GMA Network and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) officially sign the landmark deal covering the broadcast rights for NCAA Season 96 to 101 – including the centennial year of the Philippines’ first athletic league in 2024. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing was held on Thursday, December 17, at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila.
Through the wide reach of the country’s largest Network, the five-and-a-half-year partnership will allow viewers across the Philippines and around the world to catch the NCAA games on GMA News TV, GMA Pinoy TV, and via online streaming on www.GMANetwork.com. GMA is set to broadcast the league’s major sports such as basketball, volleyball, swimming, athletics, and cheerleading. Further, the Men’s Basketball Finals will be aired on the Kapuso Network’s main channel, GMA-7.
Signing for GMA were GMA Network Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon and President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., who both attended virtually. GMA Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong also witnessed the MOA signing virtually, while present at the venue were Chief Marketing Officer Lizelle G. Maralag, Senior Vice President for Finance and ICT Ronaldo P. Mastrili, SVP for Corporate Strategic Planning and Business Development and concurrent Chief Risk Officer and Head of Program Support Regie C. Bautista, and VP and Head for Regional TV and concurrent Head of Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso.
On the other hand, leading the signatories for NCAA was Season 96 Policy Board President Fr. Rector Clarence Victor C. Marquez, OP of Colegio de San Juan de Letran with the NCAA Policy Board members: Fr. Aloysius Maranan, OSB of San Beda University, Dr. Vincent Fabella of Jose Rizal University, Dr. Reynaldo Vea of Mapua University, Bro. Edmundo Fernandez, FSC of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Fr. Nemesio Tolentin, OAR of San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Anthony Jose Tamayo of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Francisco Paulino Cayco of Arellano University, Dr. Jose Paulo Campos of Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Atty. Roberto Laurel of Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Also present were the NCAA Management Committee (ManCom) led by Season 96 Chair Fr. Victor C. Calvo, Jr., OP, of Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Atty. Jonas Florentino Cabochan of San Beda University, Efren Jose Supan of Jose Rizal University, Melchor Divina of Mapua University, Manuel Raymund Castellano of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Fr. Glynn Ortega, OAR of San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Francisco Gusi, Jr. of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Peter Cayco of Arellano University, Estefanio Boquiron, Jr. of Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Hercules Callanta of Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Gozon, who earlier on expressed his gratitude to the NCAA board for trusting GMA to become their new home, likewise assured that NCAA made the right choice to be with the number one network. “This team-up with the country’s first athletic league is very much meaningful for us in GMA. We are looking forward to show everyone the world-class talent of our young Filipino student athletes and rest assured that we will only give what is best for them as GMA Network wholeheartedly welcomes the NCAA into our home.”
“Having the opportunity to serve as a platform for NCAA in shaping our future national athletes is indeed an honor for the Kapuso Network. The fans and supporters of the NCAA can expect that GMA will pull all the stops to bring the best collegiate sports viewing experience for everyone,” said Duavit.
“More than putting ink on paper, this MOA between the NCAA and GMA Network is really an act of hope, committing the 10-member schools of the first and longest-running collegiate athletic league in partnership with the number 1 multi-media network, to fulfilling the dreams of our student-athletes to healthy and safe competition, and inspiring our school communities and the entire country towards a better way of engaging and enjoying sports, especially in the context of this pandemic,” shared Marquez.
“We believe that with GMA’s reach and platforms, the NCAA will be the undisputed number one collegiate league in the country. The first athletic league in the country and Asia deserves to be in the number one Network in the Philippines. Arriba NCAA @ GMA!” Calvo said.
For more updates, visit GMA Network’s official website at www.gmanetwork.com and its official social media accounts.
