UFL goes bigger, moves to new home and primetime TV

MANILA, Philippines – The United Football League is set for a banner year as it moves to a new home in the heart of Global City and primetime television.

The UFL season will kick off on Tuesday with an exciting double-header at the spanking new McKinley Hill Football Field built by real estate giant Megaworld. 

Glamour team Loyola Meralco Sparks will take on the Phil. Army at 5:15 pm in the league opener to be followed by the 7:30 pm match pitting defending league champion Global against a re-tooled Pasargad squad, which is eyeing to win the PFF Smart National Club Championship on Saturday.

Both matches will be aired live over AKTV on IBC, TV’5 sports channel.

Entering the second of a five-year TV deal with AKTV, UFL will be seen on primetime twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. , a marked improvement from the Saturday afternoon telecast last season.

“We’ve put UFL in a position that more eyeballs will see it around the country,” Sports 5 manager Vitto Lazatin said during a press conference today at the Panggo’s Grill in Timog, Quezon City.

The UFL promises to be bigger this year with new player signings and transfers, making it ripe for primetime television.  

“We’re really excited with our second year with AKTV and our new venue in McKinley Hill, which is a very controlled pitch,” UFL chairman Santi Araneta said. 

In the past, University of Makati Field and the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium have hosted most of the Division I matches and the league has encountered scheduling problems since they do not control the venues. In McKinley Hill Football Field, UFL will be the first priority after a partnership with Megaworld was struck last year.

Defending champion Global along with Cup champion Stallion and the other elite teams Kaya, Loyola and Phil. Air Force are picked as the favorites heading into the five-month tournament that will end in June.

A new twist in the format spices up the league this season as an additional slot will be opened for Division II teams to move up to Division I in contrast to the old ruling that only the Division II champion will go up at the expense of the Division I’s deadlast team.

“The new twist in the format is that the 9^th team in the first division will go up against the second best club of the second division in a home-and-away aggregate match in the relegation,” UFL asst. technical director Ritchie Gannaban explained.

Completing the 10-team cast of Division I are Pachanga, which ruled last season’s Division II, Green Archers United-Globe and Nomads.