More than 50,000 jam PH Arena for PBA opener

The PBA opening at the Philippine Arena. INQUIRER PHOTO/AUGUST DELA CRUZ

MANILA, Philippines – It’s been said that basketball unites the Philippines and Manny Pacquiao can, well, unite the Philippines.

And when the Philippines’ favorite pastime and the Philippines’ favorite boxer converge in one place, thousands of souls will naturally go to it.

And that place is the Philippine Arena and that event is the opener for the 40th season of the PBA wherein 52,612 people crammed the largest indoor arena in the world.

Pacquiao, the playing-coach of the Kia Sorento, did not only grace the event but played, albeit not in par with his boxing exploits, in the opening game against the Blackwater Elite.

PBA’s attendance in the Philippine Arena is by far the largest attendance in the league’s 40-year history.

The previous record is 24,883 during the Game 7 Philippine Cup semifinals between the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, now the Purefoods Star Hotshots, and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in 2013 which was held at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Record crowd at the Philippine Arena. 52,612 people make history. Screengrab from Mark Giongco’s instagram account

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