The PBA Philippine Cup begins this Sunday, with the San Miguel Beermen trying to defend the crown. The early games of the tournament will go head-to-head with the ongoing UAAP men’s basketball eliminations. (Photo credit: Businessworld)
The PBA and the UAAP will cross paths on the small screen once more.
For the first time, the opening day of the PBA Philippine Cup will take place while the UAAP men’s basketball eliminations are still ongoing. This was made possible by the latter’s most recent calendar change.
Previously, the UAAP men’s basketball tournament was played from July to October. But with most member schools adjusting their calendar to be at par with other foreign institutions, the UAAP decided to move its season opening to September, and with it rescheduled the basketball season from September to November.
This means that the elimination round of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament will now have to compete with the PBA Philippine Cup once the latter opens in October*. Both leagues primarily play at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena; thus, they need to agree in advance on the availability of both venues.
Sunday’s PBA Philippine Cup opener at the Big Dome will feature the customary opening ceremony, followed by a game between the Star Hotshots and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. On the same day, the UAAP will hold a men’s basketball twinbill at MOA, pitting UE and UP, and La Salle and FEU.
The PBA games will be aired on TV5, AksyonTV and Sports5.PH, with a radio broadcast on Radyo5 stations. The UAAP games are currently seen on ABS-CBN Sports+Action, Balls HD 195, iWanTV and ABS-CBN Sports official website.
* The UAAP men’s basketball games previously took place alongside PBA import-laden tournaments (e.g. Fiesta Conference, Governors’ Cup).
From the Tube 
What makes this duel between the PBA and UAAP interesting is that former PBA sportscasters Mico Halili and Nikko Ramos are now covering the UAAP.
Let’s leave that out of the window because it has nothing to do with what would happen in the next few weeks. The Philippine Cup is usually the top tournament of the PBA, and in past years, they have been untouchable in the local mainstream basketball scene. But now that the UAAP has moved its schedule to coincide with the said tournament, it will be very difficult for them to make their presence felt. The PBA always had a reason to change its opening from January to October, and it is to fit well with college hoops, but now with the UAAP taking place alongside them, this will be a daunting task.
IMO, mas maigi na October or November ang start ng PBA due to the FIBA leagues happening during their off seasons. It would really be a tough scheduling for PBA and UAAP due to PBA can’t afford to adjust on January to October because if this will happen, some time in the season or conference, some PBA players would represent in the FIBA, and this means they need to be taken some time off from their respective teams.
Plus, many PBA teams wouldn’t lend their players to represent Gilas if the season is still going on. And, I don’t know but I heard a rumor that NCAA might also adjust its season opening to August next year (if this is true). So, this would be a tough competition with PBA if they are to remain in October or November opening.
We’re not like the U.S. where the NBA and NCAA play every day at almost the same time, and where the venues are always abundant. Kaya mahihirapan talaga ang PBA now that the UAAP (and possibly NCAA) plays late in the year, because they play most of their games in Metro Manila in order to save on travel costs.
Plus, our season structure is composed of three conferences, unlike in the NBA na iisang tournament lang. Because of that, it may not help the national team’s training at all due to this issue. Of course, playing three conferences may help in the revenue department, but it won’t matter if it compromises the national cause.
The PBA will be forced to play in smaller venues like PhilSports Arena, Cuneta Astrodome and Ynares Center while Araneta and MOA are booked for the Final Four and Finals of the NCAA, as well as the big games of the UAAP.
Not to mention provincial venues on Saturdays. That said, the PBA is now relegated to smaller venues this early in the eliminations thanks to the NCAA and now the UAAP playing simultaneously.
Now that’s I call a crammed schedule for the Philippines’ big basketball leagues.
Indeed.
Update: UAAP games cancelled this Sunday, due to effects of Typhoon Lando. We wait for the PBA’s announcement if they will continue or not.
IDK kung ano ang gagawin ng PBA, ngayong nagbabanta na ang Bagyong Lando.
We’ll wait for further announcements.
Well the opening of the 41st season of the PBA is postponed today and will be reschedule on Wednesday. The ceremony will start at 5 and the first game of the All-Filipino Conference will start at 7. It will be held at MOA Arena because the UAAP will use The Big Dome for their usual double header. By the way, refunds have beem used by TicketNet and the PBA because of this.
It will be a sports showdown between PBA and UAAP, as well as between TV5 and ABS-CBN Sports + Action come Wednesday.
First time that the PBA season opens at MOA. They usually hold it at Araneta (except last yr at PhilArena), but thanks to the UAAP, the PBA will make history again, dahil first time in a long time silang magbubukas ng season on a weekday, and at MOA no less.
And since there is Aksyon in between, it’s also a very unusual opening day for PBA viewers.
And kawawa dito yun mga fans kasi kailangan ulet nila na gumastos hindi lang sa ticket kundi sa pamasahe going to Pasay.
Refunds pa lang kulang pa rin. Not to mention rush-hour traffic dahil it will be held on a weekday.
IMO, mahihirapan ang PBA to adjust to January opening due to most of the international leagues like FIBA, Jones Cup, and others happen during August to September if their season is from October to July. If they are to have the season from January to October, then it would come to a point that the Gilas players would take some time off to practice for the National Team, which to some PBA company teams wouldn’t allow if the season would go on.
