POLISH media lamented what they described as the low crowd turnouts so far in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
But the report from the world's No. 1 volleyball nation said high ticket prices had nothing to do with the low attendance numbers.
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An article published on Polish league PlusLiga’s website said not a lot of fans are showing up to watch the FIVB Worlds matches simply because volleyball isn’t exactly the Philippines’ most popular sport.
“The group stage of the World [Championship] in the Philippines has ended, which was not very popular with the fans, but this could be expected and it does not depend on ticket prices at all,” the article wrote.
“Volleyball, especially in the men's version, is not the leading sport, and in the hierarchy it occupies a distant place, among others, behind boxing or martial arts.”
The correspondent went on to provide historical context on basketball’s popularity in the country, citing the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup as a prime example of an international tournament that drew the support of Philippine fans.
Photos of basketball courts in the streets of Manila were also shown to back the claim that basketball is on a different level than most, if not, any other sport in the country.
'Maybe, this will change'
The report ended with an optimistic tone, including a plea from Polish captain Bartosz Kurek, for fans to pack the Mall of Asia Arena for the remainder of the knockout stage.
“The hosts of the Volleyball World [Championship] in the Philippines also intended to surprise the world, but so far, the results of the matches are surprising, and attendance is not the best,” the report wrote.
“Maybe this will change now from the second round of the championship, which will be played in SM Mall Asia Arena built in 2012.
“Anyway, attendance at group stage matches looked much better in this facility, and not only at those with the participation of the hosts than in Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Kurek added: “I hope there will be more fans and we will play a little better. This is a large hall and it will look sad if the fans do not [come].”
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