Basketball administrators believe the Opals' gold medal in the world titles in Brazil at the weekend can give Australia a chance to net the event from bidders headed by Spain, France and Russia, the Russians beaten 91-74 by Australia in the gold medal game in Sao Paulo.

Australia's successful staging of the event in 1994 — the finals were in Sydney after preliminary rounds in Adelaide and Hobart — and the success of the 1997 world championships for young men in Melbourne also would help the bid. As might the recent appointment of Australian Bob Elphinston as president of the international body, FIBA.

Basketball Victoria's chief executive Wayne Bird said preliminary talks had been held with the state department of Sport and Recreation and with Melbourne Major Events.

"They've indicated they're prepared to support a bid," he said. "Obviously, it's Basketball Australia's event but we're keen to have the final in Melbourne."

Bird said he would have more talks with the State Government, and Basketball Australia would talk with its Oceania partner Basketball New Zealand about it holding some games. The Kiwis have indicated they would be interested.

Basketball Australia's general manager, Lorraine Landon, said submissions would have to be in to FIBA at the end of this year or early next year. FIBA has been told of Australia's interest.

Elphinston said he knew Australians would support the event. "We've got the stadiums and FIBA knows we can stage a very good event. BA is very keen, particularly while we've got such a great women's team."

Landon said Europe previously staged the women's world championship in Germany in 1998, so if the event were rotated through the regional zones, minus the underdeveloped Africa, it would be Australia's turn. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way," Landon said. "FIBA will take the best bid, and while everybody loves playing in Australia, it's just a long way away."

It is estimated it would cost no more than $5 million to hold the championships.

Basketball Australia is looking for funding of a different kind to assist the Opals' preparation for the next major event, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It hopes a key sponsor can be found to put up enough money to keep the top players such as Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor in Australia in the lead-up to the Olympics rather than playing in the American league, as they did this year.

A criticism of basketball in Australia has been the lack of marketing, but Elphinston believes the time has come to change that.

"It's a tough scene in Australia. We have four or five non-Olympic sports that take up so much press, sponsorships and television … But we need to be able to stand on our own two feet … There's no reason why we can't be more aggressive in the marketplace."

- Stephen Howell, with AAP

Article appears courtesy of The Age newspaper and AAP.