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Philippine oil tanker causes oil spill after capsizing off waters of Bataan

THE SUNKEN MT Terra Nova off Bataan. — PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FACEBOOK PAGE

A MARINE tanker carrying industrial fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines on Thursday, causing a large oil spill, authorities said.

A search was under way for a missing crew member of the MT Terra Nova, which was carrying 1,494 metric tons of industrial fuel when it capsized off the coastal town of Limay, Bataan province in the country’s north, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista told a situation briefing with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Manila.

Sixteen crew members were rescued.

“There is already an oil spill,” he said. “Right now, we cannot dispatch our resources because of strong winds and high waves.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armando A. Balilo told a separate briefing a 97-meter coast guard vessel had been deployed to search for the missing sailor and combat the oil spill.

Smaller vessels were waiting for the weather to clear before they could sail.

An aerial survey by the coast guard showed an oil slick spreading roughly two nautical miles and being driven by strong waves.

“We are racing against time. We will do our best to contain the fuel,” Mr. Balilo said.

He added that the waters where the ship sank is close to Manila, and there is a “big danger” the spill could reach the capital.

“That’s part of the contingencies that we are preparing for,” Mr. Balilo said.

At the situation briefing, Mr. Marcos ordered the Environment department to assess the damage. The agency’s chief was on her way to Limay town.

Mr. Marcos told the Environment and Science and Technology departments and the Philippine Coast Guard to assess the environmental impact of the spill.

An investigation was under way whether the sinking was related to Super Typhoon Carina (International name: Gaemi), which on Wednesday flooded swathes of the capital Manila and surrounding towns.

At least 21 people have died from the super typhoon and monsoon rains, according to police. Authorities said the toll could go up.

LSEG’s Eikon data showed Terra Nova has a deadweight tonnage of 1,415 tons and was headed to the central province of Iloilo.

The oil tanker MT Princess Empress was carrying about 800,000 liters of industrial fuel when it capsized on Feb. 28 last year and eventually sank, causing an oil spill that took three months to clean up and hit tourist towns. — NPA with Reuters

Analysts urge China not to manipulate talks with Manila on sea dispute

BRP SIERRA MADRE, a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines live in as a military outpost, sits on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. — REUTERS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

CHINA should avoid a domineering stance in negotiations with the Philippines to ease sea tensions, security analysts said on Thursday, after Beijing told Manila not to complicate the situation.

“It shows the behavior of China as domineering and manipulative in the two-way process of resolving the South China Sea conundrum,” Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“Beijing should learn to listen to Manila and set an equal footing to gain mutual respect and trust,” he added.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

At a news briefing in Beijing late Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the Philippines should not “backpedal” or do something that would complicate the sea dispute, after both countries reached an arrangement on resupply missions to a handful of Filipino soldiers stationed at Second Thomas Shoal.

Ms. Ning said the “provisional arrangement” agreed upon during the July 2 bilateral talks in Manila was an “active effort China made to keep the situation under control.”

China has said it would only allow Philippine resupply missions to the shoal, where Filipino soldiers live on a grounded ship, if it is informed in advance.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Manila had never agreed to prior notification during talks with Chinese officials.

“It takes two to tango,” Rommel C. Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, said in a Viber message.

“Both parties should avoid hostile and offensive unilateral actions to truly deescalate bilateral tensions and should exert best efforts to coordinate their activities without compromising their respective national positions,” he added.

Manila and Beijing need consent from each other before they can publicize the details of their arrangement on resupply missions, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año told a news briefing on Wednesday.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.

A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s claim over the waterway for being illegal. Beijing has ignored the ruling.

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) forces with bladed weapons on June 17 boarded Philippine rubber boats and looted several rifles stored in gun cases, actions that Manila’s military chief Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. said only “pirates” do.

A Filipino Navy sailor lost a thumb during the encounter.

US Secretary of State Antony John Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III are set to meet with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo C. Teodoro, Jr. in Manila on July 30 to discuss maritime and security issues.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it had spotted a Shucha II-class China Coast Guard vessel near Capones Island in Zambales province, a day after the ship sailed around a South China Sea feature that is rich in oil and gas. 

