ABS-CBN Sports

ABS-CBN Sports
Launched1998; 26 years ago (1998)
ClosedAugust 31, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-08-31) (legislative franchise lapsed)
Division ofABS-CBN Narrowcast
Country of originPhilippines
OwnerABS-CBN Corporation
Key people
  • March Ventosa (Head, ABS-CBN Narrowcast)
  • Dino Laurena, (Head, ABS-CBN Integrated Sports)
  • Peter Musñgi, (Consultant, ABS-CBN Integrated Sports)
HeadquartersQuezon City
Major broadcasting contracts
Sister network
FormatSports
Original language(s)Filipino (main)
English (secondary)

ABS-CBN Sports was a sports division of the Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation, which aired some of the notable sporting events in the Philippines.

ABS-CBN Sports began in 1998 as the main broadcaster for the network-backed basketball league Metropolitan Basketball Association which introduced the home-and-away play format in the Philippine basketball landscape. Simultaneous with that (shortly before the MBA collapsed), it acquired the broadcast rights to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) (NCAA) collegiate basketball leagues, which bolstered Studio 23's ratings and at the same time aligned further toward the said channel's programming thrust to the youth.

ABS-CBN Sports also supplant contents to their sports channel S+A aired on UHF Channel 23 (main channel) and Sky Cable Channel 166 (HD channel). The division also maintains their official website, sports.abs-cbn.com, one of the top sports news websites in the Philippines.

On July 16, 2020, the final buzzer sounded as the staff and employees of the sports division became part of a series of retrenchments, following the July 10 vote of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied the network a congressional franchise, officially ceased its operations on August 31.[1][2][3]

Following the closure, several sports rights were transferred to the different TV channels (including TAP Sports and Premier Sports, both owned by TAP Digital Media Ventures Corporation). Despite the closure, ABS-CBN Sports continued to deliver sports update on digital platforms.

Final programs

Exclusive contract

Note: Titles are listed in alphabetical order followed by the year it debuted in parentheses.

Sports broadcasters

Final on-air staff

  • Dyan Castillejo (Sports Correspondent, Top Rank Boxing Play-by-play, Sports U host and ABS-CBN News sports reporter)
  • Christian Luanzon (UAAP/MPBL Basketball Analyst)
  • Leo Isaac (MPBL Basketball analyst)
  • Bea Daez (UAAP Basketball analyst)
  • Enzo Flojo (UAAP Basketball analyst)
  • Judy Saril (PVL Courtside Reporter)
  • Migs Gomez (MPBL Lead Play-by-play)
  • TJ Manotoc (ABS-CBN News Sports Correspondent for North America)
  • Miguel Dypiangco (MPBL lead play-by-play)
  • Roxanne Montealegre (MPBL Courtside Reporter)
  • Olsen Racela (NCAA Basketball analyst)
  • Renren Ritualo (NCAA Basketball analyst)
  • Rodney Santos (MPBL Basketball Analyst)
  • Sheila Salaysay (MPBL Courtside reporter)
  • Cedelf Tupas (MPBL Lead Play-by-play)
  • Jeanine Tsoi (PVL Courtside reporter)
  • Nikki Viola (MPBL Courtside reporter)
  • Synjin Reyes (PVL Lead play-by-play or courtside reporter)
  • K Realubit (MPBL Courtside reporter)
  • Sydney Crespo (MPBL Courtside reporter)
  • Aiyana Perlas (MPBL Courtside reporter)
  • Nikko Ramos (UAAP Lead Play-by-play)
  • Martin Antonio (MPBL Lead Play-by-play/NCAA Basketball Analyst)
  • Migs Bustos (ANC Gametime anchor and UAAP/NCAA Basketball analyst)
  • Marco Benitez (The Score substitute anchor and UAAP Basketball analyst)
  • Vince Velasco (PVL Courtside Reporter)
  • Jing Jamlang (UAAP/PVL Lead Play-by-play)

Past on-air staff

See also

References

  1. ^ "Philippines top broadcaster ABS-CBN denied new licence". BBC News. July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Philip Matel (July 16, 2020). "ABS-CBN Sports, longtime home of numerous leagues, signs off". tv5.espn.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  3. ^ "Final buzzer sounds for ABS-CBN Sports". ABS-CBN News. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "TEN REASONS WHY IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A KAPAMILYA SPORTS FAN". ABS-CBN Social Media Newsroom. April 17, 2016. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "SIGNED AND SEALED: Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League coming to S+A". ABS-CBN Sports. January 10, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  6. ^ "World Wrestling Entertainment now available on Tap on Sky Cable". LionhearTV. March 2020.
  7. ^ "Expanded deal inked for NXT broadcasts in the Philippines". BusinessWorld. July 6, 2021.