IN AN ever-changing landscape, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) continues to strive for innovation and growth, focusing on initiatives for a more inclusive league.

This vision was evident in the recent inclusion of Esports in the UAAP, with all eight schools participating in NBA 2K, Valorant, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

Brought by these additions, the opportunity to incorporate more sports into the UAAP has grown despite the traditional restrictions in place. Member schools now compete in 20 sports, with 3×3 basketball being the latest regular integration in Season 81 and Esports as an exhibition sport in Season 87—prompting calls for more sports in the UAAP calendar.

Boosted by international renown and achievements reaped by national athletes, the emerging popularity of sports like gymnastics, weightlifting, billiards, and boxing in the Philippines has further sparked intriguing discussions about the UAAP’s expansion.

Uncharted territory

Boxing and billiards have long been staples in the Philippines, with legends like Manny Pacquiao and Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes laying the foundation for a thriving sports culture. Meanwhile, Carlos Yulo and Hidilyn Diaz’s triumphs in their respective disciplines captured the nation’s heart, causing a surge in the popularity of gymnastics and weightlifting in the local scene.

Given the recent success of Filipino athletes, the UAAP Board of Trustees has held discussions about the inclusion of new sports. These debates primarily led to the UAAP focusing on full participation between all schools as the main agenda before adding new sports, as only the “Big Four” universities participate in all events.

Not only does the UAAP face participation issues among its eight members, adding new sports to the collegiate league is far from an easy process. A lot of factors come into play when it comes to the addition of new disciplines. Veteran sports media figure Sev Sarmenta highlights four main hurdles for new athletic disciplines: financial backing, popularity, reputation, and facilities.

Similarly, Ateneo’s Assistant Director for Varsity Development LA Mumar emphasizes the importance of careful planning when adding new sports. “We don’t want to do it half-baked. We have to make sure everything is set before we get into a sport,” he said.

With each sport facing different challenges, the question remains: what is the possibility of the inclusion of gymnastics, weightlifting, billiards, and boxing in the UAAP?

Rationalizing change

Integrating more events in the UAAP calendar rests not only on the heightened public clamor for expansion; it also requires a thorough deliberation of each school’s capacity to back sporting programs.

Internally, the proposed innovation places member universities in an economically vulnerable position as the need to fund new athletic teams arises. While universities with intact stakeholder support can leverage their strong financial backing, the same cannot be said for schools that struggle to field teams in other events.

Among the favored inclusions, weightlifting is gaining more visibility as most universities have existing weight rooms that could be used as training facilities. 

Conversely, garnering lesser traction as a future addition is gymnastics, as procuring training equipment proves to be a logistical and financial challenge given the different apparatuses required to accommodate the sport.

Beyond such considerations, the UAAP’s capacity to hold new sports also come into play. With recent developments in the league’s proposed home arena in Pasig, adding more sports looks to be more feasible as it would alleviate expensive rental costs and the difficulty of finding suitable event venues.

As basketball and volleyball undoubtedly remain the darlings of the crowd, Sarmenta heeds the importance of television coverage and showcasing exceptional talent to amass a following in niche sports. “As to whether they will be popular, that will depend on television […] and, if we have some very good gymnasts, probably,” he shared.

As the UAAP is continually grounded in its member universities’ core principles, schools remain as vital decision-makers in shaping the league’s future. While expanding the league serves a national cause, stereotypical notions and moral dilemmas surrounding boxing and billiards significantly affect its chances of inclusion in the near future.

As Sarmenta notes, schools would be apprehensive to participate in boxing due to the physical risks associated with the sport. For billiards, meanwhile, its image as a gambling sport does not necessarily bode well with the ethical benchmark espoused by member universities.

Is the league expansion feasible?

While acknowledging the myriad of complexities associated with the proposed innovation, Sarmenta and Mumar remain staunch advocates of adding gymnastics to the UAAP, alluding to the event’s ceiling for surging the nation’s medal haul in the Olympics.

However, for the veteran sports anchor, gymnastics must first be instituted as a UAAP demonstration sport to assess each school’s capability to field athletes, similar to how the Olympics introduces new sports.

“I would suggest [making gymnastics a] demo sport muna (at first), not counted sa (to the) overall [championship]. Tignan muna nila kung may (They must see first if there are) participants.” Sarmenta remarks.

Weightlifting and billiards also present good cases for future league additions, while boxing’s inclusion is a far-fetched reality given its ethical predicaments. For weightlifting, accessibility to existing training facilities makes it a practical undertaking.

However, in billiards’ case, its future addition hinges upon how the league showcases the event. For Sarmenta and Mumar, with proper rebranding and by delivering the sport its due elegance, the collegiate scene could witness billiards’ inclusion in no time. As seen in the pioneering success of Esports—also deemed a gambling sport by some—the UAAP is more than capable of reimagining and organizing events that fit its member universities’ moral benchmark.

Reframing perspective

Ultimately, educated insights from renowned sports professionals indicate an openness to adding new sports to the UAAP, with weightlifting and gymnastics presenting the biggest potential to join the nation’s premier collegiate league.

However, beyond the enthusiasm for expansion, universities may also face another hurdle regarding financial capabilities as the inclusion of a certain sport will require additional expenditure for new players, staff, and equipment. On top of that, ongoing costs like maintenance, transportation, and events management could stretch the already tight budgets of some universities, making it a tough decision when considering expanding the UAAP lineup.

Given these challenges, the UAAP should first address the lack of support, recognition, and funding for some existing sports before expanding. Many sports already in the league remain underfunded and overlooked, calling for greater institutional backing. Increasing participation in widely played sports like football would also provide more opportunities for grassroots talents without imposing significant financial strain on member schools.