The University Athletic Association of the Philippines formalized a fresh five-year contract extension with broadcast partner Cignal TV, ensuring that the league’s games will continue to reach audiences nationwide and internationally from Season 89 to Season 93.

With the renewed broadcast and marketing partnership, Cignal will remain the UAAP’s official broadcast partner for the next five seasons, beginning with Season 89—which Far Eastern University will host—extending a long-standing collaboration that has significantly enhanced the league’s visibility and accessibility through Cignal’s multiple broadcast and streaming platforms.

Since joining forces in 2020, Cignal has significantly expanded the reach of UAAP games through free-to-air broadcasts on One Sports, while also launching the UAAP Varsity Channel, the country’s first and only 24/7 channel dedicated solely to varsity sports.

“I think we’re very glad and privileged to extend our coverage of the UAAP, which is the premier sports league in the country, with its member universities. It’s a five-year engagement, and we promise to improve the coverage of all the sports of the association,” MediaQuest Holdings Inc. Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said.

“There’s no pragmatic reason. Sports is one avenue for a certain segment of our people and the disadvantaged to obtain the material blessings they won’t be able to get by them becoming a basketball player, a badminton player, or whatever. It gives them that avenue to improve their welfare. Number two, it teaches values that are important to life. The discipline, the hard work, the ability to be magnanimous in victory and humble in defeat. So it just improves the overall character of people or persons,” Pangilinan added on his continued support for the growth of Philippine sports.

In 2023, Cignal further expanded its coverage to OTT through the launch of Pilipinas Live, primarily aimed at bringing all UAAP events to fans around the world.

While flagship events such as men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, and the annual cheerdance competition remain the UAAP’s mainstream draws, Cignal has continuously worked hand-in-hand with the league to broaden coverage of developing sports such as women’s basketball, men’s volleyball, football, baseball, beach volleyball, and esports, among others.

Season 88 Chairman and University of Santo Tomas rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., expressed confidence in the strengthened partnership, emphasizing the importance of consistent, high-quality coverage in showcasing the talent and stories of student-athletes across all disciplines in the UAAP.

“Today’s ceremonial signing represents a shared vision to elevate varsity sports, empower young athletes, and bring the excitement of the UAAP games into homes across the nation through a wide-reaching broadcast coverage, and we ensure that the talent, hard work, and determination of our varsity players are recognized and appreciated at a larger scale,” Fr. Ang said.

“The UAAP strongly dedicates itself to fostering intellectual growth, sportsmanship, leadership, and a strong sense of community through sports. It is our commitment to bring into life the transformative power of sports, to unite the member schools, nurture dreams and aspirations, and inspire young people to build this nation,” he added.

For its part, MediaQuest President and CEO Ricky Vargas reiterated Cignal’s commitment to delivering fresh concepts and comprehensive broadcasts that aim to capture the spirit of varsity sports—whether at the grassroots level or the collegiate stage.

“We’re very happy that we are working with the UAAP. It’s a content that we value, it’s content that the Filipinos love, and it’s a content that supports our love for basketball, and it’s a content where the Filipino people enjoy,” Vargas said.

“It would be a crime if we do not cover the UAAP to the Filipino people, as we look at ourselves as a sports channel since we have one of the widest range of sports content. And we value the UAAP. We value your partnership, and we hope every year that we cover the games, you give us feedback so that we can continue to improve,” he added.

With the extension now signed and sealed, both Cignal and the UAAP reemphasized their commitment to working hand-in-hand to enhance the viewing experience, explore new platforms and modes of storytelling, and deepen fan engagement as the league continues to grow in the years to come.

The post UAAP, Cignal TV seal five-year extension, lock in broadcast partnership through Season 93 appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

A group, Advocacy for Nigerian Football Reforms Concepts, has dragged world football governing body FIFA to the FCT High Court in Abuja.

The group led by football reforms activist Harrison Jalla is asking the court through suit no M/4462/2062 for 12 reliefs as they concern the FIFA development project funds, previous World Cup funds as well as other grants delivered to Nigeria.

The other defendants in this case are the NFF, Monimichelle Sports Facilities Limited as well as the contractor of the Kebbi stadium project.

The case has been assigned to court 60 of the FCT High Court in Jabi.

The post Group drags FIFA to Nigerian court over misused funds first appeared on Score Nigeria.

Alyssa Valdez is bracing Creamline for a tougher grind ahead, urging the Cool Smashers to “work harder and smarter” as they head into what she expects to be a challenging semifinals campaign in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.

The Cool Smashers enter the round-robin semifinals having lost to all three of their Final Four opponents—PLDT, Farm Fresh, and Cignal—earlier in the conference.

“Most of, if not all, the teams na nasa semifinals, ‘yun yung nakatalo sa amin din sa eliminations and qualifying round,” said Valdez after their semis-clinching win over the Foxies last Tuesday.

“So it’s a very interesting semifinals for us, and we really have to work harder and smarter sa semifinals.”

Creamline opened its campaign on the wrong end of a straight-set defeat to the High Speed Hitters, 22-25, 17-25, 23-25, before later absorbing a 16-25, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25 loss to Farm Fresh in their penultimate prelims game, a result that nearly derailed their run to the qualifying round.

Needing a strong finish to secure a safer path forward, the Cool Smashers eked out a five-set win over the Super Spikers in their final prelims match, 25-19, 25-20, 15-25, 26-28, 16-14, only to see the same squad turn the tables in their qualifying round matchup, 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 22-25, 15-17, sending the 10-time champs to the play-in route for a semifinals berth.

(C) PVL Images

But Creamline also showed its trademark resilience when it mattered most, bouncing back with a four-set win over Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16, last Tuesday in the knockout match to clinch the final ticket to the semifinals, with Valdez leading the way.

The three-time league MVP, who had been carrying the team since the latter part of the prelims due to injuries to Bernadeth Pons and Jema Galanza, delivered another vintage performance against the Chargers with 20 points, 19 excellent digs, and eight excellent receptions.

From fighting for a qualifying round spot to playing with their season on the line, Creamline eventually clawed its way into the semifinals, with Valdez crediting a nothing-to-lose mindset that allowed her to give her all in every match.

“Halos every game kasi do or die yung games so siguro mentality ko coming into every match is to give my all talaga. There’s nothing to lose na e. Basta ibigay mo yung—I think yun yung nasa isip ko. Kung ibigay mo lahat, wala kang ititira; may reward ’yon. Kung ano man yung reward na yun, sa dulo ko pa malalaman,” Valdez said.

“Sa past few games, kahit papaano, binibigay namin lahat. Naka-dalawang panalo kami, isa, napakaganda rin nung game against Cignal. So ganoon lang yung mentality. Kung ipapasok, kung ano, gagawin lang yung trabaho at ibibigay buong puso.“

But she knows the road will only get tougher from here, and she wants the team to stay locked in on the same nothing-to-lose, one-game-at-a-time mindset as they face a more demanding stretch in the semifinals.

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