DOHA: Vodafone Qatar will be the main sponsor of the 7th Basketball Cup 2010 of Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (PIBAQ) set to start on October 22.
Vodafone Qatar decided to forge a partnership with the PIBAQ after learning that the premier basketball league had gained wide popularity in the growing population of Filipinos in Qatar, which is now estimated at 250,000.
"The Filipino community is very important to us. We're setting up a call centre in Manila that will be able to service our thousands of Filipino customers in their own language and offer many services like great calling rates to the Philippines which our Filipino customers are enjoying. Sponsoring PIBAQ is another great way of reaching the Filipino community in Qatar," said Firoze Bhorat, Head of Marketing Communications, Vodafone Qatar.
PIBAQ President Pat Carido said the advent of Vodafone to the league is expected to draw more Filipino basketball fans to watch the weekend games since it came at a time when they decided to offer a more competitive two-category tournament with an improved officiating management.
Friday games will be a full day for the bigger tournament this year since more teams have already signalled their intention to participate in the Open Category and Division B as more pool of Filipino talents who excelled in various collegiate, amateur and rofessional leagues back home are expected to slug it out in the exciting competitions.
"We want to do this to give our ever loyal patrons the enjoyment of their favourite past time they deserve now that we gained respect for being formally recognised as the foreign partner in the Middle East, the official tournament in Qatar of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc (SBP)," Carido said.
In response to the growing demand of more teams intending to join this season, PIBAQ has offered the participating teams a hand to choose in the two categories according to the capability and competence of their players.
According to PIBAQ rules, there is no height limit in the Open Category and teams can have players for them as long they are carrying a Filipino Passport. To date, there are six teams, mostly regulars in the past season, that have signalled their presence.
Division B would not be left out to watch for the fans since the Philippine School Doha (PSD) and Philippine International School Qatar (PIS) will be among the 12 teams that will join in the league. The same rules apply to this category except for the height limit of six feet.
© The Peninsula 2010
