MANILA, Philippines - ESPN Star Sports (ESS) and ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) recently launched “ABL Friday Basketball” on ESS networks in line with plans to bolster ABL coverage in the upcoming 2013 season which tips off in January.
In addition to the live broadcast on television (ESPN and Star Sports), the matches will be available across multiple platforms including online (ESPN Player) and mobile (Mobile ESPN).
ESPN Star Sports will also work with the ABL on its broadcast coverage with enhanced on-air graphics for a superior fan experience.
“We see prime time Friday night basketball as a powerful tool to further popularize the ABL. We’re very impressed with the league’s willingness to help us jointly grow the Sport,” said Peter Hutton, ESPN Star sports’ managing director:
“It is encouraging to have a dedicated and renowned partner in ESPN Star Sports who shares our ambition to elevate regional basketball across South-East Asia,” said Anthony Macri, ABL CEO. “Fans who have followed the evolution of the sport on ESPN Star Sports will have many more great moments to catch in the coming seasons with their top-class coverage and commitment to take the sport to greater heights.”
“The ABL has grown from strength to strength since its first year to become a highly-anticipated entertainment event in the sports calendar today. With stadium attendances rising substantially across the region and increasing buzz on our social media platforms, this is a perfect partnership with ESPN Star Sports to increasing the ABL’s profile in the region and making the games more accessible for fans.”
Macri said basketball fans can also look forward to additional programming on ESPN Star Sports in the upcoming season that includes the weekly show ABL Crossover, a magazine-style program which includes entertaining off-court segments with a lifestyle spin as well as game highlights, news and interviews with ABL personalities across the region.
The ABL will also enjoy additional news coverage on SportsCenter, Score Tonight and on the 24-hour sports news channel, ESPNEWS, thus keeping basketball fans updated on the latest news, views and results, he added.
ESPN Star Sports will also work with the ABL to further build upon its promotional efforts through ESS’ on-air networks, digital media assets including regional espnstar.com and dedicated sites.
ESPNSTAR.MY and ESPNSTAR.ID in Malaysia and Indonesia respectively. The partnership also includes social media campaigns that raise engagement levels with basketball fans across Asia.
The ABL tips off its fourth season on 11 January 2013 featuring a rematch of last year’s final between the San Miguel Beerman and the defending champion Indonesia Warriors. Please visit espnstar.com for broadcast schedules and www.ASEANBasketballLeague.com for more information about the ABL.