ANTA Philippines’ efforts have come to fruition with a deal to become the official outfitter of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Although the financial terms were not disclosed, the partnership will last for two years, with the Chinese sports giant’s local arm keen on making it long-term.
A contract signing was held Sunday evening at the brand’s flagship store at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, bannered by MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and ANTA PH General Manager JP Paglinawan.
“We would like to thank ANTA Philippines for the partnership,” said Duremdes.
“Hopefully, the league will grow more together with our partner, ANTA.”
Paglinawan said that the link-up came naturally since league founder Sen. Manny Pacquiao serves as one of ANTA’s global ambassadors since 2016. The boxing great, unfortunately, couldn’t make it to the simple rites.
(C) ANTA
“We have been working on it since the second half of last year. Everyone knows Sen. Pacquiao is a global ambassador of ANTA,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
“It came naturally because we wanted to sponsor the best leagues in the Philippines. MPBL came to mind and since Senator Pacquiao is there, it was natural that we agreed to support each other.”
The ANTA-MPBL partnership is not new. The brand served as the title sponsor of the league’s inaugural season in 2018 by staging the ANTA Rajah Cup that Batangas City eventually ruled. However, a different entity was handling the brand back then, and the ties didn’t last that long.
But the two would find themselves collaborating again years later, mostly behind the efforts of Paglinawan and his group.
The amiable executive hopes that ANTA could serve the league similar to what Nike has been doing with the NBA, particularly in terms of providing uniforms.
ANTA branding has been present on all of the MPBL clubs’ jerseys since the ongoing season commenced last March, but the team is aiming to be involved with the design process next season.
“We’re looking at a long-term partnership,” he said. “We’re looking at an NBA-type of deal. This year, unfortunately, there is no time, but next year, we want to be involved in designing their uniforms. So, we can bring added value.”
Big things are definitely being planned now that the partnership has been made official, and ANTA PH couldn’t be any prouder to have taken such a step. It would help strengthen its bid of being the preferred brand in local hoops.
(C) ANTA
“From an idea to an actual partnership, we’re really proud,” Paglinawan said. “It’s ANTA’s first partnership with a basketball pro league in the Philippines. And it signals something that ANTA is really gearing up for something big in the Philippines, that we’re here to last, to make an impact, and eventually be number one.
“It’s step one to becoming number one in the basketball category in the Philippines.”
