Photo by Miguel R. Santiago
IN CELEBRATION of its semisesquicentennial anniversary, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is set to hold most of its seniors’ basketball games this Season 75 in the brand new Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
This year’s host school, the Henry Sy-owned National University (NU), looks to give the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Mecca of Philippine basketball, a run for its money with the addition of the state-of-the-art stadium as a venue for the coming season.
More than that, however, the partnership between NU and SM Supermalls not only signals the official debut of the MOA Arena as a collegiate sports venue, but also the birth of an arena that may rival the Big Dome’s rich legacy.
After all, October 1, 1975 is forever etched in memory of the Filipino as the day when Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali battled it out in Thrilla in Manila at the historic coliseum. The Atenean will never forget the raw, hard-nosed play of Enrico Villanueva, the Blue Eagle who dominated the game with his brute strength and rough attitude during the early 2000s.
World-class
The MOA Arena offers something never seen before in the Philippines. It has the air of an arena from the National Basketball Association (NBA), as it is patterned after the Philips Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks.
Located in Pasay City, the 64 thousand square meter arena has a seating capacity of 16,000 and a full house capacity of 20,000, outmatching all the indoor arenas in the country. Complete with a majestic 46-ton, 360-degree LED screen and two LED ribbon boards, the venue promises to have spectators more engrossed in watching matches.
As for seating, the MOA Arena offers VIP luxury boxes complete with mini-bars and cinema seats for those who wish to watch games in the most pampered manner. “It is truly world-class,” said a proud Nilo Ocampo, the director of the alumni affairs of NU and this year’s UAAP president.
Being six levels high, the arena has elevated and retractable seats designed for a clear view of all the action. Each level also has convenient smoking areas while the entire arena has Wi-Fi.
Accessibility
The MOA Arena provides a more strategic venue to most of the UAAP teams as it is near Manila’s university belt. For the schools not located along the university belt, the arena’s parking capacity can hold up to 1,400 vehicles.
For the commuters, the UAAP board is currently planning an easier route to the stadium. “We’re planning to have a shuttle service in the train stations, which would lead straight to MOA,” Ocampo said.
Much like the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the new MOA Arena also offers an accessible route to the neighboring mall. The arena has a bridge connected to the newly constructed MOA Annex, which houses the parking lot, restaurants, merchandise stores, snack bars and more. Fans are promised the best of both worlds through a world-class arena and a giant shopping mall all within walking distance.
Versatile arena
As this year’s UAAP host school, NU aims to maximize the brand new sports venue. Tentatively, an estimated 16 to 18 basketball games will be held in the MOA Arena, while seven will be held in the Smart Araneta Coliseum and three will be held in the PhilSports Arena. The MOA Arena seems to be in high demand as the National Collegiate Athletics Association will hold games there as well.
The MOA Arena will also feature games from the womens’ and juniors’ squads, who will also have the opportunity to experience the state-of-the-art sports ground. As said by Ocampo, “Everyone wants to experience a new arena.”
Other than basketball games, NU is planning to hold the final four rounds for volleyball and tennis in the stadium. With the increasing popularity of volleyball, holding the games in the arena can be seen as a way to make the sport more appealing to people.
For the tennis tournament, NU is planning to hold the finals indoors in order to avoid unpredictable weather disturbances.
Building up the hype
With the UAAP officially opening on July 14 in the arena, NU looks to pick up from where the Ateneo left off as last year’s host school. “We would like to do something different from last year,” Ocampo said. “We’re going straight to the games on the opening day.”
The opening festivities will kick off with a grand concert, followed by the first two basketball games of the season. Ocampo also expects that ticket sales will blossom with the new stadium due to its greater number of patron seats. In fact, the UAAP board has already booked the first round matchup of Ateneo versus La Salle to accommodate the volume of attendees. The UAAP will continue to be broadcasted live on Studio 23, as the collegiate sports body remains partnered with ABS-CBN.
With all the hype surrounding it, the MOA Arena indeed promises to be a fitting venue for future records that will be set and future historic moments that will take place in Philippine sports.
