Last August 2011, the UAAP , SM ARENA and NU officials announces that the next game for the 75th season of the UAAP will be at a new venue in SM Mall of Asia ARENA, a 20,000 full house seating capacity venue that will cater to entertainment and sports event. NU promised that we will see a never before seen opening ceremonies next year 2012 and they say tha the Filipino deserve to have the best of the venue for the game and soon to be home of international league to legendary games and champions. (MORE STORY BELOW)
It was the most awaited announcement for all UAAP fans and I even heard that NU was supposed to host the 74th season but they decided to trade it with Ateneo de Manila for this year. NU will host the UAAP season for the 1st time and since they were acquired already by the SM Group of Companies and decided to move for next year and host the game at SM Mall of Asia Arena., and according them it is their 1st choice to host the game at the ARENA.
Here are some information I heard during the Q and A portion
- All seats at the ARENA will get a good view of the court
- There will be area and special entrance for players, promoters and press
- Strategic place and venue / seats for promoters
- Sports events and matches will be hosted in ARENA and it will support all kinds of sports
- There no details yet if PBA will have a game here or host at ARENA
- Can’t compare SMART Araneta and SM Arena, but they say that Araneta has a good plan for their own venue
- UAAP will not abandon Araneta, they will still use the venue, but they are still fixing the schedules but the main highlight today is to gost the game at ARENA since NU is in partner with SM
- All Championship series will be hosted at SM ARENA
-SM ARENA is 85% completed
- SM ARENA is the 1st venue to offer – corporate seats, high tech facilities, logistic requirements are complete, seats are comfy with cup holders and VIP sections around the ARENA.
- Venue is student friendly and convenient for fans and students
- UAPP will try to decide on the ticketing of DLSU and ADMU game, they are not yet sure if it will be on SM ARENA, they have plans in having the game at the venue but it will depend on the schedule
- for the basketball game, the SM ARENA can accommodate 16,000 seats, and will be more patron seats and make sure that everyone will be seated.
- SM ARENA WILL HAVE A WIFI !
- Media room and press box will be placed in strategic places for UAAP
- There will be a special access for student press
- Production room will be provided
- A place and seat for promoters only, no need to worry about seat reservation and all seats will be offered to all fans and audiences.
“We want students and schools to take part in the action. We don’t want to limit the excitement to the players,”Coach Edmund “Junel” Baculi, Jr., Athletics Director for National Univeristy mentioned.
"We wanted to hold off our hosting to 2012 ensure that we were prepared. The opening ceremonies will be so fantastic, that the enthusiasm will just rub off the audience,” said Mr. Nilo Ocampo, Director for Purchasing anf Alumnai Affairs of the National University, also current Vice President of the UAAP 74th Season.
Whew! That was a big update from the UAPP, NU and the SM ARENA, every details they give we already imagine what will be the main features of the new venue in SM MOA, I also heard that there will be a trade launching this October 11, 2011, I just hope that I will be invited again to cover and blog about this SM ARENA.
I’m very excited to cover more news about SM ARENA and UAAP games, on my next post here in my blog you’ll see me inside the SM ARENA and lots of panoramic shots to give you a clue on how awesome the venue.
Opening of SM ARENA will be on May 2012, but they say that the venue might be finished around January 2012.
