Wish we had the sports culture like in Europe or South America
I know there are legit cons, like hooligans, racism, violence, that I understand and don't want to see in the Philippines, but there still countless clubs and fans in the football world, that bring insane energy/passion without problematic behavior, that North American and Asian sports culture rarely have.
For example, I just came back from a week vacation in Croatia. I visited Split, and I noticed how many streets, buildings, etc, you see constant Hadjuk Split street Art. You can see the passion and how much these clubs are ingrained and mean to a community.
And you see with all football clubs whether from England, Spain, Serbia, Greece, Croatia, or in South America like Argentina, you see the videos of the amazing crowds singing, celebrating goals with limbs out.
And even in basketball, you look at countries like Serbia, Greece, or Lithuania, even if Euroleague has vastly inferior level to NBA, those clubs have amazing support and keep this real community based support and investment and bring crowds and energy that I don't think great big NBA teams like the Celtics, Knicks, and hands down Lakers ( lol) ever can bring.
I mean Lithuania is probably only basketball first country in Europe, and their top team Zalgiris in Euroleague has amazing fans, atmosphere, history.
I just look at Philippines and fact PBA promotes fans supporting these souls corporations like San Miguel or Purefoods.
And I love college basketball in the US and get support, but it's crazy Ateneo or La Salle is like closet thing to a community based support for fans in the Philippines and all these colleges are the same based in Manila.
I just feel if it's football and basketball, I wish we had CLUBS, not 'franchises" run by selfish corporate oligarchs, that are run by fans, clubs that don't just stay within the country but can be worldwide.
Barca, Man U, Madrid, even Arsenal reach millions worldwide. Even clubs like Celtic from Scotland or Benfica in Portugal reach across the world ( I believe Benfica have the most members of any football club worldwide).
I don't want to put football culture in a pedestal and romanticize considering what I said earlier about legit negative/toxic aspects hooligans and racism in some cultures, but I see and research all the history from the biggest clubs like Barcelona to even small clubs like Hadjuk Split, you see how real and inspirational these clubs can be.
I wish the Philippines had or can have a club, that represents the working class, gives real pinoys hope, and even stretches to the diaspora.
It's what I feel the Azkals can do one day. Even if we can't make a WC or be a top team, but make the NT something that make pinoys proud is what I wish and frustrates me, pinoys rather obsess over pageantry.