Developmental Basketball League (DBL), previously named Deteksi Basketball League, is the largest basketball league competition for middle school and high school students in Indonesia. This league started in 2004 in Surabaya when it was still under the auspices of DetEksi, the youth department of the Jawa Pos newspaper, and was initiated by the then head of DetEksi, Azrul Ananda.
Since 2008, this basketball league has been managed professionally. Jawa Pos established a separate subsidiary to manage the basketball league, namely PT. Deteksi Basket Lintas Indonesia or better known as PT. DBL Indonesia.
Since 2018, DBL Indonesia has become an independent company that is no longer under the umbrella of Jawa Pos. Until now, Azrul Ananda is still listed as the founder and CEO of PT DBL Indonesia.
History
2004–2007: Humble beginning
DBL started in Surabaya in 2004.[1] This league was intended as a simple high school league, but was organized in the right way. No professional or semipro players, no cigarette, alcohol or energy drink sponsors. Players must be student-athletes. Their performance in the classroom is just as important—or even more important—than their performance on the basketball court.[2]
A total of 96 teams joined in this first season, from various cities in East Java Province. Since the first game, many people were aware that something special was happening. The first DBL match was very tight and emotional. The women's team at SMAN 20 Surabaya defeated SMA Santo Stanislaus 2 Surabaya. Tears of sadness and happiness were seen all around the field, watched by around 1,000 spectators. That year, the number of spectators was extraordinary for a high school level basketball competition.[2]
Since then, more and more fans have come to watch. In the final round, more than 5,000 people came to watch (the record for the largest basketball audience in East Java at that time), and they were entertained by an emotional and dramatic match. SMAN 2 Surabaya became the men's champion, after forcing extra time with a desperate shot from outside the three-point line.[2]
The success of the first DBL season helped the league to grow significantly. The more teams that join, the more spectators will watch. In fact, there were so many teams wanting to appear, DBL ran out of capacity to accept them all. Therefore, new participants must appear first in the qualifying round, eliminating each other towards the main round.[2]
As the years go by, the standard of implementation also continues to increase. New rules were introduced to make the presentation of the match even better. Teams and spectators continue to be forced to follow increasingly strict rules.[2]
In 2007, DBL matches were held as well as—or perhaps better—than professional and international matches. More than 55 thousand spectators watched DBL in 2007, almost four times as many as in 2004. A total of 220 teams competed in 2007, more than twice the number of participants in 2004. It was the last year where DBL was held as a regional league in the province of East Java.[2]
The success of 2007 gave a sign that the time had come for DBL to spread its wings not just in East Java, but in other regions across Indonesia which began in 2008.[2][3]
2008–present: League expansion and evolution
2008: DBL Movement
DBL established itself as the biggest basketball league in Indonesia in 2008. In that year, DBL started a new point to be handled more professionally with the formation of PT. Indonesian Cross Basketball Detection (DBL). The name of the Detective Basketball League evolved into the Developmental Basketball League.
Under the motto DBL Movement, the league expanded its reach beyond East Java to ten provinces with the help of Astra Honda Motor.[3] To meet the demands of the number of participants, in East Java DBL is divided into two regions: North Region in Surabaya, South Region in Malang. Nine other new cities were spread across nine provinces, on five islands in Indonesia.[3] Like in Surabaya, DBL received a warm welcome in other provinces. DBL was able to break participant and audience records. For example, in the cultural city of Jogjakarta, more than 16,500 people watched DBL in just six days. A figure that has never before been achieved for a basketball event.
Along with expanding its territory, DBL also made history through two international collaborations. The first is a long-term partnership with the world's most prestigious basketball league: the NBA.[4] Every year, the NBA will send its players and coaches to help develop the top DBL players and coaches. The first official NBA event in Indonesia was held in Surabaya, 23–24 August 2008.[4] The star was Danny Granger,[4] top scorer for the Indiana Pacers.
The second international collaboration is with the Australian government.[5] In October 2008, the DBL sent its first All-Star teams (men's and women's) to Perth, to study and compete against selected youth teams from Western Australia.[5]
DBL Arena
As a complement, in 2008 DBL also opened its new basketball building, DBL Arena. The building was built in just seven months. One of the best buildings in Indonesia, it has a capacity of 5,000 spectators.[6]
2009–present: Continuous growth
DBL continues to grow every year. The new point was marked by the formation of PT DBL Indonesia so that this league could continue to run sustainably. In 2018, this league was implemented consistently in 30 cities and 22 provinces in Indonesia. From Aceh to Papua. In each match, the number of spectators present in the arena ranges from 3,000 - 10,000 people.
That year, the number of basketball players competing in the DBL was recorded at more than 35,000 people. They come from 850 schools spread across 195 cities and districts. The number of matches in that season reached more than 1,350 matches.
In total, DBL league participants grew to reach 1.2 million people. In Indonesia, there is no student-level sports league that is able to involve as many young people as DBL Indonesia does.
Appreciation from the President of the Republic of Indonesia
This achievement was recognized by the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Ir. H. Joko Widodo. Because of this achievement, President Joko Widodo invited the best DBL league players to the Bogor State Palace to play basketball with him and a number of State Ministers.[1]
List of defending champions of the DBL competition in each province
