NBA Returns To Philippine Television Through Partnership With Cignal, Smart

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ENTERTAINMENT, TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS | July 29, 2020

(Image Source: Bilyonaryo.com.ph)

"The game you love is back on the small screens." The National Basketball Association (NBA), the world's premier basketball league, has announced last July 27, 2020 a few hours prior to the 5th State Of The Nation Address (SONA) of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that it has signed a multi-year partnership deal with Cignal TV Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. to bring the league's games and programming to fans in the Philippines through free-to-air, satellite television and over-the-top streaming. This marks the return of NBA to Philippine television almost a year after its ten-year broadcast agreement with Solar Entertainment Corporation expired before the start of the 2019-2020 season followed by its limited airing of games on CNN Philippines since late last year until March.

Starting July 31, Filipino basketball fans can catch and enjoy the 2019-2020 NBA season restart emanating from the ESPN Wide World Of Sports complex in Orlando, Florida, USA on TV5 and One Sports with four live games every week. TV5 (free TV channel 5, digital free TV channel 18.1/51.1 in Mega Manila, Cignal channel 5, Skycable channel 10) will air these games every Saturday and Sunday mornings while One Sports (free TV channel 41, digital free TV channel 18.2/51.2 in Mega Manila, Cignal channel 6, Skycable channel 59) is slated to broadcast the Friday and Monday games. Both TV5 and One Sports will deliver selected "seeding games" featuring participating NBA teams as well as playoff games during its first and second rounds, while the Eastern and Western Conference finals will be televised in its entirety between the two channels with TV5 to air the highly-anticipated NBA Finals. These channels can also be viewed via live online streaming on the Cignal Play, which is available to download for free for all Cignal and non-Cignal subscribers on Google Play and the Apple App Store, and on www.tv5.com.ph.

On the other hand, the Philippines' leading pay TV service provider Cignal is set to launch NBA TV Philippines, a localized version of the league's dedicated 24/7 channel NBA TV which will air two live games daily and feature original programming in either standard or high definition. NBA TV Philippines will be available on Cignal SD channel 96 and HD channel 262 for subscribers of Postpaid Plan 520 or later and of Prepaid Plans 450 (SD channel 96) and 600 (SD and HD channels) or later as well as on Satlite channel 52. It will also be offered as an ala carte channel for other Cignal subscribers who wish to avail of the channel which is Php200 a month. Furthermore, Cignal is also open to offer NBA TV Philippines to cable operators across the country.

As an expansion of its existing partnership with the NBA to distribute NBA League Pass across the country, Smart Communications will livestream NBA TV Philippines on its new over-the-top streaming service which will be exclusively available to the telco's paid subscribers. Furthermore, Smart will relaunch NBA.com/Philippines, the league's digital destination in the country, later this year prior to the start of the new season. It is noted that the three-year partnership between the NBA, Cignal and Smart does not officially begin until the start of the league's new season which would hopefully take place on December. Unfortunately, the deal does not cover games of the NBA G League for those who wish to see local collegiate standout Kai Sotto in action while the NBA 2K League is exclusive to eGG Network which is also available to Cignal and Satlite subscribers.

"The NBA restart is set against a uniquely challenging moment in time for our fans in the Philippines, who are among the most passionate and dedicated NBA supporters in the world," said NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy. Meanwhile, Cignal and TV5 President and CEO Robert Galang stated, "With three channels broadcasting the games, Filipinos now have the chance to experience the NBA live on free TV channels TV5 and One Sports and on Cignal TV's NBA TV Philippines on high definition. The game we all love is now truly home." For Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio, the Filipinos' hunger for live and exciting basketball action is in their DNA and, fortunately, we cannot deny that.