Smart Sports will be bringing the PBA’s Philippine Cup games to a wider audience by streaming it in all of its online platforms.
Starting on Friday, July 16, 2021, every game will be available to all SMART subscribers through Gigafest while also being available on the Facebook pages of SMART Sports and Puso Pilipinas.
“We believe that every Filipino should be able to watch the best Filipino basketball players in the country’s topflight league which is the PBA in any platform. Our aim is to bring the best coverage that we can provide to the league and bring the vibe of the arenas to the fans at the comfort of their own homes,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.
Smart is doing this so that every Filipino can cheer on their favorite PBA teams wherever they are.
“With the PBA, we realized that it’s been a long time since we’ve played actual basketball with the PBA because of all the restrictions and because of the pandemic. I do think in general if you look at the league and you look at the players it is still the most talented Filipino-based league in the world by far,” said Jude Turcuato, FVP and Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart.
“Looking at the viewership even from last December and even before that when the pandemic wasn’t here yet, it’s still the most-watched league in the Philippines because of the mass-based following of the PBA. SMART Sports still sees value in supporting the league because it gives jobs to the best basketball players in the Philippines. We admire not only the league but the teams that consist of the league for being committed to the players and not turning their backs on the livelihood of these players during the break and during the pandemic,” he continued.
Besides the streaming service, the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City — the home of the PBA for its crown jewel tournament — will also be equipped with SMART’s 5G service.
To date, Smart has fired up more than 4,000 sites across the country, making it the country’s first, fastest, and widest 5G network.
Grateful is PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial for the support Smart has given the league all throughout the years, saying that Smart Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan; Smart President and Chief Executive Officer and Meralco Governor Alfredo S. Panlilio; and TNT Governor Victorico “Ricky” P. Vargas are important figures in the league, which is now in its 46th season.
“Ever since yung Smart sinusuportahan tayo. Kahit nung hindi pa ako yung commissioner, malaki na ang suporta nila sa atin. Masaya tayo na lagi nandiyan sila Boss MVP, Boss Al, at Boss Ricky. Sila yung mga haligi namin sa PBA at malaking tulong ang binibigay nila sa atin,” expressed Marcial, who is in his fourth year as the league’s chief.
Speaking on behalf of Smart, Turcuato said that he looks forward to seeing the growth of Asia’s first play-for-play league in the years to come.
“The PBA certainly deserves some credit in nation-building and supporting our basketball players,” he said.
“We are looking forward to commissioner Willie Marcial evolving and figure out how to move this league into the next decade.”
