Philippine Basketball Association opening ceremonies

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The Philippine Basketball Association opening ceremonies marks the start of the league's season. [1] Since 1995, a single game is held, preceded by an entertainment program and parade of participating teams.

Contents

Overview

2014-15 PBA opening ceremonies - Parade of teams.jpg
The parade of teams during the opening ceremonies of the 2014-15 PBA season at the Philippine Arena.

An opening ceremonies is held to mark the start of the season since the league's maiden season in 1975. The ceremonies typically start with an entertainment show, depending on the theme for that year. Usual highlights are performances of Filipino artists and speeches from the league commissioner and other invited guests. A parade of participating teams follows afterwards. Each team marches into the venue together with their muses. After all of the teams have paraded, the season's chairman of the PBA Board of Governors gives a speech and afterwards, he will officially declare the season open.

After the opening ceremonies, a lone game, the first game for the season, will be played. From 1975 to 1994, two games were played immediately following the ceremonies.

Venue

From 1975 to 1984, the league opened its season at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the league's primary venue for its games. After the league transferred its operations at the University of Life Theater and Recreational Arena (ULTRA) in Pasig, the opening ceremonies were exclusively held there from 1985 to 1992. After the fallout between the PBA and the Philippine Sports Commission, which operates the ULTRA, the league transferred its operations at the then newly built Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay in 1993. The league's opening ceremonies and the majority of its games were held at the Astrodome from 1993 to 1998. After the exclusive contract in the Cuneta Astrodome expired in 1999, the league returned to its previous home, The ULTRA, now renamed as the PhilSports Arena and held its opening ceremonies there for the first time in six years. When the league celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2000, the opening ceremonies were held at the Araneta Coliseum, where the league was inaugurated. The ceremonies were held at the venue exclusively until 2013.

For the 2013–14 season, the league's opening ceremonies was held at three different locations covering Luzon (Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City), Visayas (Cebu Coliseum), and Mindanao (USEP Gymnasium, Davao City). [2]

The league opened its 2014–15 season at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan; this was the first time that the league had its opening ceremonies outside Metro Manila and it was the first non-Iglesia ni Cristo and commercial event that was held in the arena.

The 2015–16 season opener was supposed to be held on October 18, 2015, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum [3] but was suspended due to the onslaught of Typhoon Lando (international name: Kuppo). Instead, the opening was held on October 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. This was the first time for the following: suspension of opening ceremonies due to bad weather, an opening ceremonies that was held on a weekday, and the first opening ceremonies held in the Mall of Asia Arena.

Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, the 2021 opening ceremonies were held at the Ynares Sports Arena with no audience in the venue. The traditional parade of teams with muses was not done and a “simple” opening ceremonies were held instead. Players were present virtually. [4]

