‘Masters’ returns to TV

You were born with potential.

You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness.

You were born with wings.

You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.

You have wings.

Learn to use them and fly. – Rumi

The international award-winning sports documentary series “Masters of the Game” is returning to Philippine television. The program, which aired until December of 2023, reaped a ContentAsia Bronze Award for Best Sports Magazine Program in Taiwan the following year. This was followed by this writer’s first AnakTV Award for child-friendly sports program, as well as two other local awards.

The series traces the history-making careers of the country’s most unforgettable athletes, with deep dive conversations and interviews with former coaches, teammates and loved ones. The first season featured the personal histories, careers and memories of the likes of former world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa, taekwondo Olympian Monsour del Rosario, former world MMA champion Eduard Folayang, two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Danny Ildefonso, six-time PBA champion Sean Chambers, six-time speed shooting champion Jethro Dionisio, SEA Games Outstanding Female Athlete Akiko Thomson Guevara, and multiple SEA Games record-holder Elma Muros Posadas, and others.

I’ve often said that our greatest sportsmen and women are like us, only human, but they happen to be champion athletes that we all look up to. Often, they have suffered more than we have. Espinosa finally overcame financial and marital issues which he did not cause. Del Rosario was bullied as a kid. Muros-Posadas came from a far-flung little town to make herself the standard of excellence and longevity. Ildefonso overcame abject poverty and has given so much back to his hometown in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. Dionisio gave up eight years of his career to take up shotgun because he wanted to represent the country in the Olympics.

The concept for the program reflects the new trend in documentary production: value over volume, quality over quantity. Fewer interviews, greater detail. This is shown in other international sports documentaries like “Arnold,” the limited series on bodybuilding immortal Arnold Schwarzenegger. The biggest challenge is getting access to former teammates and coaches, as most of them are retired; not to mention friends and family members, who sometimes need coaxing to appear on camera, many for the first time.

Thanks to the support of network president and CEO Jimmie Policarpio, general manager Dr. Corazon Reboroso, the IBC board and head of news Pia Castro Medenilla, the program launches over IBC 13 on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 5:15 p.m., right after the PCSO Lotto draw, with a replay on Sunday at the same time. The program is backed by a deeply experienced production team. Executive producer Cha Bacolod has been vital to ground-breaking work like the PSC’s “Team Pilipinas” and the online channels Basketball Universe PHL and Women Who Win. College freshman Zoe Rogel brilliantly designs and edits the production to the highest standards. And veteran journalist Nissi Icasiano lends his skill for writing and research as an added kick.

The pilot features a prohibitively rare, intimate interview with two-time PBA MVP Abet Guidaben, who is now living comfortably in retirement in the US. Guidaben has not consented to any interviews in over 12 years, but honored us with his trust. Other surprise interviewees will also appear in the episode. Future broadcasts will showcase Filipino legends from various sports who have not been seen in public in years.

Masters of the Game airs over IBC 13 every Saturday, and Sunday at 5:15 p.m., after the PCSO Lotto draw, our expression of gratitude to our heroes in sport.