SPORTS 5 NOW BECOMES ESPN 5

Sports 5, the sports division of TV 5, will be transitioning to ESPN 5. The partnership between the 2 networks - TV5 and ESPN - was announced last Thursday in a press conference.

Here is the video teaser of the partnership as posted in Sports 5's YouTube Channel:

Can't wait to see how this changes the televised sports landscape in the Philippines. Cheers to you ESPN 5!

AFC ASIAN CUP 2019 QUALIFIERS : PHILIPPINE AZKALS REVEALS LINE UP AND NEW BROADCAST PARTNER

The Philippine Football Federation announced the call up of 23 players that will suit up for the Philippine Azkals for their 3rd game in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers versus Yemen on September 5, 2017 in Pana-ad Stadium in Bacolod City.

The Philippines is currently on top of Group F and would like to continue their streak after winning their first 2 assignments - against Tajikistan (4-3) and Nepal (4-1).

The team will be missing some of its veterans due to several injuries and cards penalties but will be calling up some of its promising young players in the Under 23 squad that recently competed in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They will also have a new Fil-foreigner player - Harry Foll, a 19 year old midfielder from Germany playing with FC Hansa Rostock.

Here is the official post in the PFF's website :

The Philippine Men’s National Team will face Yemen in the third match of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Qualifiers on 5 September 2017 at the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Kick off is at 7:30 PM.

The following 23 players have been called up for the match with two new players in Tyler Matas and Harry Föll, and two players from the Philippines Under-22 team in Dylan De Bruycker and Joshua Grommen.

Defender Daisuke Sato is suspended for the match due to card accumulation while Javier Patiño and Amani Aguinaldo are out with injuries.

List of players:

Misagh BAHADORAN – Global Cebu FC
Dylan DE BRUYCKER – Davao Aguilas FC
Carlos DE MURGA – Ceres Negros FC
Patrick DEYTO – Global Cebu FC
Neil ETHERIDGE – Cardiff City FC
Harry FÖLL – FC Hansa Rostock
Joshua GROMMEN – Ceres Negros FC
Kevin INGRESO – Ceres Negros FC
Tyler MATAS – FC Meralco Manila
Hikaru MINEGISHI – Global Cebu FC
Jim Junior MUÑOZ – Ceres Negros FC
Paul MULDERS – Global Cebu FC
Nicholas O’DONNELL – Davao Aguilas FC
Manuel OTT – Ceres Negros FC
Mike Rigoberto OTT – Angthong United
Stephan PALLA – Wolfsberger AC
Iain RAMSAY – Ceres Negros FC
Patrick REICHELT – Ceres Negros FC
Simone ROTA – Davao Aguilas FC
Dennis VILLANUEVA – Global Cebu FC
Luke WOODLAND – Ceres Negros FC
James YOUNGHUSBAND – Davao Aguilas FC
Phil YOUNGHUSBAND – Davao Aguilas FC

Head coach Thomas Dooley will be assisted by coaches Kurt Kowarz and Emelio Caligdong. The team will be in Bacolod City beginning 28 August 2017.

It was also announced that PFF will have a new broadcast partner for their AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers game, It was revealed that Aksyon TV / Sports 5 will now handle broadcast of the games. It is already posted in Sports 5 Twitter page :

Watch the Philippine Azkals compete for glory, as they take on Yemen to kick start their campaign to qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup! pic.twitter.com/VpwqTykAmn

— Sports5 (@Sports5PH) September 1, 2017

Finally, the games can be watched live locally on free TV. Thank you Sports 5!

Good luck Azkals!

2016 RIO OLYMPICS : SPORTS 5 REPORTERS LIA CRUZ AND MAGOO MARJON ROBBED AT THE MEDIA VILLAGE

Reporters of official Olympic partner network TV 5 / Sports 5 has been burglarized while covering the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Filipino broadcasters Lia Cruz and Magoo Marjon has been robbed of cash from their rooms at the official media village while covering the sports meet. The rooms were said to be controlled by biometrics and only the room occupants should have access to each room.

Unfortunately, it was revealed that housekeeping also has access to the rooms - according to the village management.

Cruz reportedly lost 400 euros (approx. PhP21,000) while Marjon lost 600 euros (approx. PhP32,000).

In her Twitter account, Cruz confirmed the reports :

Thieves got into mine and @magoomarjon's rooms here in Rio and stole CASH. Worst part is, we're staying in the official media village.

— Lia Cruz (@liadcruz) August 5, 2016

This is despite fact that locks on all rooms are biometrics, but management of vill has disclosed that housekeeping has access to all rooms

— Lia Cruz (@liadcruz) August 5, 2016

This is not the first time that robbery was reported in the Olympic village. The Australian team was robbed of laptops and shirts during a fire evacuation in their assigned village. A Chinese athlete and cameraman was robbed of their luggages and camera equipments. The Denmark team was also reported to lost laptops, gadgets, bed sheets and clothes in the village.

I hope the Rio organizing committee steps up and improve the security in the village. No one - especially the athletes - wants to be distracted and stressed during the games.

GILAS PILIPINAS : THE BEST CLIPS FROM THE NIC EARNSHOW

During Gilas Pilipinas' training camp in Europe, Sports 5 crew has been following them doing stories for the show Kwentong Gilas. But another show has been seen in Facebook that is covering behind the scene stories of the camp - The Nic EarnSHOW.

The Nic EarnSHOW is hosted by Nic Earnshow, a Sports5 producer that is part of the team behind Kuwenting Gilas.It is not an actual show but it provides a lighter look to the team's training camp, contrary to the serious tone that Kwentong Gilas has.

If you have not seen the show, here are some of the best videos of the Nic EarnSHOW posted in Maki Macabagdal's Facebook page :

Looking forward to more episodes of The Nic EarnSHOW in the next Gilas camps!

GILAS PILIPINAS : FINAL 12 TO BE REVEALED ON JUNE 26

In this post in the Facebook page of Sports5, the final 12 who will make it to the roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifier will be revealed live on June 26 at 6pm!

As of now, the team is in (or is still travelling to) Italy for a pocket tournament as part of the preparation for the OQT. There is still 14 players in the pool and the last 2 players will be cut by Saturday. Who ever makes it, Gilas 4.0 will definitely be a good team and will give the other teams a run for that slot for the Rio Olympics.

GILAS PILIPINAS : 2015 FIBA ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE

It is just three days away from the kick off of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in China, which serves as the qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Gilas Pilipinas will be playing in Group B for the first round, which will be in a single round robin format. Also in the same group are Middle Eastern teams Kuwait and first timer Palestine, and East Asian qualifier Hong Kong. The top 3 teams will advance to the next round and will be joined by the top 3 teams of Group A.

Here is Gilas Pilipinas team as posted in the Sports5 twitter account:

Here is the first round schedule of Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship! #LabanPilipinas #PUSO pic.twitter.com/N9EOVDJdL7

— Sports5 (@Sports5PH) September 18, 2015