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| L-R: Anton Asistio of Rain or Shine, PBA Marketing Head Jo Francisco, Rain or Shine Manager Jireh Ibanes, Rain or Shine Head Coach Yeng Guiao, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, ANTA Philippines General Manager JP Paglinawan, Magnolia Media Liaison Reena Del Mundo, Magnolia Assistant Coach Mon Jose, Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda Head Coach Coach Yuri Escueta, TNT Head Coach Jojo Lastimosa (Image Source: Manila Standard/ANTA Philippines) |
In a landmark deal, global sportswear giant ANTA takes its court game to a whole new level as the official footwear partner of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The partnership marks a new chapter for both organizations, solidifying ANTA’s dedication to Philippine basketball and positioning its innovative footwear technology on the local stage. PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial shares, “We are thrilled to welcome ANTA as our official footwear partner. ANTA’s commitment to innovation and quality aligns perfectly with our vision to elevate Philippine basketball. This partnership promises exciting developments for PBA players and fans, and we are confident it will contribute significantly to the continued growth of the sport.”
Deepening its commitment to the PBA, ANTA continues its partnerships which began in the previous conference with fan-favorite teams Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Magnolia Hotshots, TNT Tropang Giga and PBA D-League's Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda. Through these collaborations, ANTA empowers athletes to strive for greater achievements on the court. ANTA Philippines General Manager JP Paglinawan states, “Teaming up with the PBA gives us the opportunity to support these athletes perform at their best at the highest level of basketball locally. Partnering with the PBA comes at a perfect time when ANTA is growing at a very rapid pace across the country. Together, we look forward to further developing the future of both brands and more importantly, Philippine basketball.”
The press conference took place at the New World Makati Hotel where ANTA’s TV commercial is also presented featuring some of ANTA’s bright young athletes in the PBA and bringing together with PBA legends Alvin Patrimonio and Benjie Paras, paying tribute to the past and looking forward to the league’s exciting future. Additionally, the commercial highlights ANTA’s latest basketball footwear, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to providing comfort, technology and performance on the court. Later this year, ANTA will roll out community programs in collaboration with Rain or Shine which reflects ANTA’s dedication to supporting local basketball and fostering its future at every level. From global sportswear tech to hometown hoops, ANTA’s partnership with the PBA sparks thrilling opportunities, empowering local talent to shine on the hardcourt.
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MVP, Badminton Asia Executives Explore Growth Of Badminton In PH
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| Badminton Asia executives and top officials of PLDT and Smart Communications led by group chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan (fifth from left) (Image Source: Manila Standard/PLDT Inc.) |
PLDT Inc., Smart Communications Inc. and Badminton Asia plan to work together to help advance badminton in the Philippines. Badminton Asia executives led by President Kim Jong Soo, Chief Operating Officer Chooi Weng Sheng, and Marketing Chair Bambang “Rudy” Roedyanto recently met with PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP), PLDT and Smart Head of Sports Jude Turcuato, and Smart Go-to-Market and Subscriber Management Head Melvin Consunji Nubla and explored possible future collaborations to help develop badminton in the Philippines.
“We are honored to collaborate with Badminton Asia as we take even bigger steps to promote Philippine badminton. We will continue to work with national sports agencies and partner organizations to give our smashers the best chance to bring glory to the country through badminton,” said Pangilinan, who also serves as the Philippine Badminton Association (PBAD) Chairman and is an avid badminton player. Driven by the belief that supporting and engaging in sports enable nation-building, the MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) has sponsored numerous local and international tournaments such as the Badminton Asia Championships and the MVP Badminton Cup, among others. A long-time supporter of PBAD, the Foundation is also establishing the MVP Center for Sports Excellence in Antipolo, a training facility to support the national badminton team.
“We hope to open more doors and opportunities for Asian badminton athletes to play in international competitions, to further promote and improve the region’s capabilities to compete in the world stage,” said Kim. PBAD has been working closely with Badminton Asia to further develop the sport in the country through various training programs for athletes, coaches, and technical officials. With the support of Smart and MVPSF, PBAD has also launched a strong grassroots initiative with the Junior National Ranking System and the Junior Regional Badminton Series – a ten-leg regional tournament to identify rising stars across the country. Badminton Asia is the governing body of the badminton sport in Asia under the flagship of Badminton World Federation (BWF), represented by 43 member associations from five sub-regions across Asia.
