UFL finds a home in the McKinley Field
by rick olivares
The United Football League has found a new home. A new
field where matches will never have to be called off because of rain. A pitch
where Kaya players Nate Burkey and Jonah Romero promise, “We will play some
great football.” A venue that is fully modern and one that the Filipino can be
proud of.
When the UFL kicks off next season in, they will do so a
the billion peso pitch that is the McKinley Field in posh and upscale McKinley
Hills at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
The FIFA-approved 60x97 meter turf pitch will seat about 2,000 people and will also have a
grandstand, modern dugouts, and a press center. Mr. Jericho Go, First Vice
President for Megaworld Corporation was a schoolmate of Football Alliance
officials Santiago Araneta, Javier Mantecon, and Antonio Longa during their
elementary and secondary school days at the Colegio de San Agustin said that “It’s
not a huge stadium like what Real Madrid or Barcelona has but it is a good
start. The idea of putting up a football field next to our communities is a
natural idea. It goes hand in hand.”
Kendrick Tan, Director of the Emperador Cup, a football
tournament for non-professional football players added that the McKinley Field
will be used solely for football and nothing else. “I grew up playing the game
and I still do love the game. For the sport to grow we need a field that will
be dedicated to the sport. McKinley Field is what we hope will be the first of
many similar turf fields.”
Araneta, who is the UFL Chairman, was excited about this
development for the league, “As you all know, we have been encountering birth
pains with the league. Having a home field fixes many of those problems. But I
have to make this clear – they are good problems to have.”
Added UFL President Randy Roxas, “Megaworld shares the
vision of the UFL and when companies like Megaworld want to partner with us and
promote the sport that opens up new opportunities.”
sana mabilis lang mag comute sa lugar at kung may parking sana libre padin :D
ReplyDeletenako, me pay parking na po sila. matagal na. been here for 3 years already.
DeleteIt looks like the field has some room to increase its capacity in the future, based on how the grandstand looks. The only issue I have about this field, is the location: McKinley Hill is definitely an upper class area, and not easy to go to. It looks like you will need at least two rides from the main thoroughfares to go there: http://www.metromaniladirections.com/2010/03/how-to-get-to-mckinley-hill.html
ReplyDeletei've been to BGC (in fact, i already know where the BGC Turf is), but haven't been to McKinley Hill. based on the location, though, transpo is difficult. perhaps more means could help.
Deleteyou are all too lazy to walk, it's just a good 10 minute walk from Rizal Drive / 5th Ave in BGC. And McKinley is not an upper class enclave, it's a new property development inside the former base and sits just beside JUSMAG and near the marines barracks. It houses BPO offices, and hosts thousands of BPO employees from Reuters and Accenture to name a few, so shuttle services to and from BGC is always available, lazy brats
Deletei will surely go there anytime there is a game since it is very near my work and my residence! so excited for October!
ReplyDeleteThis is a good start! Really exciting!
ReplyDeleteyup, the commute is definitely an issue.
ReplyDeleteRizal and even Umak are easy to go to, which might be the reason why 1st division matches get the crowds they do - I know it's the 2nd division, but how many people do you usually see at the turf? I love the idea of finally seeing UFL fixtures played in a great pitch that the league deserves, but I guess for now it'll mean that I won't be able to catch the games live. Still, it will allow football in the country to grow, which means more pitches in the future, some of which will hopefully be accessible to everyone - rich and poor. Great development overall.
sana open ang field nato next year / next season. I played football before I still remember playing against the likes of Ansing Gustilo , Neckson Leonora during my high school days. but kinda stop playing when I lived here in manila. its nice to have a pitch here in McKinley hill.
ReplyDeletesir,
ReplyDeletesan po exactly sa mckinley to?
thanks
The McKinley Hill is just beside the BGC Turf :D
ReplyDeleteFor a billion pero project, for sure me bayad na ang mga laro. I don't mind paying for the love of game. However, McKinley Hill's is a upscale and most of the masa crowd might not be too keen on going there. But this is definitely a great leap for Philippine football! Exciting news!
ReplyDeleteits a wonderful step for philippine football... but i hope that the RMC would also be upgraded especially the pitch. I know its hard for a tropical country like ours to maintain the pitch (because of the heat), but at least making it artificial would help a lot.
ReplyDeleteI notice the UFL crowd on TV is getting bigger every weekend, maybe they can double or triple the capacity in the future. This is good news thou, Ill take it. Good job UFL
ReplyDeleteI hope they do this not for making the game sosyal by playing on a sosyal McKinley hills in taguig. I saw a Megaword commercial on TV It's a place for the upper class... If they want the game to be appreciated by the masses make it accessible to them... I like this development for the UFL cause I know their longing for a good field like this, even the fans...But Their promoting the game as a rich man's game,that it's only for the rich kids of alabang whose I think have a short distance from Taguig.But Compared to RMS which is very accessible for every one on every walks of life,even the rugby boys outside the stadium can watch the game. Now that's how we should promote football in this country, stop making it exclusive to those who can go to some sosyal place just to watch the game.
ReplyDeleteWhen the heck did they say that they set up the pitch in mckinley hill so that only rich kids can watch?
