Fans may not have noticed it yet, but the ANTA logo no longer appears on the jerseys of Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) member teams.
That’s because the partnership between the Chinese sports brand and the regional league founded by Sen. Manny Pacquiao was no longer renewed.
It could be recalled that both parties came to terms and announced their tie-up back in April of 2023 — a two-year deal that made the company the official outfitter of the MPBL and was planned to emulate the Nike-NBA collaboration.
Some of the company’s top brass said that it was a natural collaboration, since Sen. Pacquiao himself has been an ambassador of the brand since 2016.
Making it long-term was actually on their minds, especially on the part of ANTA, but none of that would happen anymore as no new deal was put in place.
But that very development could just be part of what appears to be a major problem that may affect the brand’s local arm moving forward.
An apparent slash in budget has also put in danger ANTA Philippines’ position as the official outfitter for some of the country’s top college basketball programs.
It is feared that the Varsity Project, which the brand refers to for its initiative, may have to let go of some of its teams — or worse, get dissolved altogether.
The brand is currently backing five schools across the UAAP and NCAA under the initiative, namely Adamson University, University of the East, San Beda University, College of St. Benilde, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
ANTA has been aggressive in solidifying its place in local sports, particularly in basketball. The Varsity Project serves as its most important work with how it has also contributed to the brand wars, most notably in the college scene.
For decades, Nike and adidas have grabbed major shares of the market by clothing major colleges and universities, but that has changed in recent years.
Since the collegiate leagues returned to action during the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2022, ANTA returned to the scene through the Soaring Falcons, and that practically kick-started the arrival of other brands, especially in the UAAP.
The Varsity Project’s biggest triumph, perhaps, was the Red Lions’ ascension back to the mountaintop of the Grand Old League when they conquered Season 99 after beating Mapua in a best-of-3 finale that went the distance.
So successful was the entire Varsity Project that it encouraged ANTA to link up with other leagues, such as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
For a time, they served as the official footwear of Asia’s pioneering pro league. The brand continues to be the official apparel partner of the TNT Tropang Giga, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and the Magnolia Hotshots to this day.
Given their rise, many are also assuming that the brand was a top contender to bid for a partnership with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas after the federation cut ties with Nike, whom it worked with for two decades.