The vessel was traveling at a speed of nine knots and was about 62 nautical miles west of Capones, PCG spokesman Jay Tristan Tarriela said in an X post.

“On July 23, it moved to the northeast of Recto Bank and stayed there for more than a day before proceeding towards its current location,” he added.

The vessel passed through Philippine waters amid rough seas along Luzon’s western seaboard brought by Super Typhoon Carina.

It left Scarborough Shoal on July 21 and headed toward El Nido, Palawan, where it joined a Zhaotim-class CCG vessel, Mr. Tarriela said. — with Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Death toll from Carina hits 21

RESIDENTS of Tatalon village in Quezon City try to salvage their belongings as they clear their homes of rubbish and mud after Metro Manila was inundated by rains from Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

SEVEN people died in the capital region mostly from drowning, five in Batangas province, three each in Cavite and Rizal provinces, one in Bulacan and two in Angeles City in Pampanga, police spokesperson Jean S. Fajardo told a news briefing, citing the local disaster agency.

Two of the deaths were a mother and her five-year-old daughter, who were buried in a landslide in Bulacan province, she said.

The disaster agency said more than 1 million people from about 245,000 families had been affected by Carina, which together with the southwest monsoon inundated Metro Manila and some northern provinces.

Almost 52,000 people from 12,199 families were staying in evacuation centers, it said.

Carina left the Philippine area of responsibility at 10 a.m. on Thursday, according to the state weather bureau.

“The opening of the new school year on July 29 may be at risk with thousands of schools severely affected and some being used as evacuation centers,” the United Nations Children’s Fund said in a statement.

Children are among those who suffer the most in any emergency, it said, noting that the Philippines had the highest number of children displaced in the past six years from weather-related events at 9.7 million.

The center of Carina, which had maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 215 kph, was estimated at 515 kilometers north-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes province, it added.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. visited several evacuation centers in Metro Manila, including those in Valenzuela City, which was submerged in floodwaters after La Mesa dam overflowed on Wednesday.

In his visit to the city’s command center, the President cited miscommunication between dam operators and local government units regarding water release.

“Communication has become our weak spot,” he said. “When you open the dams — if they would spill — the downstream communities need to be informed.”

A social media photo showed a passenger bus submerged in Quezon City as the Marikina River, which spans 16 bridges, reached as high as 20 meters.

Its water level rose to 21.5 meters during the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 that killed more than 700 people, and to 22 meters during Ulysses in 2022 killed about 100 people.

Also on Thursday, the office of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio in a statement said she left the Philippines on Wednesday for “a personal trip with her family.”

“The timing of the trip coinciding with Typhoon Carina is unfortunate,” it said. Reports earlier said Ms. Duterte-Carpio had flown to Germany. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

BTr to file claim for school damage

PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE BUREAU of the Treasury (BTr) on Thursday said it would file an insurance claim under the National Indemnity Insurance Program to support public schools affected by Super Typhoon Carina.

The cost of the damage in 45 public schools in eight regions had reached at least P308.5 million it said in a statement.

The BTr is working with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the insurance claim. Once a payout is confirmed, the DepEd may use the funds to rehabilitate the schools, the Treasury bureau said.

The national insurance program provides cover for government assets against fire, lightning, typhoons, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It started on Jan. 1 and is insured by the GSIS. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

No power for Meralco clients

BW FILE PHOTO

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) on Thursday said about 210,000 customers still had no electricity after it cut power to some flooded areas for safety.

Affected clients were mainly in Metro Manila and parts of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon provinces, according to the power distributor.

The number had gone down from more than 660,000 customers on Wednesday who experienced brownouts.

“The outages are predominantly due to heavy flooding across our service areas,” Meralco Vice President and head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga told a news briefing. “Fallen trees and foreign objects obstructing power lines also caused power disruptions in several areas.”

In a report, the Energy department said no generation plant had been affected by the floods caused by Super Typhoon Carina. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

DFA resumes passport interviews

DFA.GOV.PH

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday said it would accommodate those with postponed passport renewal and application appointments at its Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon offices starting Friday up to Aug. 26 after Super Typhoon Carina.

