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GMA Network is no longer the official broadcast partner of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Philippines, this is for the sport league’s upcoming seasons.
The partnership has ended Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, after the women’s volleyball bout between Colegio de San Juan de Letran and College of Saint Benilde. In the match, Letran made a historic dethroning of Benilde after the latter’s four-year reign.
Martin Javier, who served as the voice of NCAA in the Kapuso Network has said after the volley battle: “Thank you for the last five years. This has been the NCAA on GMA.”
To note, GMA and NCAA struck a partnership deal which began in 2020 for the airing of the league’s games on the network’s platforms.
The agreement covered five seasons of seniors and juniors basketball, and volleyball competitions for both men’s and women’s divisions.
Within the five-year contract, NCAA games were aired on GMA platforms, including GTV and the Heart of Asia Channel. Likewise, streaming on the TV station’s social media pages and YouTube channels.
According to some reports, NCAA has been informed about the non-renewal of the broadcast deal since December last year.
Sources say that the partnership has met with several challenges, including having consistent commercial sport. And sponsorships almost concentrate only during the postseason play.
NCAA is now on the lookout for a possible broadcast partner for its upcoming seasons.
Martin Javier encouraged sports supporters to keep backing the student athletes. “Kahit saan po magpunta ang NCAA, sana po kapitanin n’yo po ‘yung mga istorya ng ating mga atleta at mga coaches because the future is bright with them.”
The sports journalist added, “This is not the last time you’ll hear from them in the volleyball scene and in Philippine sports.”
Source: Fast Break, Tiebreaker Times, Wikipedia
