ABS-CBN sports channel S+A took another huge step into the digital sphere with the relaunch of its flagship program The Score, which now streams live on YouTube before its primetime telecast on television.
Formerly a sports newscast, the show recently debuted a new and exciting format featuring more exclusive interviews and features and a gang of sports icons serving as the program’s “sports squad” to deliver the ultimate sports experience to Filipino sports fans.
In the middle of all these changes is seasoned sports anchor Mico Halili, the digital head of ABS-CBN Sports, who also happens to be the new main anchor of The Score.
Mico, who has made a name in over two decades calling games for the country’s top basketball leagues from the MBA to UAAP, NCAA and the PBA, has gone full circle and is back in front of the camera to tell the great sports stories of today.
Mico began as a sports reporter in SKY News, a news program produced by ABS-CBN’s cable company SKYcable in the ‘90s. He would also be part of Sarimanok News Channel, the predecessor of the ABS-CBN News Channel, before serving as one of the main anchors of the Metropolitan Basketball Association. He would eventually join other media organizations as sports commentator, contributor, editor-in-chief and anchor, before finally returning to the Kapamilya network early this year as digital head of ABS-CBN Sports.
With ABS-CBN Sports head Dino Laurena.
Fondly called “Tito Mico” in the local sports community, Mico has proven to be in tune with the needs and tendencies of today’s sports audiences, making him the perfect choice to lead the reformat of The Score, a program launched in 2014 with TJ Manotoc — who’s now with the ABS-CBN North America News Bureau.
“Mico has always been about being ahead of the game and that is one of the reasons we got him back to lead the digital strategy of ABS-CBN Sports. It was probably fate that we are in need of a new face to lead The Score and his combination of experience as an anchor, credibility as a sports analyst, and digital savvy makes him the unanimous choice for the post,” said S+A channel head Vince Rodriguez.
True enough, Mico enjoys “street cred” with over two decades of experience under his belt. However, what sets him apart from his contemporaries is his social media activity and presence. He is always interacting with fans and athletes alike on either Twitter or Instagram, especially during the games.
“It’s the sharing of feelings, emotions. When you see something spectacular, you have to tweet about it altogether. We’ll find GIFs, emojis, and that for me is the magic of social media and sports,” he shared.
And in the new The Score, Mico said they will give sports fans a lot more to discuss and share with each other whether online or offline.
“We think of The Score as not just a TV show but a hub, a venue for the sports squad and the fans to gather. We will talk about the things that fans are talking about, what they are thinking about or debating about with their friends, that’s our brand promise. It’s the conversation that you want to be part of and you will feel that you are part of the conversation. I think that would be the heart and soul of what we’re trying to do,” he shared.
Hence, the new The Score offers a variety of content throughout the week with game results and analysis on Mondays and Fridays; one-on-one interviews on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; in-depth basketball discussions on Thursdays with the sports squad, plus special segments.
Catch Mico and the sports squad on the new The Score from Mondays to Fridays, 1 p.m. on the ABS-CBN Sports YouTube channel and 6 p.m. on ABS-CBN S+A and S+A HD.