GMA Network, through GMA Synergy, recently partnered with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Basketball Association for the exclusive airing of the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
The deal allows GMA Network to exclusively broadcast all of the games of team Philippines – represented by the ‘Strong Group’ – on the Network’s free-to-air channels GMA and GTV; online via GMA Sports YouTube Channel; and to broadcast the games outside the Philippines via GMA’s international channels.
Present during the virtual signing held on Thursday, January 26, were GMA Network Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, and President of GMA Films, Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes and First Vice President and Head of GMA Regional TV and Synergy and Acting Head of GMA Integrated News Mr. Oliver Victor B. Amoroso.
Representing the UAE Basketball Association was Mr. Naji Al Jabri, a member of the Organizing Committee, UAE Basketball Association.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu witnessed the signing ceremonies.
Atty. Gozon-Valdes welcomed the UAE Basketball Association as GMA’s newest partner and asked Kapuso viewers to support the Philippine team Strong Group.
“Thank you for the trust you have put in us. We would like to invite everyone to watch the games that will be aired on GMA and GTV and in select territories of GMA International. I hope all Filipinos will support Team Philippines Strong Group,” she said.
Meanwhile, Amoroso underscored the importance of airing the games of team Philippines on GMA.
“This year, GMA Synergy enters another milestone with the goal of delivering more quality sports content for our viewers. We are happy and excited to partner with the UAE Basketball Association to bring the games of the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship featuring Philippines’ Strong Group. This will be the first time on GMA Network that players from the NCAA and UAAP will be in one team together with the Gilas players and former NBA superstars. We would like to thank the UAE Basketball Association for partnering with GMA Network and we hope this partnership shall remain sturdy and lasting,” shared Amoroso.
“GMA is a very strong TV network in the Philippines and we are very happy to have GMA as part of the Dubai International Basketball Championship. We serve Filipino communities in Dubai and we are happy to have them here and serve them. We put a team from the Philippines for the Filipino community to make them feel that they are at home. I wish all the best for the Strong Group to win this championship. We are happy to collaborate with GMA,” said Al Jabri.
After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippines will once again participate in the International Basketball Championship, which is slated to happen from January 27 to February 5 at the Al Nasr Club in Dubai, UAE. Team Philippines took home the crown during the 31st International Basketball Championship in Dubai back in 2020, becoming the first non-Arab team to win the tournament.
The games will be aired on GTV on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, and 18 at 6:15 PM as well as on GMA on Jan. 29, Feb. 5, 12, and 19 at 10 AM. Online, the games will be accessible via GMA Sports YouTube Channel. Kapuso abroad can catch the action via GMA’s international channels in selected territories.
Strong Group is comprised of a selection of Gilas players Justine Baltazar, Lebron Lopez, and Karl Kevin Quiambao; National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines (NCAA) cagers Will Gozum and Migs Oczon of the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde; University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) players Jerom Lastimosa, Joel Diomar Cagulangan, Bryan Andrade, and Inand Fornillos; and three former NBA players Nick Young, Renaldo Balkman, and Shabazz Muhammad who serve as the team’s imports.
For more information about GMA Network, visit www.gmanetwork.com. Follow @gmasynergy and @gmasportsph on social media.