UAAP to air on Cignal until 2026

After being with ABS-CBN for 20 years, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has found a new home in Cignal TV, the league confirmed in an online post on October 23 evening.

The heavily followed collegiate league inked the broadcast partnership with the MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. firm, to last five years or from Season 83 until 2026.

"With its affiliate network @TV5manila, their combined experience in sports production provides the UAAP with a strong foundation in its efforts to promote collegiate sports in the country," the UAAP posted on Facebook and Twitter.

"Despite the current challenges, the league is looking forward to the partnership as a new chapter that can take the UAAP to even greater heights."

UAAP Season 82, themed "All for More," got cut short at the onset of the pandemic last March.

After going back and forth regarding talks of postponement, the UAAP board eventually canceled the remainder of the games. It ended the season with an online awarding ceremony last July.

ABS-CBN Sports + Action, where the UAAP used to air, officially folded last July. The channel's final buzzer followed the Kapamilya network's relentlessly covered franchise denial, which then halted its free TV operations.

The UAAP, which draws thousands of viewers and supporting brands, is responsible for catapulting the careers of many of the country's biggest athletes and even sports personalities. Its "products," who have seen success in both pro and international arenas, ranged from basketball and volleyball to street dance and cheerdance.