TV5 signs 5-year, P150-M contract with UFL

MANILA—In another clear indication of football’s rapid rise in the country, the United Football League will now have its games aired live on television for the first time starting next season.

The country’s premiere league based in Manila has agreed to a five-year, P150 million television deal with TV5, the television station owned by business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, which is also airing the Philippine Basketball Association games starting next season.

A reliable source said the league will receive P20 million in cash every year during the duration of the deal and P10 million worth of advertising promotions annually for the UFL.

The deal will pave the way for at least two UFL matches to be aired live on Saturdays, the league source said. “That’s the initial agreement, but there might be more games to be aired live depending on the schedule,” said the source.

The coverage, the same source said, will start with the quarterfinals of the UFL Cup scheduled to kick off in October with close to 50 teams expected to see action. The UFL season is expected to start in January.

The UFL first division will expand to 10 teams this season with two more teams joining league champion Air Force, Global FC, Kaya-Cignal, Army, Loyola-Meralco, Green Archers, Navy and Nomads, which ruled the second division to earn promotion.

The two teams will be determined depending on the results of the UFL Cup.

Among the members of the national team playing in the UFL are Azkals skipper Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, Nate Burkey, Jason Sabio and Yannick Tuason, who are members of Kaya, Misagh Bahadoran and Angel Guirado, who are teammates at Global, Ian Araneta and Chieffy Caligdong, who play for Air Force, and Army players Roel Gener, Eduard Sacapano and Nestorio Margarse.