The presidential palace on Wednesday suspended work in all government offices in the three regions due to flooding caused by the typhoon and monsoon rains.

Metro Manila, which is composed of 16 cities and one municipality and home to at least 13 million people, was placed under a state of calamity. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Carpio silence on SONA slammed

VICE-PRESIDENT Sara Duterte-Carpio — OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

A CONGRESSMAN on Thursday questioned Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s silence on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) before Congress on Monday.

In a statement, Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose M. Dalipe said her decision not to support the presidential pronouncements including the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and the sea dispute with China undermined efforts to present a united front.

“While everyone was cheering the President for his decisive actions on the West Philippine Sea and POGO, Vice-President Duterte’s lack of response is indeed troubling,” he said.

“Her silence not only undermines the collective efforts of our government but also casts doubt on her commitment to the nation’s best interests,” he added.

The office of Ms. Duterte-Carpio, who was out of the country with her family, did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

In a separate statement, Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, Sr. berated Ms. Duterte-Carpio for leaving the country amid Super Typhoon Carina’s onslaught, citing her “lack of empathy.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Lack of mobility plan scored

Motorists are stuck in traffic along ESDA in Cubao, Quezon City, Nov. 7, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. failed to say how he plans to solve traffic congestion in Metro Manila and offer a comprehensive transport plan in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Congress on Monday, according to a mobility advocate.

“A part of us was hoping that the President would reiterate the need for a comprehensive transport plan,” AltMobility PH Director Ira F. Cruz told BusinessWorld in a Viber message. “Past SONAs and the 2025 budget of the Department of Transportation, much of which has been allocated for airports and seaports, did not leave much room for optimism.”

He said the group was “not surprised” that the President chose to ignore the day-to-day mobility needs of ordinary Filipinos. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

22 Filipino athletes in Paris Games

ONE SPORTS COLLAGE

IT wasn’t a walk in the park.

At the jaws of adversity and teeth of struggle for years, Filipino athletes thrived and strived for greatness to scale the Mt. Olympus, regardless of how steep the journey was.

After countless sweat and tears made possible by unparalleled sacrifice, 22 ardent warriors made it to the top. And they’re ready to shock the world.

When the Olympic flames officially get lit next week, they, however, will not be fighting alone as the hundreds of Filipinos here and all corners of the world rally behind them.

The Paris Olympics is there for the taking and here are the 22 Filipino Olympians — the biggest Team Philippines delegation in over three decades since the 26-strong team in 1992 Barcelona Summer Games — who conquer the summit of the biggest sporting spectacle on Earth:

ATHLETICS:

EJ Obiena — Men’s Pole Vault

Olympic stint: second; EJ Obiena is the world’s No. 2 pole vaulter for a reason and he’s out to prove that in his second Olympic stint.

The most decorated athlete in the country today, Mr. Obiena was the first Filipino to qualify in Paris, booking his ticket as early as July last year after clearing the Olympic mark of 5.82 meters at the Wanda Diamond League’s Bauhaus Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

The feat earned the 28-year-old leaper a silver medal and a lot more mints in the succeeding months — highlighted by the gold medal in the Asian Games — making him the country’s best bet for a medal in Paris.

John Cabang Tolentino — Men’s 110m Hurdles

Olympic stint — first; Based in Spain, John Cabang Tolentino hurdled his way to Paris through Olympic rankings at the end of the qualifying cycle. He ranked No. 30 after the qualifiers as 40 athletes around the world caught the last bus to Paris.

The 22-year-old hurdler holds the Philippine record at 13.37 seconds, on top of being a bronze medalist in the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships Games and Southeast Asian Games.

Mr. Cabang finished fourth in the Asian Games. In Paris, he’s ready to spring some surprises.

Lauren Hoffman — Women’s 400m Hurdles

Olympic stint — first; Filipina-American ace Lauren Hoffman joined Mr. Cabang Tolentino as the last Olympic qualifier for Team Philippines, placing No. 39 in the Olympic rankings.

The 25-year-old ace is also the national record holder at 56.39 seconds after starting to represent the Philippines in 2023.

Ms. Hoffman, based in the United States, finished fifth in the Hangzhou Asian Games and is out to shock the world in Paris.

