Another one for the history books! OKBet has reached yet another milestone this year as the rising star in the local gaming and sports entertainment industry seals a monumental deal with the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) for its fourth regular season.
The partnership was formally announced in a joint press conference last June 12 at the Grand Ballroom of the Okada Manila in Parañaque City. OKBet vice president for marketing and business development Robert Chen and MLPB league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes were among those in attendance to represent their respective parties.
“We are happy to have OKBet as part of our MPBL family. The past two years have been a very challenging time for the MPBL and had to postpone the fourth regular season in light of the recent pandemic,” Duremdes said. “But through this partnership with OKBet, we are making a big comeback to showcase the best in the league,” he added.
Despite not being present in the venue, MLPB founder, former Philippine senator, and world-renowned boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao delivered a video message from his hometown in General Santos City.
OKBet will be the title sponsor for the ongoing fourth season that took off last April 25. This is after the unfortunate postponement of the country’s top regional basketball league for two years due to the public health crisis that was then ravaging the entire world.
The fast-growing multi-industry company will also back three of the 22 participating teams, namely the Marikina Shoemasters, the GenSan Warriors, and the Sarangani Marlins.
Addressing the crowd, OKBet representative Robert Chen said that the Philippines is a basketball-loving nation and that the Filipino people’s passion for the sport can be seen in every corner of the country. “We see the value of partnering with the MPBL and we want to empower our athletes to help them realize and reach their full potential. This is our way of supporting the growth of future world-class Filipino sports champions,” he explained further.
Despite its foreign origin, basketball has indeed been ingrained in our culture. And this unparalleled passion for the ball game should be nurtured properly for it to translate into tangible results, not only in local leagues but in the international competitive scene, as well.
Such an effort is of course part of OKBet’s goal to create a massive and lasting impact on the Filipino nation, providing the much-needed support to the aspiring athletes around the country for their world-class skills and talents to actually be showcased in the global sports arena.
With that said, this historic deal with MPBL is expected to be the first of many more partnerships to come for OKBet to follow through on their never-ending commitment — the level of vigor and determination rightfully deserved by the Filipino fighting spirit.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have left the courts, playing fields, and entire coliseums empty for a long time, but now that the restrictions continue to ease off, it is our chance to bounce back, get out there, and enjoy the games we love.
