One of the most consistent discussions in the social media
and even in the “kantos” around the country is the shadow of the Metropolitan
Basketball Association. It was the first try of the country to adapt the patented
home-and-away format of the NBA and other top leagues in the world.
This year, the second shot will push through with the Maharlika
Pilipinas Basketball League.
MPBL was launched by Sen. Manny Pacquiao last September
2017. The key to its rise was obtained today with the signing of the contract
with the channel Sports and Action 23.
The games of the league will be shown on Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday from 7 PM to 11 PM.
GLIMPSE
The league will have five conferences namely; Rajah Cup,
Datu Cup, Lakan Cup, Mumbaki Cup and the Urduja Cup.
At the end of the season, an Overall Champion will be crowned
and a P1,000,000 price will be provided.
Other than the home-and-away format, what I love about this
league is its grass roots facet. The league is basically divided into two
levels. The barangay level and national/professional level.
The barangay level will held barangay tournaments that will
be supported by MPBL. The teams at the national level has the power to pick-out
players from the barangay level to add to their team.
That is a huge development, if implemented properly. Players
all over the country will feel like the opportunity is much closer to them now
and will have additional drive to work harder with their game.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
The biggest challenge for the league is logistics. As of
today, the tournaments that they are running and planning to run are still
confine into the three main sections of the country, Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao.
If they can find a way to run a Cup all throughout the
country, MPBL is heading somewhere that is much brighter than the PBA.
THE BIGGEST QUESTION
Even if they do not express this, I am pretty sure that the
vision of this league is to unseat the Philippine Basketball Association as the
#1 league in the country.
They have a good artillery to do that. And I am actually
hoping that they can accomplish it.
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