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Garena To Stage eSports World Cup Free Fire On July 10-14, 2024
| (Image Source: PinoyGamer.ph/Garena) |
Leading global online games developer and publisher Garena, together with the eSports World Cup (EWC) Foundation, officially announced the participation of the battle royale game Free Fire at the inaugural EWC taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this summer. The partnership will see the world’s most downloaded mobile battle royale step into the arena of EWC 2024, leveraging its global presence to offer fans around the world a unique and unprecedented eSports experience. “Free Fire has been a major force in mobile eSports, pushing boundaries and setting records. Our summer event brings together the best games, and eSports World Cup: Free Fire is a natural fit. It is a prestigious competition that shows the power of eSports to unite players and fans worldwide. Get ready for an epic battle royale showdown in Riyadh,“ said eSports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert.
Scheduled to be held on July 10-14, 2024, eWC Free Fire will witness 18 teams compete for a slice of the US$1M prize pool. Hailing from five local Free Fire tournaments as well as ESL’s Free Fire Snapdragon Pro Series, these 18 teams will compete in the Knock-out Stage for the first three days, before the best 12 will proceed to the Finals over the next two days. In addition, the champion will secure a ticket to compete in Free Fire’s largest tournament of the year — the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) Global Finals 2024, which will be held in Brazil this November. A teaser announcing Free Fire’s participation in EWC 2024 is now available on social media. Fans and players can catch a glimpse of Free Fire’s Gloo Wall against the backdrop of the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. As the host country of Free Fire’s flagship World Series both in the first edition in 2019 and again this year, Free Fire is set to make an exciting return to what represents an indelible part of its esports history.
“We are honoured to be a part of the widely anticipated first edition of the eSports World Cup. The team is working closely with the EWC Foundation to deliver an unforgettable Free Fire eSports experience, and we cannot wait to unveil our plans to our global community, especially our players in the region," said Garena Free Fire Producer Harold Teo. Launched in 2017, Free Fire is an immersive battle royale game created specifically with mobile gamers in mind. The 2021 edition of its largest annual tournament, FFWS, which was held in Singapore, currently holds the record as the most watched mobile eSports tournament in history, having seen 5.4 million peak concurrent viewers. As the first mobile battle royale game to achieve over 1 billion downloads on Google Play, Free Fire is highly popular among players around the world, boasting over 200 million monthly active users.
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Asia Pacific University Games 3x3 PH Set For March 15-17, 2024
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| (Image Source: PhilStar.com/One Dream Sportsman) |
One Dream Sportsman, headed by basketball coach Dr. Norman Afable, announced the holding of the Asia Pacific University Games (APUG) 3×3 Philippines – a qualifying tournament for the APUG 3×3 Championship – slated to be held on March 15-17, 2024 at the Marikina City Sports Gymnasium and Bulacan Center in Malolos. Under the auspices of the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP), the league is open to all students aged 25 years old and below and currently enrolled in schools, colleges, and universities with a mission to help propagate the development of basketball at the grassroots’ level. It is expected to open more opportunities for Filipino players to hone their skills and reach their potential of playing in local pro leagues and abroad.
“It’s an honor and great privilege, kaya nagpapasalamat ako na mapagkatiwalaan ng FESSAP to run this league and help our young players reach their full potential para maging handa sa pagkakataong dumating sa kanilang career,” said Afable, a former collegiate standout and organizers of grassroots basketball leagues. “There’s a lot of opportunity now with a lot of pro leagues in the continents. In-demand ang ating mga players sa Korea, Japan and China as well as in the middle east. ‘Yung exposure na makukuha ng ating mga players ay malaking tulong para mas maging handa sila kung dadalhin nila ang career sa abroad,” added Afable, who serves as the league’s Chairman and Head of Sports Marketing and Operations. Veteran coach Jojo Castillo is designated to serve as tournament director.
Afable said the league seeks 20 school participants and is open to non-members and affiliated FESSAP schools with deadline for the submission of entries is on February 28, 2024. “Schools are allowed to form two teams. We have targeted 20 participants, but if there are more teams to join, we will divide them into three groups. Format is single-round elimination,” said Afable. Besides the Php25,000 total pot purse, the top four teams in the event are automatically qualified for the APUG 3×3 Championship to be held in the Philippines on May 2024.
