ANTA PH continues to make strides, becomes MPBL’s official outfitter

MANILA, Philippines – ANTA Philippines continues its rise in the local basketball scene as it recently partnered with the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) to become the league’s official outfitter. 

According to ANTA Philippines general manager JP Paglinawan, the brand sees the MPBL, which is founded by Filipino boxing legend and former senator Manny Pacquiao, as one of the top basketball leagues in the country, thus deciding to forge a partnership that will last for three years.

“We’re really after the basketball market in the Philippines so we want to partner with the top leagues,” Paglinawan told Rappler during the brand’s contract signing with the MPBL at the ANTA Store in SM Megamall last Sunday, April 30.

“We see that the MPBL is one of the top basketball leagues in the country and ANTA wants to be closely associated. When you think of basketball in the Philippines, we want you to think of ANTA,” he added.

Paglinawan bared the partnership between ANTA and the MPBL ‘naturally happened’ as Pacquiao was a global ambassador for the brand before. 

Paglinawan hopes ANTA’s partnership with the MPBL will evolve to a deal similar to what Nike brings to the NBA, where the brand gets to design all the uniforms of each team.  

Nike has been the official outfitter of the NBA since the 2017-2018 season, providing 4-5 editions of uniforms per team each year.  

“Actually, what we wanted was a deal like what Nike has with the NBA. We just didn’t have time [to design the uniforms this season], but that’s the main vision,” he said.  

MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, who graced the contract signing along with MPBL standouts and ANTA Philippines ambassadors Raffy Verano, James Kwekuteye, and Nico Elorde, among others, also expressed his gratitude to the brand, which he believes suits the ‘Philippine style of play’ in the MPBL very well.

“We would like to thank ANTA Philippines for the partnership,” said Duremdes.

“Hopefully, the league (MPBL) will grow more together with our partner ANTA.” – Rappler.com