Malaysian Twist
Malaysia’s basketball landscape might look different at a glance, but a similar challenge remains:
- Privately Funded by Passionate Owners: Instead of giant corporate parents, many Malaysian teams are backed by individuals who love basketball (some have big corporate muscle, others are modest operations).
- Basketball as “Charity”: Culturally, investing in basketball is often viewed as philanthropy—“You’re doing a good deed for the sport.”
- No Real Expectation of Profit: There’s a deep-rooted skepticism that basketball in Malaysia can ever turn a profit—so teams exist more out of passion than commercial ambition.
- Professionalization = Sustainability: Yet, true professionalization isn’t just about making money; it’s about building a model that can sustain itself—a structure that can endure beyond one individual’s personal funding or goodwill.
Why It Matters in Malaysia
In Malaysia, teams face a challenging hurdle: breaking free from the notion that basketball is just a costly hobby rather than a self-sustaining venture. This mindset can limit:
- Long-Term Growth: If owners see it as charity, they might not invest in professional management, revenue streams, or fan engagement strategies that could make the team viable long-term.
- Fan Trust & Engagement: Without transparency or a clear business model, it’s hard to convince fans and potential sponsors that the team has a future beyond the current owner’s passion.
- League Development: If every team relies on an owner’s personal bank account—and that owner decides to step away—there’s no safety net or systemic approach to keep the team running.
The Bottom Line? Teams need to operate more like independent businesses if they want to shift from a charity or corporate offshoot to a true professional organization. Professionalization isn’t purely about profit; it’s about sustainability—creating a stable, transparent structure so the sport can thrive for everyone involved.
The Big Idea: What True Professionalization Looks Like
In Ashihara’s framework (and my own notes), professionalization isn’t about whether players get paychecks—it’s about club management. It’s about making sports teams:
Independent Legal Entities
- They aren’t just a department in a corporation or a pet project for a wealthy owner.
- They have their own finances, executives, and boards, which means full accountability for both success and failure.
Market-Driven, Service-Oriented
- Clubs look at fans and sponsors like customers who need tangible value: entertainment, community, and top-notch experiences.
- Ticket sales, merchandising, and media rights become core revenue streams, instead of relying solely on handouts.
Transparent & Accountable
- With a separate legal structure, clubs can’t hide losses or mismanagement behind a bigger entity’s balance sheet.
- They must disclose how money is spent—building trust among fans, sponsors, and potential investors.
Why This Matters (and Resonates with Me)
Every time I see a promising local basketball team fade away due to unstable funding, it reminds me how fragile a sport can be without a professional foundation. If you’re in Malaysia, you’ve likely witnessed teams come and go, or owners scaling back because their passion project didn’t pan out financially.
When professionalization takes root, you’re not just funding a team—you’re building an industry. Imagine clubs that outlast owners because the model itself is sound. Fans get better experiences, athletes get sustained development, and sponsors see real returns (not just a feel-good donation line in their budget). That’s why these notes I took from Ashihara’s book still resonate so powerfully—they aren’t just about Japan, they’re about any environment where basketball (or any sport) struggles to be self-sustaining.
The Benefits of Professionalizing Sports
Financial Stability
- By building diverse revenue streams—tickets, merchandise, streaming deals, sponsorships—teams hedge against one single source of cash drying up.
- Transparency attracts genuine, long-term partnerships instead of short-term “charity” from a single backer.
Deeper Fan Engagement
- When teams rely on fans for revenue, the fan experience becomes top priority.
- Better arenas, community events, social media content, and creative merchandising all stem from a market-focused approach.
Better Athlete & Staff Development
- Consistent funding and structured leadership pave the way for better coaching, sports science, and youth academies.
- Clubs can invest in analytics, performance training, and marketing staff who help elevate the league’s overall quality.
Community & Economic Impact
- Sports teams aren’t just about scores—they foster local pride, inspire young athletes, and create jobs.
- A thriving league can draw tourism, stimulate local businesses, and become a point of civic identity.
Obstacles & Common Pitfalls
Cultural Resistance
- Some folks believe that “once money gets involved, the sport loses its soul.”
- In reality, many clubs need a viable business model to keep that soul alive for decades to come.
Upfront Investment
- Setting up an independent entity, hiring professionals (for financial oversight, marketing, PR, etc.), and improving facilities costs real money.
- Without guaranteed quick returns, owners might hesitate.
Governance Gaps
- Drafting solid bylaws, forming boards, and establishing transparent reporting can be intimidating if you’ve always run a team informally.
- Poor leadership or half-baked governance can derail professionalization efforts.
Actionable Steps & Call to Action
So, how do we move from “interesting theory” to “we did it”?
For Club Owners & Management
- Formalize an Independent Entity: Separate the team’s finances and leadership from personal or corporate accounts.
- Invest in Expertise: Bring in people who understand sports and business, ensuring accountability and strategic growth.
- Open the Books: Show potential sponsors, investors, and fans exactly where revenue comes from and where it goes.
For Fans & Communities
- Demand Better: Speak up for better arenas, better live streams, and more transparency—vote with your wallets.
- Support Teams Building for the Future: Attend games, buy merchandise, engage on social media—reward the ones that are pushing for professional standards.
- Spread the Word: Encourage local media, friends, and community groups to back the teams that show real promise.
For Sponsors & Investors
- Look for Accountability: Before cutting a check, ask about the club’s governance and business strategy.
- Co-Create Value: Go beyond logo placements—collaborate on fan events, youth initiatives, and digital content that benefits both sides.
- Monitor ROI: Ask for metrics on attendance, social reach, merchandise sales, etc., so you can refine and expand your sponsorship model over time.
Vision of the Future & Closing Thought
Picture a future where Malaysian basketball teams run as truly professional entities. They’re not reliant on a single donor. Instead, they have their own leadership, sustainable revenue models, and ever-improving facilities that attract enthusiastic crowds.
Ashihara’s key insight (and my major takeaway from those rediscovered notes) is that professionalization is the only way to ensure sports can blossom into a self-sustaining powerhouse. It’s not about chasing profit for profit’s sake; it’s about ensuring longevity—for the players, the fans, and the community itself.
If you’ve ever looked at a team and thought, “Why can’t they be more successful? Why do they always struggle financially?”—this is the answer. Sports can be both meaningful and market-savvy. All it takes is the courage to move beyond charity or corporate subsidies, and into the realm of independent, well-governed, fan-first clubs.
Let’s keep pushing forward and build a basketball (or any sports) culture that doesn’t just survive—but thrives for generations to come.
Thanks for reading.
– Jordan.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Jacky Teong, Ian Wan, Wayne Leow , EST, Hwa Loong, Law Lee Yen, fantasze, MyBasketballTimes, Kelvin Lim, Shawn Ooi and Keith Chee for buying me coffee and supporting basketball storytelling.
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