SM MOA ARENA, Pasay City — With just a few days left until the 86th installment of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) opens at the MOA Arena, league executives commit to intensifying the coverage of non-mainstream sports and empowering athletes, especially women.
In a press conference held earlier today, September 27, UAAP and broadcasting executives advocated that this season will solely revolve around the bannered theme “Fueling the Future.”
In a statement to the media, Atty. Mariana Lopa, newly appointed Deputy Commissioner for women’s and girls’ basketball, said that ‘representation’ differentiates this season from the previous ones as this is the very first occasion that the women’s basketball team was represented in the pre-opening press conference.
AVP for channels and content and Head of Programming, Ms. Carissa Guilas, says that Cignal, the official broadcast partner of the UAAP, will ‘remain steadfast in broadcasting the UAAP games.”
According to Guilas, Cignal has also incorporated the streaming app Filipinas Live for real-time simultaneous game streaming. This app, however, has a monthly fee of 150 pesos.
She added, “Cignal will be airing more basketball games and will now also televise women’s basketball.”
Atty. Lopa says that women in basketball are also quite exceptional. Coming off the pandemic, the women’s division had no training bubbles, professional leagues, and seldom training, yet they obtained victorious status in the UAAP last season as well as in international competitions such as the SEA Games.
“With this amount of support, girls being able to let their families watch them play brings out a different level of excitement and motivation needed for the girls to put on a good game,” Atty. Lopa added.
Meanwhile, Cignal promises to attempt to broadcast all games slated in the UAAP. The league is set to kick off this Saturday, September 30, at the MOA Arena.
UAAP Season 86 is available on the UAAP Varsity Channel, One Sports, and Pilipinas Live
Written By: Francis Tiu-Sonco UAAP Correspondent/Rektikano.PH
Photo Courtesy: UAAP Media Bureau