BOXING

Nesthy Petecio — Women’s Featherweight

Olympic stint — second; Nesthy Petecio is among the two silver medalists in the Tokyo Olympics, making Paris a perfect stage for her sweet vengeance.

She made it back to Paris for the second straight Olympics after a finals appearance in the 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy.

The 32-year-old pug from Davao Del Sur is the flag-bearer of Team Philippines, along with fellow boxer Carlo Paalam.

Carlo Paalam — Men’s Featherweight

Like Ms. Petecio, Carlo Paalam fell just short from bringing home the elusive boxing gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics with a silver mint.

It took him a while to punch return Olympic ticket but still made it in time by securing a finale appearance in the 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.

Along with Ms. Petecio, the 26-year-old son of Bukidnon will carry the Philippine flag in the opening ceremonies of the Summer Games, where he is determined to get payback.

Eumir Marcial — Men’s Middleweight

Olympic stint — second; A bronze medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, Eumir Marcial brims with confidence to complete redemption in Paris with hopes of delivering the country’s first boxing gold medal.

The 28-year-old warrior from Zamboanga City bolstered that bid by punching a ticket to Paris as early as last year following a silver-medal finish in the Asian Games.

Mr. Marcial turned pro since then, going unbeaten in five bouts that should be enough of a stepping stone in finally getting the job done in his Olympic arena return.

Aira Villegas — Women’s Flyweight

Olympic stint — first; Aira Villegas will be debuting in the Paris Olympics, thanks to a finals stint in the 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Italy along with compatriot Ms. Petecio.

A bronze medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, the 28-year-old pug from Tacloban City is keen on making her first Olympic experience worthwhile by shooting for a podium finish.

Hergie Bacyadan — Women’s Middleweight

Olympic stint — second; Capping the bets of the Filipino boxers as the biggest NSA delegation of Team Philippines in Paris is Hergie Bacyadan, who successfully transitioned to boxing in time for Paris after a decorated national wushu career.

A former wushu world champion and gold medalist, Ms. Bacyadan conquered the different arena in boxing with her first Olympic ticket by securing a semifinal ticket in the 2nd World Olympic Qualification in Bangkok, Thailand.

She’s the last qualified boxer for Team Philippines along with Mr. Paalam but in Paris, the 29-year-old Kalinga pride is out to be first.

FENCING

Samantha Catantan — Women’s Foil

Olympic sting — first; Injured and all, Samantha Catantan braved through a tough journey in the Asia Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifiers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to finally clinch a coveted Olympic seat.

Against all odds, the 22-year-old Quezon City standout pulled off a dramatic finale win to become the first Filipino fencer to qualify in the Olympics since Walter Torres in the 1992 Barcelona Olympiad.

GOLF

Bianca Pagdanganan — Women’s Golf

Olympic stint — second; Bianca Pagdanganan settled for a 43rd-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics and there’s no way she would not find a way back for her second Summer Games stint.

The 26-year-old Arizona standout made sure of that by qualifying through the Olympic Golf and Women’s Golf Rankings, which propelled 60 other world golfers to the Paris Games.

An Asian Games gold medalist, Ms. Pagdanganan placed at No. 113 that proved more than enough to be in after the last qualifying event in the Women’s PGA Championship.

Dottie Ardina — Women’s Golf

Olympic stint — first; Joining Ms. Pagdanganan this time around is the debuting Dottie Ardina.

The 30-year-old grizzled veteran from Calamba is also among the last 60 qualified golfers according to the Olympic Golf and Women’s Golf Rankings, placing at No. 298.

GYMNASTICS

Carlos ‘Caloy’ Yulo — All-Around

Olympic stint — first; Like Messrs. Obiena and Marcial, Caloy Yulo booked his Olympic spot as early as last year — remaining as one of the best bets for a coveted medal in Paris.

With a stacked resume marked by world championships, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games golds, Mr. Yulo clinched a return trip to the Olympics by being the highest-ranked eligible participant in the floor exercise at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

The 24-year-old all-around gymnast from Manila missed the Tokyo final in all-around events and finished fourth in the vault finals, falling short by 0.017 points for a potential podium placing.