DeleteDo no turn this into a rich vs poor issue please
Well let's see... if some of the umak or rms crowd travel to taguig just to support their football team who lives in manila or near makati area... If an ordinary kid who's aspiring to be a football player can go to mckinley to watch a football game live... I'm not turning it into that issue but that's the reality. Just take a look in africa they promoting the game by making a commercial of kids playing the game with only a bundle of use cloth as their ball and playing on a dusty pitch... Unlike here their showing some English speaking kids from corithian or alabang playing the game on a sosyal turf as the BGC turf in fort bonifacio that we all know is the place where celebrity oftentimes went for a gimmick, parties,sosyal gathering Etc. oh pls! majority will watch the game are from the upper class once the game played on that mckinley pitch...name pa lang sosyal to the max na!
DeleteDuh I ride the jeep going to mckinley hill.
DeleteWho in the world said that you have to be conyo or from Alabang to play football? Why can't we just be happy that there will be an actual pitch that our players can play football in? Sheesh. Chip on your shoulder much? E kung ayaw niyo pumunta dun, manuod nalang sa AKTV.
Deleteano ba yan daming wanna be..hnd nman kyo ang magllaro ung UFL team ang ggamit nyan...global city is the right place na pagttayoan ng mgandang stadium...ung RMS ggmitin for international game at dun tlga nkatuon ang FIFA...at ang mckinley field na yan ay pag aari ng private sila ang ggstos nya at hnd FIFA...ang FIFA lang ang magssabi kung ok ba ang place or hnd...bsahin kse ng maigi ang article..
ReplyDeleteI don't know why the location is a problem? This is also not a rich or poor issue. The mere fact that we have a new artificial pitch is already a big advantage for philippine football. If you are a real fan of football, it doesn't matter where the pitch is. People go to Turf BGC and watch games. I see regular people like you and me, even low income people go there to watch football. And Turf BGC is not a poor area also. So whats the fuss regarding the location? And this rich or poor issue? There is no issue! And be thankful that somebody is spending 1.5Billion to build a nice stadium. Stop the bickering and lets play and enjoy the game we love most.....football!
ReplyDeleteDo you really think that they will spend 1.5billion for a football pitch without generating an income? As we know watching UFL games are free... They will sold tickets for sure... And that's not good for local football considering we like football to become one of the mainstream sports in our country. And I agree with the UFL not to sell tickets yet because it's still promoting the sport... I love football and good pitch means good football game... But don't make is sound like a rich man's game... A total disgrace on the beautiful game.
DeleteYou're the only one whining about how a pitch in easily accessible McKinley hill makes football a rich man's game.
DeleteAlso, the PBA requires you to buy tickets...does that mean hindi na siya pangmasa?
they will earn by generating revenues from their establishments. more people, more business for establishments, more business.
Deletebasta matapatan ng ufl yung general admission prices ng PBA dun mo malalaman kung abot kaya.
DeleteAng daming nagrereklamo. Pangit ang pitch nakakahiya ang Pilipinas, eto na nga ginagastusan na nga, dami pang nagrereklamo. Kaya di umaasenso ang Pinas. Puro kayo reklamo.
DeleteBasta manood na lang kayo at ayusin nio na lang mga hitsura nio para di kayo mag mukhang kawawa o jejemon. Masanay na kayo sa high standard kc umaasenso na Pinas. sino ba ang gusto dugyot o madumi ang venue? para lang masabi na para sa masa ... baka gusto nio sa Payatas o sa Baseco lagay ang pitch
ReplyDeleteWell. di naman exclusive ang Mckinley Hill. Mejo para sa lahat naman yan, ang upscale market ay pag nasa loob ng exclusive villages Ayala Alabang, Forbes Park. intimidating don, pero dito sa Mckinley accesible naman to para sa lahat kasi me public transportation at me mga opisina dito ng mga call center. Just enjoy the game.
ReplyDeleteNO TO RACISM! Football is for everyone, whether you are rich or poor.
ReplyDeleteWell sa totoo lang bago mag mainstream ang Football, puro expats lang naman talaga naglalaro ng football. Sila ang nauna. Panay basketball lang naman ang mga bati o di kaya boxing haha. Eh ngayon lang sumikat ang football, siempre same faces pa rin ang makikita nio. maghintay pa kayo ng five years. mag iiba na din yan. basta magiging international community ang pinas
ReplyDeletemckinley hill is very accessible. it's just a ride away if you take a jeep from guadalupe. also, i think ok yung place sice it's not that crowded there.
ReplyDeleteWell UFL is a business. Siempre ang target me pera. Ganon talaga. Bago maging Exportbank lang yabn pag puro urban poor ang prioritized. Lalo lang tayo nawalan.
ReplyDeleteWala naman problema kung mayayaman lang ang nakakanood, mas importante na everyone can play the beautiful game. E ano naman kung makapanood ka? Parang PBA, basketball is played by everyone, but do you think everyone can afford watching PBA games?
Masasabi mo lang na exclusive ang football if in the years ahead, puro sa exclusive places lang ang pitches at sila lang ang naglalaro. Siguro pag ganun football is for the elite here
Nagkamali kayo ah...free admission pa din ang ufl kht sa mckinley pa yan if u really love d sport mahirap mayaman...pupunta ka to watch the game.to see how many great players we have aside s mga national players natin.dont argue nalang magkita kita nalang tayo sa opening Feb 5 sa Mckinley! :) peace na guys
ReplyDelete