The treasure ABS-CBN built in PH sports

As ABS-CBN Sports bids farewell, here's a lookback on how the media giant captured the fans' favorite sporting moments

ABS-CBN has been an institution in Philippine sports for its live broadcast coverage of major leagues, especially the UAAP. 

Since 2000, the media giant captured UAAP’s best moments before it had to part ways with the country's biggest collegiate league this year due to the non-renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise. 

But it’s a relationship that has become historic in Philippine media. 

"It’s when you’re going to lose something that it becomes dearest to your heart," said head of ABS-CBN Integrated Sports Dino Laurena.  

"We fail to value the deep relations we had because it’s a matter of fact thing – it’s a job that you do, but I guess for our university partners and ourselves, it’s very hard to ignore a 20-year relationship."

"Even among us, it’s a very definitive relationship," he added. "Twenty years is nothing to scoff at – the organizations grew up."

Beyond basketball

ABS-CBN Sports is a testament to how pivotal media is in growing a sport. 

From an event once relegated to tiny gyms, volleyball has grown to be a major sport in the country with the help of the network.

Beyond the popular Alyssa Valdez and Ateneo's Fab Five or the powerhouse La Salle Lady Spikers, the sport's rise was also a product of the risk taken by ABS-CBN and the UAAP. 

Before volleyball earned its legions of fans in the country, ABS-CBN Sports executive producer Abet Ramos remembered how UAAP volleyball games were only played in the gyms of UAAP schools. 

"Basketball was the main sport for the UAAP. We were covering the basketball games and the finals of the volleyball only and the finals of volleyball was just held at the old UP gym," recalled Ramos. 

After noticing that there is a sizeable following for volleyball in the school gyms, ABS-CBN felt like it was high-time to take a risk. 

The UAAP and its broadcast partner booked San Juan Arena (now known as the Filoil Flying V Centre) for the first time in 2008 for the Final Four featuring Far Eastern University vs University of Santo Tomas and Adamson vs Ateneo. 

"Noong nilipat sa San Juan Arena, [we realized that] there is a different kind of fan base for volleyball compared to basketball," added Ramos as the venue has now become the home of the sport each UAAP season. 

(When the games were moved to San Juan Arena, we realized that there is a different kind of fan base for volleyball compared to basketball.) 

By 2013 – after 5 successful years of broadcasting the entire UAAP volleyball season – ABS-CBN and the UAAP again made a bold move by holding the elimination round games of UST vs NU and La Salle vs Ateneo at the 20,000-seater Mall of Asia Arena. 

"People were skeptical. The crowd was different from basketball," said Ramos. 

But the unprecedented decision drew a record-breaking number of 19,638 spectators not only from the UAAP community but also fans from different cities and provinces across the country. 

"We tried it and people from the provinces [came] kasama mga anak nila. Hindi naman sila from Ateneo, La Salle, UST and NU. Naging weekend get-together. [May galing] Cebu, Dagupan, and napuno ‘yung MOA," added the veteran producer. 

(We tried it and people from the provinces came with their children. They’re not even from Ateneo, La Salle, UST and NU. It became a weekend get-together for them. There were people from Cebu, Dagupan, and MOA was filled.) 

In recent years, ABS-CBN applied the same formula of providing live coverage of the playoffs and final games of other UAAP sports like beach volleyball, football, softball and baseball. This also gave fans a taste of the drama and cardiac games unique to these collegiate sports. 

Although these sports belong to niche yet passionate communities, it gave tournaments outside the UAAP confidence to approach ABS-CBN for media coverage. 

"Before, beach volleyball was just held in UERM Caloocan. It was a makeshift sand court then, now it’s [held] in Sands at SM by the Bay, and it expanded to the BVR (Beach Volleyball Republic)," said Ramos. 

Steering change

ABS-CBN Sports also played a big role in the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games when it provided live coverage of the opening ceremonies, football and volleyball events. 

The media giant was able to capture the Philippine men’s volleyball team’s breakthrough silver medal finish that garnered the attention of sports fans. 

While the women’s game remains more popular in the country,  ABS-CBN and the UAAP saw the opportunity to ramp up its promotions for men’s volleyball by having an alternate men’s and women’s game schedule during match days in Season 82. 

Unfortunately, the season came to an early end due to the coronavirus pandemic after a week of games. 

Still, people were able to take interest on homegrown international-caliber players like Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas, who have been playing abroad after their stints in the UAAP. 

Bringing athletes closer to fans

ABS-CBN also made sure that fans would get a chance to know their favorite athletes more and see their side beyond sports.  

When the coronavirus pandemic hit and put a halt to the world of live sports, the company’s sports arm relied on its digital team to produce shows like SRSLY, hosted by National University Bulldogs player Shaun Ildefonso, and Kalye Confessions by volleyball player Cherry Nunag of PetroGazz Angels.

Since the UAAP Season 82 volleyball games were suspended, the league’s star players Michelle Cobb, Eya Laure, Ponggay Gaston and Roselyn Rosier also hosted TBH, which kicked off in June. 

"It’s bringing the game closer to people," said Ramos. "You try to be involved in the game especially when digital came in, wherever you are, you can watch and put a comment and most of the players will answer you.

"With the new aspect of digital and with the cameras that we have, we see a new perspective of the games and the story we want to tell."

Recently, ABS-CBN also made history with the UAAP’s first ever online broadcast of the Season 82 closing ceremonies. 

More than ending a 20-year relationship, the event celebrated the bond of ABS-CBN Sports and its staff that gave fans the sports entertainment they enjoyed through the years. 

"An idea is only as good as its execution. There’s got to be a lot of expertise and that’s what we‘ve always embraced," said Laurena. "We’ve been together for a reason and we’re stronger than the sum of our parts."

https://rappler.com/sports/treasure-abs-cbn-built-philippine-sports