There’s no turning back for Mr. Yulo this time in Paris for a coveted revenge.

Aleiah Finnegan — Women’s All-Around

Olympic stint — first; Like Mr. Yulo, Aleiah Finnegan was among the first Olympic qualifiers for Team Philippines as early as last year after her ascent in the world stage.

Ms. Finnegan, the 21-year-old gymnast from Missouri, made heads turn in the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium to secure one of the 14 tickets at stage and snap a 60-year Olympic drought for Filipina gymnasts.

Levi Ruivivar — Women’s All-Around

Olympic stint — first; It did not take long for Aleiah Finnegan to have a company representing Filipina gymnasts.

To join the feat of ending a six decade-drought, the 18-year-old California pride Levi Ruivivar secured a silver medal finish in the World Cup Series in Doha, Qatar to book a historic Olympic ticket and hike the number of Filipina representation.

Emma Malabuyo — Women’s All-Around

Olympic stint — first; It took Emma Malabuyo a long journey but it all proved to be worth it.

After missing the cut in the World Cup Series, the 21-year-old Filipina from California came back with a vengeance and clinched a bronze medal in the individual all-around event at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Uzbekistan to book a ticket to Paris.

In the process, she joined Ms. Finnegan and Ms. Ruivivar as the first Filipina gymnasts to qualify in the Summer Games since Maria Luisa-Floro and Evelyn Magluyan in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

JUDO

Kiyomi Watanabe — Women’s 63 Kg

Olympic stint — second; Kyomi Watanabe charged her way to a second Olympic appearance by clinching one of the two continental quota spots for Asia.

Ms. Watanabe, an Asian Games silver medalist and world junior champion, ranked No. 92 in the world with the Top 17, but only one from each country, advancing to Paris.

The 27-year-old judoka, who traces her roots in Cebu, is out for a stronger finish after a Round of 32 exit in Tokyo.

ROWING

Joanie Delgaco — Women’s Single Sculls

Olympic stint — first Joanie Delgaco is the first Filipina rower ever to make it to the Olympics.

She made it by turning the tide for a fourth-place finish in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta singles sculls in South Korea.

The 26-year-old Camarines Sur pride joined Edgardo Maerina (1988 Seoul), Benjamin Tolentino, Jr. (2000 Sydney) and Cris Nievarez (2022 Tokyo) as the only Filipino Olympian rowers.

SWIMMING

Jarod Hotch — Men’s 100m Butterfly

Olympic stint — first; A multiple-medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, Jarod Hatch is finally going to splash his way against the world’s best in the Paris Olympics.

Holder of the Philippine record in his pet event at 52.87 seconds, the 25-year-old tanker from California one of the two Filipino swimmers to qualify through the universality quota.

Kayla Sanchez — Women’s 100m Freestyle

Olympic stint — first; Like Mr. Hotch, Kayla Sanchez clinched a Paris Olympic ticket through the universality quota.

A former swimmer for Canada, the 23-year-old Ms. Sanchez opted to fly the Philippine flag last year when she debuted in the Asian Games with a fifth place finish in the women’s 100m freestyle.

She clocked 54.69 seconds to own the Philippine record, which she hopes to surpass with flying colors for a shot at an Olympic podium.

WEIGHTLIFTING

John Ceniza — Men’s 61 Kg

Olympic stint — first; The Philippine weightlifting delegation carries the biggest pressure to deliver in the Paris Olympics, especially on the heels of Hidilyn Diaz’s feat in Tokyo to bring home the country’s first-ever gold medal after a 97-year wait.

Good thing for the Philippines, three weightlifters led by John Ceniza brims with confidence to meet those expectations.

A silver medalist in the Southeast Asian Games and bronze medalist in the World Cup, the 26-year-old Cebuano put on a strong performance in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Thailand to stay in the Top 10 of the Olympic Qualification Rankings.

Ms. Ceniza lifted a total of 300 kilograms in the World Cup as the last Olympic qualifying event to secure his spot in his weight division.

Vanessa Sarno — Women’s 71 Kg

Olympic stint — first; One of the youngest athletes in the Philippine delegation, Vanessa Sarno has cemented her stature as the next big star in Philippine sports by clinching her first Olympic ticket.

