ArenaBall Season 3 to kick off at Subic

MANILA, Philippines - Season 3 of the ArenaBall Philippines kicks off this Saturday with the Jaguars clashing with the Wolves and the Rebels facing the Bandits in a doubleheader headlining the ABP-SBMA Games at the Remy Field inside the Subic Freeport Zone in Olongapo, Zambales.

“There is a big American community in Subic which loves the NFL-style American football that we play so we are bringing our games over there. We expect this weekend to be a lot of fun,” said ABL founder and president Dodi Palma in yesterday’s PSA forum at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch in Manila.

Joining him in the session sponsored by Smart, Pagcor and Shakey’s, was ABP commissioner Riel Banaria, who, however, pointed out that majority of the players competing in the league are native Pinoys who have grown to love the game since the league made its debut in the country three years ago.

“We started with only 25 players in 2009 and now we have four teams with close to 200 players and we look forward to having at least 300 plus more teams next year,” Palma said. “This growth shows that American football has a strong following among Filipinos and who are as passionate as I am about the sport.”

He added that teams from Butuan City and Iloilo were keen on joining the ABP next year.

Banaria explained that the rules of the sport are similar to the NFL with four 15-minute quarters and 10-minute intermission between each half, while the playing field is smaller than an NFL pitch like the Remy Field, which has a dimension of 100x40 yards.

“Each team needs four downs (plays) to move the ball 10 yards until it reaches the offensive team in the endzone where they can make a touchdown, equivalent to six points,” Banaria, who is the first Fil-Am to referee in the NBA, said.

Palma said that compared to their inaugural season when the ABP players were still learning how to play the game “we have seen more sophistication and savvy in the strategies among the squads in our third season.”

Preceding the matches starting at 5 p.m. is a “tailgate” party similar to the pre-Super Bowl festivities where there are food and drinks and fans can mingle with the players.

Among the players to watch in Saturday’s games are Juggernaut quarterback Paul Reyes, who was last season’s Most Valuable Player, highlighted by nine touchdowns and 479 total pass yards.

There is also Rebel linebacker Derek Keenan who was named Season 2’s Defensive Player of the Year after completing 14 solo tackles and four sacks.