Commissioner Haydee Ong expressed hope that the Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL), which will kick off its inaugural tournament on January 19, will be a long-term endeavor.
Ong shared that she told league founder and former senator Manny Pacquiao that the WMPBL should run for at least five years before evaluating whether it should continue.
“Bago ako pumasok sa WMPBL, sinabi ko kay Senator Manny na, ‘I don’t want this to be na sa umpisa lang maganda. I want sustainability,’” Ong said in an interview with One Sports.
“Sabi ko na I am willing to help the WMPBL basta suportahan nila hanggang limang taon, and we’ll see after that saan na mapupunta ‘yung liga,” she added. “At least ‘yun ‘yung parang basis, tignan natin ‘yung growth ng women’s basketball.”
Ong, who also served as the head coach of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses, noted that there has been a growing following for women’s basketball in the country.
“Actually, nung nag-tune up (‘yung mga WMPBL teams) sa UST, I was happy kasi ang daming tao na nanonood. So sana, with this UAAP effect, mas ma-translate natin (sa WMPBL),” Ong said.
“I think kailangan lang ma-aware ‘yung mga tao na ‘yung competition ng WMPBL, hindi masyado magkakalayo, and the fact na ‘yung mga UAAP players na ga-graduate and ‘yung mga recent graduate makikita nila na hindi lang women’s competition na blowout game,” she added.
A total of 14 teams will be participating in the inaugural WMPBL tournament, including four teams from the collegiate ranks.
The post Kume Haydee Ong optimistic about WMPBL’s long-term future first appeared on Fastbreak.
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