Taiwan’s athletes will be under close scrutiny next month when they travel to Guangzhou in mainland China for the 16th Asian Games. A total of 397 athletes—the nation’s largest contingent to date—will compete in 32 of 42 events.
This sizable representation is an attempt to purge the ghosts of Taiwan’s miserable showing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Finishing 79th in the overall medals table, sandwiched between Armenia and Afghanistan, the team limped home with a paltry four bronze medals.
There was no fanfare on return of Taiwan’s Olympians, only questions as to why the team had fared so poorly and what could be done to fix the country’s broken sporting credibility. Politicians touted the need for bigger and better sporting venues and athletes called for greater investment in training facilities.
To generate increased funding, the government passed the Sports Lottery Issuance Act in June of 2009, expanding Taiwan’s sports lottery. Established in May 2008, the lottery is operated by Taiwan Sport Lottery Corp., a subsidiary of Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co. Ltd.
Passage of the act means that 90 percent of proceeds from the lottery are dedicated to funding sports programs. The remaining 10 percent is used for social welfare projects. Under the terms of its licensing agreement, the TSLC is allowed to run the lottery until 2013, and must give the government NT$20.83 billion (US$668.76 million) over six years, or an average of NT$3.47 billion a year.
However, the sports lottery has failed to take off. On its inception the TSLC anticipated sales of at least NT$33.65 billion from 2008 to 2009, but only reached NT$19.1 billion—56.8 percent of the forecast.
Regardless of the sports lottery’s failure, new sports facilities have still been built in Taipei and Kaohsiung. These cities and their new stadiums successfully hosted the Summer Deaflympics and World Games in 2009, respectively. More sports venues are planned for other cities and counties around Taiwan, with the Taipei City Government planning to build a second multisports complex as well as a modern tennis training and competition center.
But it has not been all bad news on the sporting field for Taiwan since the disappointment of Beijing, as some of the island’s top athletes have proven in recent international competition.
Yani Tseng looks set to take the No. 1 spot, either later this year or early next, in the LPGA Tour after becoming the youngest player to win three majors in August. Tennis players Lu Yen-hsun, Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung have all done well on the courts of Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows and Melbourne Park. And members of Taiwan’s taekwondo team picked up gold, silver and bronze medals at the Asian Taekwondo Championships.
Unfortunately, for many in Taiwan these achievements are overshadowed by the seamy side of the domestic sporting scene, especially that of baseball—Taiwan’s “national game.”
The Chinese Professional Baseball League’s embroilment in numerous scandals has tarnished the credibility of the sport possibly beyond repair. There have been five major match-fixing scandals and numerous other allegations of organized crime syndicate involvement in matches since the league’s establishment in 1989. The scandals involve players and coaching staff from many of the island’s most popular teams.
On its inception, the CPBL had nine teams. Five of the original clubs have since been forced out of business due to match-fixing scandals and financial losses. With only four teams taking to the mound this season, support for the domestic league is fast dwindling. Attendance has reportedly dropped by some 45 percent over the past five years.
However, there are plans to expand the league and create more teams. The Ma Ying-jeou administration is pledging to inject NT$2 billion into the sport over four years. The money will be used to increase the number of players and offer incentives for students to take up baseball at a professional level.
Several local governments have voiced support for the move, with Taipei and Taichung also hoping to establish new teams.
While there is certainly nothing wrong with the government’s intentions, money alone may not bring the fans back. The way the sport is governed in Taiwan will need a total overhaul.
The league is currently run by a council of general managers, which unlike professional competitions in Japan and the U.S., has no nonteam unaffiliated members. Consequently, there is no impartial tackling of issues concerning regulations and policy. Needless to say, the addition of more teams could only worsen existing organizational problems.
The addition of new teams, if not thoroughly thought out, could also exacerbate the north-center-east-south divide. Currently, the Brother Elephants play at home in Taipei, Sinon Bulls in Taichung, Uni-President Lions in Tainan and La New Bears in Kaohsiung County. The fan followings of these teams outside of Taiwan’s major metropolises are limited.
Unless the government makes funding for teams available to less prosperous regions, such as Nantou, Pingtung and Yunlin counties, it will be impossible to build the regional fan bases needed to reinvigorate the sport.
Without dedicated grassroots support for the teams, there is little future for the sport. And if baseball disappears, Taiwan will be left without a “national game” and possibly very little incentive to produce professional athletes.
Gavin Phipps is a Taipei-based journalist. These views are the author’s and not necessarily those of Taiwan Today. Copyright © 2010 by Gavin Phipps
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