There are quite a number of new things happening in UAAP 73 for the first time in its history as the league unfolds a new chapter this Saturday, July 10th at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao City.
(We thought of breaking it down for our valuable readers)
- UAAP 73 will showcase real-life HEROES. The UAAP will allow everyone to nominate alumni and students who deserve to be recognized as heroes. Each will be given a chance to vote for the campus hero, along with season 73’s MVPs. Campus hero candidates who are not eligible for nomination can go to an IPOD (Integrated Program on Organ Donation) booth to sign up and become organ donors. Accordingly, this initiative aims to help thousands of Filipinos in need of donated organs.
- UAAP Basketball Finals will be aired live for the first time in ABS-CBN Channel 2. Peter Musngi, head of ABS-CBN Sports, which presently owns the rights to telecast all UAAP events said in the UAAP Press launch, “This year we will be breaking the usual airing of the basketball finals over Studio 23. For this season, Game 1 will be aired over ABS-CBN Channel 2 up to Game 3 if necessary. We want to expand the viewership of the UAAP in the country.” - It can be remembered though that this move was part of the ABS-CBN offer to retain their coverage of the UAAP which was supposed to expire 4 months ago, amidst lucrative offers from both GMA 7 and Solar Sports. The UAAP board eventually extended the contract with the Kapamilya network for the next five seasons.
- Home viewing experience for UAAP games has never been at its best through Sky Cable HDtv (Balls HD channel) which was actually launched last year. It offers breathtaking motion picture quality, panoramic widescreen format and cinematic digital sound, all you need of course is to subscribe, a Sky HD box and a LED or HD TV.
- If in case you missed a live UAAP game, and don't have balls channel on your cable TV for a late night replay, worry no more as you can watch a game replay for free via Studio 23 website. This feature however is limited to viewers in the Philippines. Please take note that the replay may not be shown immediately.
- Also, in view of the significance of social media nowadays, ABS-CBN Sports will use twitter updates as it broadcast live the UAAP games, that means every UAAP/Twitter aficionados can interact, post anything relevant to the ongoing game. Selected tweets with #UAAP hashtag will appear on Studio 23 broadcast. (A hashtag is a twitter lingo, which is a way to categorize each tweet).
- The newly improved UAAP website which will go live on July 10, has interactive features that would give spotlight to every UAAP fan and supporter. Each unique post they make on the site gives them fan points which can help them win prizes from sponsors. The site’s content maybe share through facebook and twitter as well.
- If it materializes, UAAP 73 closing ceremony will be as special as the opening featuring street dances and drum line competition among participating schools . Best of all, its open to the public.
- This season marks the first time that the UAAP will be putting ground rules in black and white. UAAP 73 president Bro. Bernard Oca said the rules will be posted in all game venues such as the Araneta Coliseum, Philsports Arena and the Arena in San Juan while member-schools will also be provided with copies.
Here’s the UAAP Season 73 fan code of conduct, or what the others would refer to as the ten commandments which the UAAP Board of Directors prepared as a guide to expected behaviors:
1. Athletes, coaches and sport officials will respect and appreciate each and every fan.
2. Fans will be treated in a consistent, professional and courteous manner by all UAAP/sport facility personnel.
3. Fans will sit only in their ticketed seats and show their tickets when requested.
4. Fans will enjoy the UAAP sport event free from disruptive behavior, including foul or abusive language or obscene gestures (i.e. fighting, taunting, or engaging in any action that may harm, endanger, threaten, or bring discomfort to anyone in the stadium). Any fan engaging in such will be warned by the UAAP/sport facility personnel. A repetition of said behavior will subject the fan to ejection from the facility.
5. Fans carrying signs or wearing clothing with obscene, derogatory or indecent messages will be requested to discard said sign/wear the shirt inside out.
6. Fans observed to be under the influence of a prohibitive substance (i.e. alcoholic beverage, dangerous drug, etc) may need intervention and must be handled in a prompt and safe manner by the UAAP/sport facility security/personnel.
7. Fans will not engage in fighting or throwing objects. Those who engage in any of these actions will immediately be ejected from the game/venue.
8. Fans will smoke in designated smoking areas only.
9. Fans will comply with requests from sport facility personnel regarding facility operations and emergency response procedures.
10. Fans in possession of any item considered dangerous by the UAAP/sport facility personnel will be requested to turn over said item which may be retrieved after the event.
Fans may report any inappropriate behavior, or erring individual in relation to the given code of conduct to the sport facility personnel at 5264553 and indicate contact number of UAAP host school.
