Maharlika Basketball renews broadcast deal with Solar Sports

THE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will stay with the home TV broadcast network of its founder Manny Pacquiao for the second straight season.

Led by Mr. Pacquiao, the MPBL on Wednesday renewed its broadcast deal with Solar Sports that housed majority of his boxing fights during his heydays in time for the top regional league’s much-awaited 8th season on April 10.

And the fans indeed should expect an electric season on demand at different cities or at the comfort of their homes with a wider and bigger coverage from Solar Sports, which is accessible at Channel 21 on free TV in the Greater Manila Area and on up to 200 cable channels nationwide.

From six games a week last year, Solar Sports is elevating the fan TV experience with 12 games a week this season with three games each day during Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The long-time sports TV network will also broadcast all games of the playoffs regardless of the schedule while the MPBL, featuring a total of in-house 15 commentators, analysts and courtside reporters, will have a simultaneous online broadcast of all the games on Facebook and YouTube.

Solar Sports also houses the Shakey’s Super League, V-League, UCAL, PSAA, NAASCU and Metro Manila leagues across all sports.

The MPBL for now has 26 teams but is still finalizing more applicants to make it to up to 30 teams before it rolls off on April 10 in Caloocan and Laguna. — John Bryan Ulanday