Letran eyes 2 new venues in 2012

TWO new venues will be made available to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, when Letran takes over as host of the 88th season next year.

Fr. Vic Calvo, Letran’s board representative to the NCAA management committee, said that that the school management has given the green light for the league to have the games held at a new gymnasium currently being constructed inside the University of Santo Tomas campus in Espana, Manila. The said venue is expected to be completed before June, 2012.

This will give the league two options for the next school-year.

Letran, as next year’s host, has already entered into a deal with SM Mall of Asia to hold some of the matches at the SM MOA Arena in the 88th season.

“May offer. We will decide on this and it will depend on what is advantageous to the league,” said Fr. Calvo.

Under the the new agreement they forged with the SM Group of Companies through SM executive Edgar Tejerero, the MOA will serve as the venue for the NCAA opening games, the semifinals and the finals.

The elimination games may still be held at the Filoil-Flying V Arena in San Juan, but this will depend on the outcome of future meetings between the NCAA and UST officials.

Tejerero said the MOA Arena will seat 16,000 and features an escalator service all the way up the bleacher section. It will employ a Daktronics electronic system. The arena itself was built after consultation with the Philippine Basketball Association and other concerned groups.

Peter Atencio, Manila Standard Today