| (Image Source: PinoyGamer.ph/Philippine Basketball Association) |
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), with the support of local brands and major companies, is set to bring the popular PC game DOTA 2 back to the local competitive eSports scene with the announcement of PBA eSports Bakbakan: DOTA 2 in partnership with eSports and gaming organizer Dark League Studios. As officially announced on its official Facebook page, PBA eSports revealed the twelve qualified participating teams that made it to the top out of 100 teams that signed up to join the open qualifying stage. The twelve qualified teams will represent and mirror each basketball franchise team and will compete in the upcoming DOTA 2 professional league for the chance to take home the biggest share of the prize pool.
The qualified teams include second top tier Southeast Asian professional gaming squads such as Manta eSports and Sharks with some aspiring unknown names in the league. The participating teams for PBA eSports Bakbakan: DOTA 2 with their respective PBA franchise team counterparts are the following:
• Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters - SHARKS
• NorthPort Batang Pier - ALAGAD NI BALONG
• TNT Tropang GIGA - D-ROAR SEED
• Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots - TAMS FX
• Converge FiberXers - 747 DOTA
• NLEX Road Warriors - Team G
• San Miguel Beermen - RAGTAG
• Rain or Shine Elasto Painters - TEAM BILOG
• Terrafirma Dyip Basketball - NOIR
• Meralco Bolts - MIDNIGHT LAMBINGAN
• Blackwater Bossing - SHOWBOX
• Barangay Ginebra Kings - MANTA ESPORTS
The PBA eSports Bakbakan: DOTA 2 tournament features a Php250,000 prize pool to be divided by the top three teams where the winner gets the largest share for a total of Php150,000. Meanwhile, the second and third placers will receive Php70,000 and Php30,000, respectively. Although the prize pool is relatively small for a professional league, the importance of exposure is probably the keyword for 100 attending teams and aspiring professional DOTA 2 players. PBA eSports Bakbakan: DOTA 2 is part of the expansion of Asia's premier pay-to-play professional basketball league with tournaments featuring Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG: Battlegrounds initially held prior. It is anticipated to play a major role in the growing local eSports community, expand the sphere of the league, and be a starting point for promising Filipino DOTA 2 players.
