UAAP finds a new home in Mall of Asia

MANILA—The UAAP basketball competition will have another home next season.

The Mall of Asia Arena, trumpeted by its creators as world-class and state-of-the-art, will be the venue for the opening ceremonies of the collegiate league’s 75th season as well as the finals of its basketball tournament.

Officials of National University, which is hosting the UAAP next season, and MOA Arena announced the partnership at a press conference Wednesday at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“Our partnership couldn’t have come at a better time since the UAAP is celebrating is 75th year,” said Earl Orense, assistant vice-president for events of MOA Arena.

“We expect a very exciting season played at the MOA Arena,” said NU athletic director Junel Baculi.

He clarified that the league will not totally abandon the Smart Araneta Coliseum as a venue.

“We are not abandoning Araneta per se,” said Baculi. “It’s just that NU is in partnership with the SM Group.”

It will mark the first time that NU will host the UAAP season since it was acquired by the SM Group of Companies.

Baculi, however, could not ascertain if all UAAP basketball games will be played at the MOA Arena, which is scheduled to open in May 2012.

“It will still depend on the schedule next season,” he said. This early, though, Baculi said the UAAP finals have been booked at the MOA Arena, which is patterned after some of the best sports arenas in the United States.

In fact, the SM Group tapped the architects that worked on the Philips Arena in Atlanta to design the MOA Arena, which Orense said is 85 percent complete.

The NCAA had earlier announced that it will also hold games at the MOA Arena for its 88th season next year.