UAAP is breaking new grounds with Akari as it is set to have a new home by 2027.
The premier collegiate league in the country will be opening a new home turf, to be constructed in a 1.8-hectare land across Bridgetowne Estate in Pasig City with the vision of building a permanent hub in three years' time.
"It will go down in the annals of Philippine sports history, a home we can call a home," said UAAP executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag during the signing of the memorandum of agreement at the Atencio-Libunao Hall in University of the Philippines on Tuesday.
"This is not just a win for the UAAP and Akari alone. UAAP's raison d'être is to support the national sports program."
The Home of the UAAP is billed as a "sports-themed lifestyle complex and recreational establishment that will redefine ways students and their families can watch the UAAP games."
"When the opportunity presented itself that there would be a synergy with sports and an accompaniment to our [real estate] business, it was not a tough decision," said Akari CEO Christopher Tiu.
Construction is targetted to begin in the last quarter of 2025 and will be made in three phases which will take three years to complete, to be operational for UAAP Season 90 when National University will serve as hosts.
No construction cost was given yet, however, although Saguisag disclosed that it will be a "long-term lease."
The idea was conceptualized between the two parties in May 2023, though talks between the UAAP member-schools having its own venue has been in the discussion even before the pandemic happened.
Will this mean that the league is moving away from the traditional big venues like the Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena?
Not quite, said Saguisag.
"The 6,000-seating capacity is roughly based on the median attendance of most games, but the so-called big games will still be in our big venues," said the league executive.
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