UFL feels heat as PBA fans fume after playoff matches bumped off live TV

• From: Karlo Sacamos

The United Football League refused to make a fuss over the scheduling conflict with TV partner Sports5 that saw the PBA playoffs bumped off the boob tube by the UFL games on Tuesday night.

The bumping off was met negatively by basketball fans on social media, with most people complaining that Sports5, which airs games through AksyonTV, should’ve prioritized the PBA over the UFL.

AksyonTV airs the UFL games live on Tuesdays. The PBA held two playoff games on Tuesday, one of the few times it has done so this conference.

“There was never any case of PBA against UFL or choosing between the two. It was always — this was our schedule and we’re gonna stick with it,” UFL media officer Jing Jamlang toldSpin.ph.

The issue became a trending topic on Twitter, and the fledgling league was consequently caught in the middle as basketball fans fumed over the delayed airing of the PBA playoff games.

Last year, the UFL was telecast live on a twice-per-week basis, but now it only has one broadcast per week. AksyonTV will start airing live games on Thursdays starting March.

“So we were expecting na talagang magpapatuloy yung schedule namin as is. No issues between us and the PBA.”

The issue, for the UFL, is not about underscoring the growth of football in the country.

“It’s a nice sentiment to have, but I don’t think it’s a case of choosing football over basketball. This is just the schedule. Sinusunod lang what was agreed upon beforehand,” Jamlang said.

spin