At only 20 years of age, the Bohol pride Ms. Sarno set a Philippine snatch record (110 KG, 245 KG in total) in the IWF World Cup in Thailand for a fifth place finish, enough for a ticket to Paris.

A gold medalist in the Asian Championships and multiple champion in the Southeast Asian Games, Paris is next for Ms. Sarno’s taking.

Elreen Ando — Women’s 59 Kg

Olympic stint — second; Elreen Ando hoisted a return ticket in the Olympics at the expense of her mentor and former Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

Putting on a show in the IWF World Cup, the 25-year-old Cebuana carried a total of 228 kilograms to secure her place inside the Top 10 that in the process booted out Ms. Diaz from contention.

Now considered as Ms. Diaz’s heir apparent, Ms. Ando marches on to Paris with a blessing, faith and determination to follow up on the former’s historic lift in Tokyo, where she settled for a seventh-place finish.

ENDER Twenty-two Olympians, one dream. Hundreds of millions of Filipinos behind, one rally. Knowing they will not march alone to Paris, these valiant warriors are ready to pour it all in the country’s biggest fight — for gold and glory. — John Bryan Ulanday

NBA signs broadcasting deal with Disney, Amazon, Comcast worth $77 billion

WALT Disney’s ESPN, Comcast-owned NBCUniversal and Amazon.com have clinched the rights to carry National Basketball Association (NBA) games in an 11-year deal valued at $77 billion, the league said on Wednesday.

The NBA rejected a last-minute offer from Warner Bros Discovery’s TNT Sports division, which it said fell short of Amazon’s proposal, ending a four-decade relationship with the media company after next season.

“We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action,” TNT Sports said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Analysts have said winning telecast rights requires a huge financial commitment considering the cost as well as the fees associated with production.

About 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement, NBA said.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

The deal represents a blow to Warner’s sports division, adding to investor concerns about its role in the new sports-streaming partnership with Disney and Fox.

“A lawsuit could follow but it’d be risky,” said Ross Benes, Emarketer’s television and streaming analyst. “Even if WBD won a hypothetical suit to get the NBA back, it’d be stuck working with an angry NBA who it just sued. Such action could also spook other leagues from striking deals with them.”

Warner Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav said in May the company “was hopeful” it would reach an agreement with the NBA to keep the league on Max and TNT.

The NBA has contributed a sizable amount to Warner’s profit over the last four decades through advertising dollars across to the company’s traditional television portfolio and streaming services.

Tom Forte, senior consumer internet analyst at Maxim Group, said professional sports leagues are prioritizing companies they believe can pay the most “today, and in the future, for the rights to broadcast their games.”

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced separately that it renewed partnerships with Disney and Amazon and signed a new deal with NBCUniversal. The agreements will allow the companies to distribute more than 125 WNBA regular-season and playoff games.

‘A BROAD AUDIENCE’
Long-time league partner Disney will carry a total of 80 regular-season NBA games, including 20 contests on the ABC Network.

ABC will remain exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003.

NBCUniversal will pick up 100 regular-season NBA games, with more than half airing on NBC. Its sister service Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season.

The network also will telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years of the contract, which it will carry on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

Amazon also will carry 66 regular-season NBA games on Prime Video each season, including at least one game on Black Friday.

The NBA adds to Prime Video’s growing roster of live sports offerings, which include NFL and NASCAR in 2025.

“Our streaming base is becoming larger than a lot of cable networks in the US,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. “We’re bringing a broad audience, and also, when you look at our ‘Thursday Night Football’ ratings, they’re younger.” — Reuters

Argentina beaten 2-1 by Morocco in chaotic Olympic opener, France cruise

PARIS — A fan invasion in the opening match of the Olympic football tournament between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday caused chaos, with Argentina eventually beaten 2-1 following a VAR review after play was suspended with the score tied at 2-2.

Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored deep in injury time to salvage what looked like a 2-2 draw, but the decision ruling out the goal for offside was delivered about two hours after play was suspended.

After order was restored in Saint-Etienne and the teams had left the field following the fan invasion, they discovered that the match had not been completed but suspended by officials.