Venues

SeasonDateVenueGamesRef.
1975 April 9 Araneta Coliseum Concepcion Carrier vs. Mariwasa-Noritake
Toyota vs. U/Tex
1976 March 21 Araneta Coliseum
1977 April 17 Araneta Coliseum
1978 April 16 Araneta Coliseum
1979 April 1 Araneta Coliseum
1980 March 16 Araneta Coliseum
1981 March 8 Araneta Coliseum
1982 March 7 Araneta Coliseum
1983 March 6 Araneta Coliseum
1984 March 25 Araneta Coliseum
1985 March 3 The Ultra
1986 April 6 The Ultra
1987 March 22 The Ultra Hills Bros. vs. Magnolia
Tanduay vs. Great Taste
1988 March 20 The Ultra Great Taste vs. Shell
San Miguel vs. Purefoods
1989 March 5 The Ultra Alaska vs. Presto
San Miguel vs. Shell
1990 February 18 The Ultra Pop Cola vs. Pepsi
Purefoods vs. San Miguel
1991 February 17 The Ultra Pepsi vs. Shell
San Miguel vs. Purefoods
1992 February 9 The Ultra Presto vs. Swift
Purefoods vs. Shell
1993 February 28 Cuneta Astrodome Shell vs. Sta. Lucia
Ginebra vs. 7-Up
1994 March 6 Cuneta Astrodome Tondeña vs. Sta. Lucia
Alaska vs. Shell
1995 February 19 Cuneta Astrodome Ginebra vs. Shell
1996 February 18 Cuneta Astrodome Purefoods vs. San Miguel
1997 February 16 Cuneta Astrodome Alaska vs. Mobiline
1998 February 1 Cuneta Astrodome Pop Cola vs. San Miguel
1999 February 7 PhilSports Arena Mobiline vs. Tanduay
2000 February 20 Araneta Coliseum Red Bull vs. Barangay Ginebra
2001 January 28 Araneta Coliseum Alaska vs. Sta. Lucia
2002 February 10 Araneta Coliseum Coca-Cola vs. FedEx
2003 February 23 Araneta Coliseum Alaska vs. Sta. Lucia
2004 Fiesta February 22 Araneta Coliseum Barangay Ginebra vs. Shell
2004–05 October 3 Araneta Coliseum San Miguel vs. Talk 'N Text
2005–06 October 2 Araneta Coliseum Red Bull vs. Purefoods
2006–07 October 1 Araneta Coliseum Welcoat vs. Barangay Ginebra
2007–08 October 14 Araneta Coliseum Air21 vs. Magnolia
2008–09 October 4 Araneta Coliseum Coca-Cola vs. Talk 'N Text
2009–10 October 11 Araneta Coliseum Burger King vs. Purefoods
2010–11 October 3 Araneta Coliseum Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
2011–12 October 2 Smart Araneta Coliseum Rain or Shine vs. Barangay Ginebra
2012–13 September 30 Smart Araneta Coliseum Barangay Ginebra vs. GlobalPort
2013–14 November 17 Smart Araneta Coliseum (main venue)
Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City
USEP Gymnasium, Davao City 		Barangay Ginebra vs. San Mig Super Coffee
Meralco vs. Talk 'N Text
Alaska vs. Rain or Shine 		[5]
2014–15 October 19 Philippine Arena Kia vs. Blackwater
Talk 'N Text vs. Barangay Ginebra 		[6]
2015–16 October 21 Mall of Asia Arena Rain or Shine vs. Star [7]
2016–17 November 20 Smart Araneta Coliseum San Miguel vs. Star [8]
2017–18 December 17 Smart Araneta Coliseum San Miguel vs. Phoenix [9]
2019 January 13 Philippine Arena Barangay Ginebra vs. TNT [10]
2020 (Season 45)March 8 Smart Araneta Coliseum San Miguel vs. Magnolia [11]
2021 (Season 46)July 16 Ynares Sports Arena Alaska vs. Blackwater
Meralco vs. NorthPort 		[12]
2022–23 (Season 47)June 5 Smart Araneta Coliseum Converge vs. Rain or Shine
Magnolia vs. TNT
2023–24 (Season 48)November 5 Smart Araneta Coliseum Magnolia vs. TNT [13]
2024–25 (Season 49)August 18 Smart Araneta Coliseum Meralco vs. Magnolia [14]

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References

  1. ↑ Star-filled PBA Opening Ceremonies at Smart Araneta Coliseum, Kaye Estoista-Koo, Philippine Entertainment Portal, October 3, 2011
  2. ↑ Ginebra-San Mig duel to highlight unique three-game bill on PBA opening day, Snow Badua, Spin.ph, October 30, 2013
  3. ↑ "PBA opens 'Liga ng mga Bida'". Manila Standard Today. 2015-10-18. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  4. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (July 11, 2021). "Everything you need to know about coming PBA season". spin.ph. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ Ginebra-San Mig duel to highlight unique three-game bill on PBA opening day, Snow Badua, Spin.ph, October 30, 2013
  6. ↑ Salud says it's 'all systems go' for staging of PBA opening games at Philippine Arena, Snow Badua, spin.ph, September 18, 2014
  7. ↑ PBA moves opening ceremonies, RoS-Star game to Wednesday, PBA.ph, October 18, 2015
  8. ↑ A parade of beauty in PBA Sunday Opening, PBA.inquirer.net, November 18, 2016
  9. ↑ San Miguel starts Philippine Cup title defense as PBA Season 43 kicks off, Paul Lintag, ABS-CBN Sports, December 17, 2017
  10. ↑ In break from tradition, PBA Leo Awards to kick off season on January 13, Reuben Terrado, spin.ph, December 26, 2018
  11. ↑ "PBA PBA, D-League 2020 season opening postponed due to novel coronavirus". Rappler. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  12. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (July 11, 2021). "Everything you need to know about coming PBA season". spin.ph. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Magnolia-TNT tiff kicks off Season 48 on Nov. 5". PBA.ph. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  14. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (August 14, 2024). "Meralco vs Magnolia in opener as PBA finally releases schedule". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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