Boxing icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao is planning on launching a new Filipino basketball league to be called Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
The basketball league will be all-Filipino and geographically-based with home court and away format at the national and barangay levels.
Pacquiao said that MPBL does not wish to compete with existing basketball leagues in the country.
He revealed that sports journo Snow Badua will be MPBL’s commissioner. On the other hand, former professional basketball player Zaldy Realubit will be the operations head.
The first season will open on September 23. At present, 12 teams in Luzon are committed to the league. In the future, teams from Visayas and Mindanao will potentially join.
It was emphasized that foreign players are not allowed in the league. Meanwhile, foreign-born Filipinos may be allowed if they can present proof of Filipino parentage from the immigration and justice departments, Badua said.
MPBL will have five conferences every season. The team with the most titles will be named the champion at the end of the year.
Right now, MPBL is still discussing with television networks where national league games will be aired. Meanwhile, barangay league games may be streamed online.
