ABS-CBN to Broadcast World Pool
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Oct 2007
MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- COME November, the most prestigious and biggest pool tournament in the world will be broadcast live over the Philippines' largest television network, ABS-CBN.
Raya Sports and Events, the Filipino promoter of the 2007 Philippines World Pool Championship, and ABS-CBN Sports forged an agreement yesterday for the live broadcast of the tournament from November 3 to 11. The event will be staged at the Araneta Coliseum.
Yen Makabenta, Raya Sports President, signed the agreement with Peter Musngi, ABS-CBN Sports Managing Director. The contract signing was held at Restaurant 9501 of ELJ Building , ABS-CBN's headquarters.
"We believe this partnership will enable us to bring the WPC to more viewers across the entire country," Makabenta said. "Combined with Araneta Center as venue, we will touching a new level of fan participation in our sport."
The ABS-CBN broadcast of the WPC will feature its own commentary and analysis in Filipino, separate from the international broadcast in English of ESPN.
Last year's WPC, the first held in the country, garnered 22.3 million viewers according to professional pollster Social Weather Station (SWS). Early sponsors who have signed up with the 2007 WPC include presentors Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and San Miguel Corporation as well as consistent billiards supporters Hotel Sofitel and Accel.
Raya Sports has brought the WPC into the country in partnership with Matchroom Sport of UK and ESPN-Star Sports, the official international broadcaster which will bring the event live to some 140 million subscribers in Asia alone. This does not include broadcasts in Europe, North America and the Middle East through ESS affiliates in the Sky, Fox and other Murdoch channels worldwide.
The 2007 Philippines WPC will bring in 128 of the best pool players from 46 countries around the world. These include former world champions Wu Cha Ching, Mikka Imonen, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Thorsten Hohmann, Earl Strickland, Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, the defending champion.
Of the 128 slots for the WPC, ten will be open for the five-day qualifying tournament to be held at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City starting October 27, 2007. Over 150 players from all over the world have signed up for the 10 qualifiers, including expanded contingents from the Philippines , Taiwan , Japan , Europe, the US , Asia and the Middle East.
PHOTO CAPTION
Raya Sports President Yen Makabenta joins ABS-CBN Sports Managing Director Peter Musngi in signing the agreement for the live Philippine television broadcast of the 2007 Philippines World Pool Championship. The prestigious tournament is slated on November 3 to 11, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum and will be aired live over Studio 23. Joining the contract signing at the ELJ Building 's Restaurant 9501 are ABS-CBN Chief Financial Officer Miguel Jose Navarete and Raya Managing Director JP Fenix.
(MARLON BERNARDINO)
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