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| (Image Source: Mineski.net) |
eSports
continues to thrive and gain prominence across different parts of the globe and
is starting to become the fastest-growing sport in the Philippines with
government support as a major factor in its continuing strong traction. This
pushes the industry to stage a uniquely different league where it plays similar
to the professional sporting leagues today and can become a platform for the
finest to exemplify their gaming skills that will be used and learned when they
compete in the international stage as well as for the industry to introduce the
sport of professional gaming to a wider nationwide audience. Thus, The
Nationals is born.
Officially
sanctioned by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) and supported heavily by the
eSports National Association of the Philippines (eSNAP), The Nationals is the
first franchise-based professional gaming league in the Philippines and perhaps
the only one of its kind in the world with the purpose of further legitimizing eSports
in the country. On its premiere season, the league will feature three of the
biggest and most popular games in the country today namely DOTA 2 for PC,
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang for mobile, and Tekken 7 for consoles with two
conferences per game.
Five
teams headlined by some of the best and finest professional gamers from
different parts of our own local shores will compete in this overwhelming
series of tournaments which will run from August to October. These include Bren
eSports, Cignal Ultra, PLDT-Smart Omega, Happy Feet Emperors and Suha-XCTN (Execration) Punishers. They will be joined by three other teams by June which will surely
include TNC and STI. Each conference will have single round-robin elimination
rounds and playoffs that is likely similar to that of the PBA and Philippine Superliga.
The winners and top performers of each conference will move on to the season's
grand finale on October.
Throughout
the course of the season, teams will be provided adequate training facilities
and specialized personnel ensuring the right mindset of its members prior to
their scheduled games. Furthermore, each member of the team will be given
salaries depending on their performance in their games with Paymaya as the
league's official digital payments services partner. And just like the PBA and
PSL, The Nationals will give way and allow its participating players to compete
in international pro gaming tournaments where they can gain more experience
upon returning to the league.
The
Nationals will be aired exclusively on ESPN 5 via 5 Plus (Free TV Channel 41,
Cignal Channel 15, Skycable Channel 59, ABS-CBN TV Plus Channel 30) for free TV
viewers and on Cignal via eGG Network and ONE Sports for pay TV viewers. The
games will also be streamed live on social media via Facebook and YouTube.
Well, that's everything about The Nationals. It's all up to you if you want to
see a different kind of sports league and indulge on the prowess of the typical
Filipino professional gamer. For more information and updates, visit its
official website at www.thenationalsph.com
or follow The Nationals on its official social media channels.
