How to bring over those eyes on screens all the way to game venues, though?

PHOTO: PBA IMAGES

OSAKA – The PBA remains the undisputed king of sports programs in Philippine TV.

The thrilling Game Six of the season-ending Philippine Cup Finals between eventual champion Meralco and San Miguel was the most-viewed sports event for the month of June, as per Nielsen data.

A Season 48 report made by league TV coveror TV5 and Cignal TV made before the PBA Board on Sunday showed the PBA still attracts the most number of TV viewers as far as sports leagues in the country are concerned.

According to the two coverors, the final game of the All-Filipino finals, which saw the Bolts win their first-ever championship following an 80-78 win over the mighty Beermen garnered a viewership of 2.16 million last June 16 .

Game 3 of the same series, which saw Chris Newsome come up clutch for a 93-89 Meralco win, was the second most-viewed game at 2.06 million, according to the report.

“Based on our numbers taken from Nielsen, the PBA still continues to dominate ratings among sports programs. Filipinos watch PBA more than any other sport,” said Sienna Olaso, VP Channels and Content of Cignal TV, Inc., said in her presentation at the Swissotel Nankai.

PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas was naturally ecstatic over the numbers, but stressed the challenge is now translating the broadcast data into a live audience.

“While this is good news for us, we’d like to convert it and bring it to the venues,” said Vargas.

MediaQuest CEO and president Jane Basas agreed with the observation of the PBA chairman.

“It’s still the most loved (league). We just really need to address the issue of attendance,” she said.

PBA already at home in RPTV

Also noted was the surge in ratings of RPTV following the PBA’s transfer to Channel 9 last February, when it became the league’s own free-to-air channel.

“PBA is one of the main rating-drivers of RPTV, and ngayon, PBA lang ang merong free-to-air channel that they can really call home,” said Olaso

In all, Olaso said out of the Top 20 sports programs for June, 14 were PBA games led by the Meralco-San Miguel finals, again citing data provided by Nielsen.

The AVC Challenge Cup 2024 for Women semifinals game between Alas Pilipinas and Kazakhstan made it at No. 3, while the same tournament’s Philippines vs. Chinese Taipei match-up was ranked fourth.

Gilas Pilipinas vs. Chinese Taipei during the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, meanwhile was the other non-PBA game to make the list at No. 21.

On average, Olaso said PBA games attracted almost 1 million viewers per game, making it still the most-watched sports program in the country.

The PBA enjoys 975,200 viewers on average, followed by the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) with 313,040, UAAP with 218,400, NBA with 218,400, and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 145,600.

All leagues are being covered by TV5 and Cignal TV.

“When you look at all the leagues, (PBA ratings are) three times more than the PVL, five times more than the UAAP,” said Olaso. “Ito pa rin ang pinapanood ng maraming Pilipino.”

All things considered, Vargas reiterated the need to bring over those eyes on screens all the way to game venues.

“The idea is how to convert this million views to people who can come and watch the game. That’s the challenge and that’s the discussion that’s going on in this board,” he said.

Other board members present during the meeting were vice chairman Bobby Rosales (Terrafirma), treasurer Atty. Raymond Zorilla (Phoenix), Archen Cayabyab (Converge), Atty. Mamerto Mondragon (Rain or Shine), Atty. Bill Pamintuan (Meralco), Alfrancis Chua (Barangay Ginebra), Robert Non (San Miguel), Rene Pardo (Magnolia), Ronald Dulatre (NLEX), Siliman Sy (Blackwater), and Eric Arejola (NorthPort).

Commissioner Willie Marcial was also present along with his staff, namely deputy commissioner Eric Castro, corporate secretary Atty. Ogie Narvasa, finance officer Odessa Encarnacion, marketing head Jo Francisco, and social media head Michelle Angela Flores.

TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero joined Basas and Olaso on the TV side.