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| (Image Source: Smart Communications/FIBA) |
FIBA global partner Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is about to bring the world’s biggest games and the best basketball stars to the Philippines as the country plays host to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (FIBAWC 2023). With Smart as a global partner, subscribers have the full homecourt advantage when it comes to epic basketball fan experiences lined up for the rest of the year, leading to the competition’s final phase in August 2023. Representing one of the host countries, Gilas Pilipinas has already booked a slot at the FIBAWC 2023. Coming on the heels of their February 24 and 27 games at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, the Philippine men's national basketball team holds a 6-4 win-loss record entering the final phase, ranking third in Group E of the Asian Qualifiers after New Zealand (8-2) at No. 1 and Lebanon (7-3) at No. 2.
For the first time in its history, basketball’s most prestigious international sporting competition will be hosted by multiple nations in Asia: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. As the country prepares to welcome the best players from all over the world, every Filipino basketball aficionado can easily participate, show support, and enjoy a 360-degree, epic basketball fan experience powered by Smart. “After nearly five decades since the country first hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 1978, the world basketball stage finally returns to the Philippines. The biggest basketball event in Philippine history comes home and is within reach of every Filipino basketball fan. This is really for the supporters of the game, and we at Smart are thrilled to be part of the team that brings everyone closer to where it all happens,” said PLDT and Smart President and Chief Executive Officer, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 local organizing committee head and FIBA Asia Central Board Second Vice President Alfredo S. Panlilio. “For Filipino basketball fans, this is the best time to be a Smart subscriber. As a global partner of FIBAWC 2023, Smart will be raffling off game tickets, streaming FIBAWC games live on the Smart LiveStream App, and providing an experience of a lifetime with perks and privileges leading up to the final World Cup games,” said Smart Senior Vice President and Individual Consumer Business Group Head Francis E. Flores.
Fans who want to witness Gilas Pilipinas up close and personal, experience the eagerly awaited matchups, and see some of the world’s best basketball players in action may join ticket raffle contests to be announced with and through Smart’s official social media accounts. Smart subscribers can also stream all the upcoming FIBA games, as well as watch replays of the previous games, via the Smart LiveStream App, the go-to app for exclusive live sports and music events as well as on-demand video content. Now downloadable on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, the Smart LiveStream App is designed for optimized streaming wherever you are, transforming your smartphone into an electrifying sports arena, as if you were part of the large and live FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 crowd cheering inside the Philippine Arena, Mall of Asia Arena, and Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Smart LiveStream App is available to all Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, Infinity, TNT, and Smart Bro subscribers who only need mobile data to access high-quality videos, anytime and anywhere. Non-Smart users may also stream the games live via their PLDT Home WiFi accounts.
To qualify for all Smart's ticket promos and perks for the FIBA Basketball World Cup lined up for the rest of the year, subscribers must register their SIM cards in compliance with the SIM Registration Law. Smart Prepaid and TNT subscribers may register their SIMs at https://simreg.smart.com.ph/portal while Smart Postpaid customers simply need to confirm the personal information and IDs they submitted for their postpaid plan application by texting YES to 5858 and wait for the confirmation message from Smart. Know more about the latest FIBA promos by following Smart's official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