The venue manager told Reuters the game had been interrupted, adding that a decision about whether the match would be completed was being discussed.

The teams re-emerged on to the pitch to finish the match in an empty stadium, playing for three minutes and 15 seconds after VAR completed its review and disallowed the goal.

“I don’t remember something like this happening at this level, that the match is suspended for an hour and a half, warming up for 10 minutes and then play three,” said Argentina manager Javier Mascherano.

“What happened on the pitch was a scandal, it’s not a neighborhood tournament, it’s the Olympics.”

Organizers later said they were working with stakeholders to understand the causes of the pitch invasion and determine appropriate measures.

Soufiane Rahimi scored twice for Morocco, the second goal from the penalty spot early in the second half, before Giuliano Simeone pulled one back for the 2004 and 2008 gold medallists in the 68th minute.

Hosts France later made a good start to their tournament in Marseille with two goals in eight minutes after the hour mark and a late header from Loic Bade gave them a comfortable 3-0 win over the United States.

Captain Alexandre Lacazette sent a big crowd wild with a superb long-range effort to open the scoring before a fine strike from Michael Olise doubled the lead for Thierry Henry’s side.

After the drama in St-Etienne, organizers will have been relieved that Israel’s Group D opener against Mali at the Parc des Princes in Paris passed off without incident.

The 1-1 draw was played amid tight security because of heightened geopolitical tensions.

Diallo Hamidou’s own goal put Israel ahead 11 minutes after the break but Doumbia Cheickna equalized for the African side with a fine header in the 63rd minute.

Earlier at the same venue, Spain beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in the opening match of Group C despite struggling to hit their stride in the opening stages of the game.

The Spaniards, silver medalists three years ago in Tokyo, took the lead in the 29th minute against Uzbekistan with a close-range finish from Marc Pubill.

Uzbekistan, cheered on by the crowd, equalized just before halftime thanks to Eldor Shomurodov’s penalty following a VAR review for a Pau Cubarsi foul.

Spain wasted a golden chance to restore the lead after the break when Sergio Gomez’s penalty was saved by Abduvohid Nematov, but the Real Sociedad player redeemed himself when he found the net in the 62nd minute.

“For me, Uzbekistan were no surprise,” Spain coach Santi Denia said. “We have achieved our objective, but it’s been a very difficult game and now it is time to improve. That’s my job, I have to transmit better.” — Reuters

Dominant US women

Team USA’s win over Germany last Tuesday proved to be significant fodder for hoops habitues given the manner in which it was earned. A day later, another match between stalwarts of the two countries was held, but this time on the distaff side. The outcome was the same: victory for the red, white, and blue. That said, there was a big difference; the favored squad made sure to live up to projections virtually from the get-go; the lead ballooned to double digits early on, 12 at the half, and 14 after three quarters. And then depth came into play; the protagonists were separated by a whopping 27 points by the time the final buzzer sounded.

To be sure, running roughshod over the opposition is nothing new to the women’s version of Team USA. It has claimed a remarkable 55 straight set-tos in the Olympics, and figures to extend the streak in Paris. On Monday, it will begin group play against Japan, with three days separating its encounters versus Belgium and, again, Germany. As rusty and as disjointed as it may have looked in its last exhibition outing, it was still nothing short of dominant. Of the 30 baskets that made up its 84 markers, 27 came off dimes. In short, it competed as if its heralds had been together for a while now.

All the same, head coach Cheryl Reeve was right when she noted that Team USA will be hanging its hat on defense. The latter was close to nonexistent over the weekend, when the WNBA All-Star Team scored a ridiculous 117 points in an emphatic win. The coverage was much better against Germany, which hit less than two-fifths of field goal attempts. And it figures to be even more committed once the Summer Games get under way. Not for nothing does it have players who boast of excellent instincts combined with unique skill sets.

So, yes, there will be no upsets of Team USA when the competition begins in earnest next week. It’s just too stacked to be overcome, especially with would-be challengers still not at the same level as those in the men’s bracket. And with the array of marquee names bent on putting the pedal to the metal from the outset, the question isn’t if it will win every contest. It’s by how many points.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

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