THE four-year TV deal of the Azkals with ABS- CBN was launched to much hype but ended without much fanfare. It wasn’t renewed, of course, as ABS-CBN had a hard time finding advertisers for the Azkals since all the prospective ad placers saw were row upon row of empty seats.
I really don’t know what happened and why the fans in Manila stopped watching the Azkals matches. It could be that the fad has ended and it’s back to regular sports programming for them. That Suzuki Cup hosting, too, was a disaster as not only did we get eliminated at home, it wasn’t even promoted well.
ABS-CBN was no longer the TV partner and TV 5 came in too late to put up much of a promotion. Since then, the PFF has been reduced to livestreaming the Azkals games.
Last week, the PFF announced that Aksyon TV will air the game live, which is good news for fans outside of Bacolod.
You see, the ratings for the Sept. 5 game against Yemen will be used as gauge for future TV deals with the team. If the Azkals continue to play in Bacolod or, in the future, in Cebu, then empty stands would be a thing of the past. The Visayas crowd will come in droves when it comes to Azkals matches and that’s a fact. That’s not a diss against the passionate fans in Manila, it’s just that Azkals home games in Cebu or Bacolod don’t need to compete with PBA, volleyball or other major sports events and traffic isn’t a hindrance.
A jam-packed home stadium would make for good TV viewing and of course, potential ad placers would be encouraged to buy their spots.
And here’s where we can step in. To make it really viable, we have to show that people are indeed watching the Azkals games on live TV and that investing on a TV partnership with the men’s national team is something viable.
Since the TV deal ended, fans have been crying for a new one, now here’s your chance to play a role in the team getting a new one. Make the Sept. 5 rate highly on TV, hold your own viewing parties and tell your friends about it. If you’re used to sharing fotos of your food on all your social media account, heck, do the same for the viewing party.
Remember, Aksyon TV used to air UFL matches and perhaps this TV deal with the Azkals could extend to the domestic league.
God knows the domestic league needs a more active TV partner, not one that cuts live coverages mid-game to give fans the pleasure of listening to an old man curse on TV.
And when was the last time PTV 4 aired a live match in the PFL? To be honest, I’ve long forgotten.
So helping the Azkals get this TV deal could be that shot in the arm, too, for the domestic league and we all know that we need the domestic league to keep football alive in the country, right?
So on Tuesday, let’s all play our part and of course, let’s hope the Azkals do their part, too, by winning the home game.