MANILA, Philippines – With the opening of its own office at Global City in Taguig, the National Basketball Association has placed a bigger thumbmark on Philippine soil.
It’s the first NBA office in Southeast Asia and only the 13th worldwide, making the Philippines a very special place for the league to further promote itself.
“It’s been in the discussions for a while now. It was time to put up an NBA office here,” said Carlo Singson, designated as NBA Philippines managing director.
Singson is not new with the NBA, having served the league for 18 years now, including stints in the NBA headquarters in New York and then in its regional office in Hong Kong.
With a small but dedicated staff, NBA Philippines will help expand the NBA’s global mission and boost the NBA’s business lines in the country.
In a 30-minute dialogue with the press yesterday at the NBA Café at SM Aura, Singson said focus will one on the NBA’s social responsibility and business lines like television, digital, merchandising, events and grassroots programs.
“By establishing an office here, the NBA will be in a better position to work with its valued partners and deliver the best NBA experiences to some of the world’s most passionate fans,” he said.
Based on fact, Singson reminded the press that the Philippines holds the great distinction of being second only to the United States when it comes to NBA awareness.
“There’s a 99 percent awareness on the NBA in the Philippines, which is probably the highest in the world. After the United States, the Philippines is number one,” said Singson.
No wonder the NBA, currently enjoying a “record-setting” season, has decided to pick the Philippines as venue of its first office in Southeast Asia.
The NBA also holds office in Beijing, Hong Kong, Johannesburg. London, Madrid, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York/New Jersey, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Taipei and Toronto.
The Philippines, as far as the NBA is concerned, is in very good company.
“We are only the NBA’s 13th international office,” said Singson, adding that the role of NBA Philippines is not to create new events but to boost the existing ones.
“We are excited to see what the future holds for us. We have no plans of slowing down,” said Singson, part of the NBA’s International Management Development Program.
He is also tasked to oversee the NBA’s business operations in the country, including content partnerships and distribution, marketing partnerships, events and brand extensions.
Singson has his fingerprints on such events as the first NBA Global Games in 2013, the long-running NBA youth development program, the opening of the NBA Café and the largest NBA store outside the US.
There are plans to bring the NBA closer to people in the provinces.
“We always listen to our consumers. We have brought the Junior NBA program to Baguio City, Cebu and Davao, and we want to open stores outside Manila. Things like that,” said Singson.
“We are very, very excited,” he said.
For the moment, holding another pre-season NBA game in the country like the one between the Rockets and the Pacers in 2013 is not in the drawing board.
“We cannot commit. The answer is perhaps. It’s not a yes and not a no,” he said.