Plus I heard a rumor that NCAA might decide to adjust next season with their opening to August. It might be a trouble for PBA because the mid season of NCAA and UAAP would happen during also the scheduling of their season games if this is true.
In the past, the PBA opened in January because the national team’s focus then was on the Asian region and not globally. Now that they’re competing in FIBA-sanctioned tournaments, moving to October was necessary, but since we have three conferences, it may not help at all, since the national team needs time for training.
And like I said, the PBA plays most games in Metro Manila, which would pose a problem since the UAAP and NCAA are still playing.
Indeed, sorry for the double comment. I thought my early post was not posted.
Your right, masyadong mabigat ang 3 conferences. How about if they just bring back the two conferences like they did before?
Or just one tournament like the NBA or Euroleague. Their offseasons are always short, kaya madaling ma-burn out ang mga players.
Indeed. But they need more teams in order to have a lengthy season with just one conference. Plus, if that would happen, then it would come to a point that they wouldn’t have to let the imports to play.
Anyways, I hope the new commissioner would address this situation, and try to make some new innovations, not just for the league, but for the country.
It’s about improving Philippine basketball and earning money at the same time. The PBA needs to face this dilemma now.
The PBA opening ceremonies on Wednesday will be very simple and austere because of the recent calamity.
Indeed, plus may pasok pa karamihan, so expect the crowd to be less.
Parang nawala yun Money Ball and its replace with a spin-off of Sports 360 named “Sports 360 Blitz”
Nawala na ang Money Ball? If so, mag-move on na tayo sa Money Ball gimmick ng Sports5 na ginamit sa kanilang PBA at NCAA (on their short tenure with Sports5) coverage.
The MoneyBall thing was never good to begin with. If you’re a smart basketball fan, better go with a more traditional approach, like an analysis-based halftime show. Though, I haven’t seen Sports 360 Blitz so just fill me in on the format.
Reading tweets from televiewers, recaps from each game. Parang AKTV Center yun segment pero not that long. Kaya nga blitz e mabilis lang yun segment nila. And it is stage in the playing venue at hindi sa studio.
Mala-Upfront ang dating, ika nga.
Pero it is only shown between halftime ng bawat game. Baka tommorow i will watch it on livestream kung may pre-game sila. Kasi they don’t air pre-game shows on TV.
So they removed the money ball. That is a good one. I am never a fan of the money ball though. Para kasing ginagawa nilang variety show ang PBA instead of a Sports League in my point of view.
Plus, the money ball was the reason why NCAA left on their Sports production. So, hoping for a better coverage of PBA on Sports 5 in the weeks to come.
wla na bang pba sa channel 41? ang labo ng tv5 sa amin
Unfortunately AksyonTV stopped showing PBA games this season to focus on the PSL and a fledgling amateur league in the PCBL.
Aksyon TV has also acquired the rights to air the Filsports Basketball Association, another fledging amateur league with Vince Hizon as Commissioner.
That makes PBA simulcasts impossible now, given their commitment to grassroots basketball.
TV5 has a wider reach than Aksyon TV which is why the PBA will now be shown on TV5. But the station needs to improve its signal first.
As in TV5 ONLY. AksyonTV was simulcasting TV5’s feed before this season, remember.
Game 2 of the Finals will be start at 2pm tommorow on both ABS-CBN 2 and ABS-CBN Sports and Action Ch. 23. First dual broadcast.
Parang PBA lang noong nag-simulcast sa TV5 at AksyonTV. But historically speaking, ABS-CBN Sports is used to this dual broadcast in the past, back when they had the MBA and when they’re starting off with UAAP coverage 15 years ago.
The awards ceremonies won’t air on Channel 2, by the way, so their telecast only starts after Ipaglaban Mo.
I may not be suprise that ABS will simulcast big games of the UAAP on both Channel 2 and Channel 23 next season. On this telecast today, this goes to show that ABS can go multimedia in a few years.
Until then, though, they are only airing the finals on Saturday. They can’t air simultaneously on weekdays because of the teleseryes on 2. But since Channel 23 has a powerful signal, not to mention the additional platforms, it won’t be a problem anyway since it can still reach a wide audience even without the presence of Channel 2.
Yan nga ang problema sa Aksyon TV ngayon. Aksyon TV’s nationwide reach is not at par with ABS-CBN Sports + Action, with Aksyon TV filling the gap with cable and Cignal.
UAAP made the right decision last year and NCAA made theirs last June, so walang problema sa ABS-CBN Sports + Action.
Exactly. ABS’ signal strength is second to none, and other networks will have to catch up sooner or later.
It might be a trial simulcast for now. But in the long run, the fans will benefit from it. Now ABS needs to fix their scheduled programming to at least make it possible kahit yun mga marquee games ng UAAP o NCAA especially during the final 4 and the best of 3 finals.
That will depend on the agreement between the sports and entertainment divisions.
Like I said, the UAAP coverage will do just fine, with or without the help of Channel 2, since there is a similarly powerful Channel 23 on UHF and additional platforms to speak of.