MANILA, Philippines — A big bulk of Philippine sports will need to find a new home should TV network ABS-CBN be unable to resume operations after its franchise expired.
On Tuesday, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) served ABS-CBN a cease and desist order following its expired franchise — despite Congress giving the network the green light to continue their operations.
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ABS-CBN Sports and Action, formerly known as Studio 23, has been the broadcasting partner for sporting events like the UAAP, the NCAA and the Premier Volleyball League.
With the hearing on the renewal of its franchise still on hold, the future of ABS-CBN remains in the balance.
Losing their broadcast partner will be a big blow to these three leagues, which are already facing a great deal of uncertainty due to their schedules pushed back by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Other sports events like mixed martial arts promotion ONE Championship also rely on their broadcast partnership with ABS-CBN to air their events to Filipino audiences.