PBA Esports Bakbakan

PBA Esports Bakbakan is an esports league in the Philippines. It is organized by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in partnership with Dark League Studios. The league consists of the esport squads of the PBA's twelve franchise teams. The first tournament featured Mobile Legends: Bang Bang while the following competition had PUBG: Battlegrounds.

PBA Esports Bakbakan
Tournament information
GameMobile Legends: Bang Bang
PUBG: Battlegrounds
StreetBallers
LocationPhilippines
Established2023
Number of
tournaments
1
AdministratorPhilippine Basketball Association
Dark League Studios
ParticipantsMLBB/PUBG: 12
StreetBallers: 8
Current champion
TNT Tropang Giga
Most recent tournament
PBA Esports Bakbakan: PUBG: Battlegrounds

The third tournament which had StreetBallers featured eight teams from outside the PBA.

History

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has planned to organize esports games in-between its league games during its 46th season in 2021. However the COVID-19 pandemic caused such plan to be placed on hold. In 2022, the PBA revisited its plans to get involved in esports and accepted an invitation by Dark League Studios to check their Kings League tournament.[1] The PBA would enter in an entered a formal partnership with Dark League Studios in October 2022.[2]

The PBA would launch an esports league, the PBA Esports Bakbakan, in January 2023. The tournament would be held in partnership with Dark League Studios.[3] The inaugural season would feature the PBA's twelve franchise team with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as the video game title featured.[4] The draft for the first tournament was held on February 13, 2023.[5] The TNT Tropang Giga became the inaugural champions.[6]

In September 2023, the PBA organized a PUBG: Battlegrounds tournament with the 12 franchise teams.[7] Barangay Ginebra San Miguel won the tournament.[8]

Within the same month, the PBA launched the StreetBallers tournament. The final tournament had eight teams which qualified from 20 teams across the country.[9][10] StreetBallers is a mobile game developed by PlayPark.[11]

Teams
The twelve PBA franchise teams (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG: Battlegrounds)
Team Company Colors
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Ginebra San Miguel, Inc.[lower-alpha 1]      
Blackwater Bossing Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc.      
Converge FiberXers Converge ICT Solutions, Inc.        
Magnolia Hotshots San Miguel Food and Beverage[lower-alpha 1]      
Meralco Bolts Manila Electric Company[lower-alpha 2]      
NLEX Road Warriors NLEX Corporation[lower-alpha 2]      
NorthPort Batang Pier Sultan 900 Capital, Inc.        
Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.      
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc.        
San Miguel Beermen San Miguel Brewery, Inc.[lower-alpha 1]      
Terrafirma Dyip Terrafirma Realty Development Corporation        
TNT Tropang Giga Smart Communications[lower-alpha 2]          
  1. Denotes a San Miguel Corporation subsidiary
  2. Denotes a team owned by Manuel V. Pangilinan
StreetBallers[10]
  • Batang 90s
  • Diablo
  • HGL
  • Minana
  • MNN
  • Ovlord
  • Southstars
  • Triple Threat

Seasons
Season Title Final
Champion Score Runner-up
2023 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang TNT Tropang Giga 3–0[6] Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
PUBG: Battlegrounds Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Round robin Blackwater Bossing
StreetBallers

References
  1. "PBA once planned to have esports in between games: Marcial". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. August 30, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  2. Mangubat, Lio (October 20, 2022). "Esports org Dark League Studios inks formal partnership with PBA". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  3. Dalupang, Denison Rey (January 25, 2023). "PBA launches esports tournament". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  4. "PBA Esports Bakbakan logs in". The Philippine Star. January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  5. "Ginebra selects Dogie as No.1 overall pick in PBA Esports draft". Manila Bulletin. February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  6. Pineda, Juan Carlos (May 1, 2023). "TNT esports team mirrors Tropang Giga success, beats Ginebra in finale". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  7. "PBA Esports sets up franchised tournament for PUBG". ABS-CBN News. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. Yatco, Rob (September 11, 2023). "Barangay Ginebra San Miguel wins PUBG Mobile Tournament". UnGeek. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  9. Ulanday, John Bryan (September 17, 2023). "PBA launches Esports 'Bakbakan'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  10. Ulanday, John Bryan (September 16, 2023). "PBA launches 'StreetBallers' esports tilt". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  11. "Mobile game StreetBallers aspires to enhance our love for street basketball". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. April 30, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
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