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Tag: SM Seaside Cebu Arena

  • PBA considers bringing Governors’ Cup action to SM Seaside Cebu Arena

    PBA considers bringing Governors’ Cup action to SM Seaside Cebu Arena

    The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) could soon bring its biggest games to Cebu after Commissioner Willie Marcial revealed that the league is exploring the possibility of staging games—and potentially even the finals of the ongoing 2026 Governors’ Cup—at the newly inaugurated SM Seaside Cebu Arena.

     

    Marcial made the revelation after attending the grand opening of the state-of-the-art facility, which is now regarded as the largest indoor arena in the Visayas. The venue, reportedly built at a cost of around PHP 7 billion, is expected to become one of the country’s premier destinations for major sporting events, concerts, and entertainment spectacles.

     

    Located within the expansive SM Seaside City Cebu complex, the seven-story arena boasts a seating capacity of approximately 16,000 for sporting events, with the ability to accommodate up to 25,000 spectators depending on the event configuration. The venue also features modern amenities, spacious locker rooms, athlete support facilities, and a dedicated practice court, making it well-equipped to host high-profile basketball tournaments.

     

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    Marcial admitted that he was impressed after touring the facility and said the league is seriously considering bringing PBA games to Cebu as early as the ongoing Governors’ Cup.

    “Sobrang laki at sobrang ganda. Balak talaga natin maglaro dun. Tingnan natin kung kakayanin sa finals. Kung hindi naman, pwedeng next season na. Malaki yung dugout and locker area. At may practice court siya,” Marcial told reporters.

     

    His comments have fueled excitement among basketball fans in Cebu, a province widely regarded as one of the country’s strongest basketball hotbeds. The PBA has long enjoyed passionate support whenever it stages out-of-town games in Cebu, and the opening of a world-class arena provides the league with an opportunity to bring marquee matchups to a larger audience outside Metro Manila.

     

    Should scheduling and logistical requirements align, the Governors’ Cup Finals could become one of the first major sporting events to be held at the arena. If that proves unfeasible, Marcial indicated that the venue is expected to become part of the league’s regular rotation beginning with the next PBA conference.

     

    The arena’s opening also aligns with the PBA’s continued efforts to expand its footprint across the country. In recent years, the league has increased the number of provincial games to reconnect with fans outside the capital while showcasing Philippine basketball in modern venues capable of hosting large crowds.

     

    Beyond the PBA, the SM Seaside Cebu Arena is already set to play a major role in the country’s sporting calendar. The facility has been selected as one of the host venues for the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, which the Philippines will stage in July next year. Hosting the continental tournament is expected to further strengthen the country’s reputation as a destination for international basketball events.

     

    The arena is also expected to become a major entertainment hub, with several internationally acclaimed artists and performers already scheduled to hold concerts there later this year.

     

    With its modern design, world-class facilities, and strategic location in the Queen City of the South, the SM Seaside Cebu Arena is poised to become a new home for Philippine sports. For the PBA, the venue offers an opportunity to bring the excitement of professional basketball closer to the passionate Cebuano fan base while elevating the league’s game-day experience in one of the country’s most vibrant basketball markets.

     

     

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  • Cebu set to host first-ever FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in the Philippines

    Cebu set to host first-ever FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in the Philippines

    The road to one of the biggest events in Asian women’s basketball officially began to unfold as the Philippines unveiled the branding for the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, signaling the country’s readiness to host the continental showcase for the first time.


    The launch ceremony in Cebu City introduced the tournament’s official logo and identity ahead of the competition, which will run from July 10 to 18, 2027, at the city’s newly opened arena.

     

    The event brought together key figures in Philippine basketball and government, including Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Ricky Vargas, Executive Director Erika Dy, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio, and Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr., underscoring the significance of the tournament for the country.

     

    For FIBA Asia President Dr. K. Govindaraj, the Philippines provides the perfect stage for the continent’s premier women’s basketball competition.

     

    “The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2027 provides a platform for the fans in the Philippines to witness the best of women’s basketball right in their own country and for the global fans to experience the passion for the sport in the Philippines,” FIBA Asia President Dr. K. Govindaraj said.

     

    The newly unveiled tournament logo blends FIBA’s visual identity with Cebu’s heritage, incorporating the city’s official colors, seal, and traditional Filipino weaving patterns around the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup trophy design first introduced last year.

     

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    According to FIBA Executive Director-Asia Hagop Khajirian, the tournament remains among the federation’s most prestigious competitions and continues to play a key role in raising the standard of women’s basketball across the region.

     

    “The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2027 is another step towards consolidating the gains made in the last few years both in terms of excellence in competition and enhancement of women’s basketball,” Khajirian said.

     

    For the SBP, hosting the tournament is both a privilege and a reflection of the country’s reputation as one of basketball’s strongest markets.

     

    “Bringing one of Asia’s premier basketball events to the Philippines reflects the confidence that FIBA has in our ability to organize world-class competitions and in the passion of Filipino basketball fans,” Vargas said.

     

    Beyond staging a successful international event, the federation also sees the tournament as a milestone for the continued rise of Gilas Pilipinas Women, who will have the rare opportunity to compete against Asia’s elite on home soil.

     

    The national team heads into the hosting duties with growing momentum. Gilas Pilipinas Women currently sits 30th in the latest FIBA world rankings, buoyed by its historic victory over Colombia in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments last March.

     

    With the tournament now less than a year away, the unveiling of its branding marks the first official step toward welcoming Asia’s top women’s basketball nations to Cebu, where the Philippines hopes to showcase not only its passion for the sport but also the continued progress of its women’s national program.

     

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