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Davao City's South Pacific To Host PH Golf Tour Qualifying School
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| (Image Source: Manila Standard) |
The Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Qualifying School is venturing south for the first time, promising a spirited battle for spots in this year’s circuit, which includes ten legs and a coveted berth in the season-ending Match Play Championship. The 72-hole eliminations will be played on March 5-8, 2024 at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates in Davao City, which hosted the ninth leg of both the PGT and Ladies PGT last year. Leading the charge in this year’s batch of hopefuls are multi-time national team spearhead and multi-titled Aidric Chan, Lanz Uy, Luigi Wong and Ryan Monsalve. They are all eager to demonstrate their readiness to step up and compete for substantial prize money in the upcoming Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-organized circuit set to kick off on March 12, 2024 at the Apo Golf and Country Club, also in Davao.
Chan, who had previously partnered with pro Rey Pagunsan to win the Delimondo National Pro-Am Splendido Taal Golf Club in 2019, and his fellow amateurs including Enzo Fregil, Marc Lu, Vince Lusterio, Jr., Tom Marcelo, Francis Mendez, Edmar Salvador, Jr., Niño Soberano, Airon Sorino, Sean Ty and Michael Uy will be vying for the Top 30 slots against seasoned pros aiming to re-claim their Tour cards after falling short in the 2023 PGT season. Among the experienced pros participating in the qualifiers are Rufino Bayron, Anthony Fernando, Enrico Gallardo, Johvanie Abaño, John Kier Abdon, Magno Arancon, Jr. Kristoffer Arevalo, Leandro Bagtas, Ramil Bisera, Paul Echavez, Jelbert Gamolo, Josh Jorge, Mario Labajo, Joseph Labajo, Leonard Lofranco, Jonas Magcalayo, Ivan Monsalve, Carlos Packing and Elmer Saban. The field also includes returning players like Mhark Fernando, Edward Reyes and Paul Minoza.
The country’s premier tour put up by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is poised for another exciting season following a successful offering last year after the pandemic. After the Apo inaugurals, the circuit moves to the Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, also in Davao, for the March 19-22 leg. The pursuit for fame and fortune continues with the Caliraya stop in Cavinti, Laguna on April 9-12, followed by legs at the Valley Golf Club in Antipolo and at Splendido Taal Golf Club on May 7-10 and July 16-19, respectively. The 54-hole Ladies PGT will run concurrently with its men’s counterpart.
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EAC, Arellano, San Sebastian, Perpetual Take Part In GMA Masterclass Social Media Literacy Series
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| The men's basketball team of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA participating in "GMA Masterclass: The Social Media Literacy Series" (Image Source: GMA Network) |
Basketball players from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member schools Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), Arellano University (AU), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) and University of Perpetual Help System (UPHS) DALTA participated in "GMA Masterclass: The Social Media Literacy Series" held at the GMA Network Center premises in Quezon City. The participants were welcomed by GMA Network's Senior Vice President and Head of Integrated News, Regional TV and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso along with the speakers from GMA Integrated News Digital and teams from GMA Regional TV and Synergy facilitating the workshops.
In the workshop series, the student-athletes are taught about social media etiquette and how they can use social media to tell their stories as athletes. The EAC Generals' session, which was held last February 6, was attended by players such as JC Luciano with assistant coach Joseph Guion and Management Committee representative Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo. Last February 8, the Chiefs had their session with players such as Troy Valencia and assistant coaches Paolo Atinaja and Timothy Aclas with Management Committee representative Peter Cayco.
The Stags, on the other hand, had their session last February 13 with players including Tristan Felebrico and new head coach Arvin Bonleon with Jose Cabrera Jr. representing Management Committee member Fr. Virgilio M. Paredes, OAR. The ALTAs had their session the next day, Valentine's Day, with players such as Christian Pagaran and Cedrick Abis along with assistant coach Jam Lipae. Highlights of "GMA Masterclass: The Social Media Literacy Series" featuring NCAA athletes can be viewed on GMA Synergy's social media accounts.
