UAAP board not in a hurry to make decision, says Montinola

Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) board representative Anton Montinola of incoming host Far Eastern University said the league is not "rushing things" to determine which among the three networks have the best offer.

So far, three giant television networks are wooing the UAAP for broadcast rights since the contract of ABS-CBN is about to expire on March 31, 2010.

"In respect to ABS-CBN, we don't want to say or give any early presumption because there is still one year left for them although the bidding has been open to any aspiring network," Montinola, the incoming UAAP Season 72 president, told The Manila Times.
 

"We are glad, of course, because there are three TV networks that are very, very much interested to become our partner next season," said Montinola. "They also presented their respective bids, offers and plans. This is the first time that this is happening."

Giant television network ABS-CBN, which presently owns the rights to telecast all UAAP events until March 31, 2010, and Solar Sports Entertainment Corp. expressed last week their intention to bid for the league's TV coverage.

ABS CBN's present five-year contract is worth P75 million.

Another giant television network GMA 7, Montinola said, has joined the bidding war lately, making way for a three-cornered battle for the UAAP's coverage.

A highly reliable source from GMA 7, who requested anonymity, said they are willing to give everything to the UAAP just to get the contract to air the UAAP games.

"The big bosses of GMA 7 will do everything to win the bidding war whether they spend millions just to attract the attention of the board," the source said.

Montinola, however, declined to comment regarding on the respective financial offers from the three stations, saying, "We [UAAP, GMA 7, ABS-CBN and Solar] are still far from that discussion."

All three networks have offered a five-year deal, according to Montinola.

If GMA 7 wins, it would air the UAAP basketball games and other sports events on its QTV Channel 11 and its affiliate international channel. It would also mark the network's first venture into collegiate sports.

Solar, for its part, will air it on CS9 and its cable channel BTV like it does with the PBA, PBL and the NBA games.

To gain an edge over its rivals, ABS-CBN has offered to telecast the best-of-three UAAP seniors' championship on Channel 2 instead of airing it on its UHL channel Studio 23 as it used to do in the last nine seasons. Josef T. Ramos - The Manila Times