THE WORLDS of esports and basketball are now getting even closer.
Those tuning into the ongoing Kings League amateur tournament which began last October 15 may have seen the logo of the PBA in the Mobile Legends competition, with the words "official partner" written above.
Dark League Studios, the org which runs the Kings League, has formally inked a partnership with the country’s oldest professional basketball league.
Through this partnership, the rising young esports organization hopes to use esports as a bridge for PBA players to connect with their fans.
“Our goal is to connect the esports community with the PBA, and increase the possibility of our PBA players reaching out to their fans with the use of esports and digital platforms,” said Dark League head AC Valdenor in a message to Spin.ph.
The two plan to create “content, activities, and programs” to link basketball and esports together.
What to expect from PBA and Dark League Studios partnership
“In this way, PBA players can engage more with their fans,” continued Valdenor. This interaction won’t be a one-way street, however. “We want to make it more fun and interesting by inviting the esports, social media, and the content creator communities to be part of PBA programs.”
He said that a lot of projects are already in the pipeline, and it’s just a matter of choosing which ones to prioritize.
Definitely, they’ll have more “community clashes” in the vein of the Terrafirma Dyip players facing off against a team of streamers in Mobile Legends. However, Valdenor said that they will also try to make a different approach for these matches, “make them more interesting to watch,” he added.
The PBA and Dark League Studios were already closely linked. Governors Bobby Rosales and Alfrancis Chua are involved in the organization, and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial was present during the org’s launch of its nationwide amateur tournament, the Kings League.
You can watch the ongoing Kings League, also sponsored in part by GSM Blue, at the Dark League Studios Facebook page.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph