FIRST THINGS FIRST: Rest in peace, Uncle Phil. Philippine sports face a new and polarizing addition to the dynamic between fan and sport: sports betting.
With the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) expanding its broadcasts through social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube, live comments from fans became a new norm in the NCAA viewing experience.
Among these comments, you can see fans of rival schools share banter and the ever-so-friendly jab against each other. However, live Facebook comments see their fair share of bookmakers lurking for fans and viewers to test their luck on the odds of certain teams.
“…it is important to always put first the very essence of what makes sports immortal: the passion, joy, and defeat that fans and athletes face every second that is played.”
Some comments also express their delight or dissatisfaction with the teams meeting betting spreads and other gambling mumbo jumbo. One can’t help but wonder about the effects these comments and the availability of sports betting in our country have on the overall fanfare of the country’s most historic collegiate athletic association.
Collegiate sports are always synonymous with school pride, but sports betting has introduced a new type of fan to the college ranks. Fans who put odds and making a quick buck as their top priority when it comes to viewing college sports. This trend is not just unique to college-level players in the amateur ranks as well.
The recent NCAA Juniors Basketball Tournament also saw its fair share of comments discussing sports betting and the performances of these high school athletes affecting the outcome of their bets. We are talking about grown people hollering and swearing at kids because of how they play affecting the money they make.
Commonly seen in volleyball and basketball, the emergence of betting sites has made spending and earning on amateur athletes one click or tap away. As recently as 2021, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) faced match-fixing issues that stemmed all the way back from 2019.
17 players and officials were found by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to have probable cause in cases of point shaving and betting on their own games. The prevalence of sports betting in the new normal for Philippine sports culture has now also impacted how athletes themselves interact with the sport they play for passion and to make an honest living.
Despite the potential financial gains our country can attain through sports betting and gambling, it is important to always put first the very essence of what makes sports immortal: the passion, joy, and defeat that fans and athletes face every second that is played.
As we face a sporting culture that actively embraces sports betting, one can only wonder about the long-term effects collegiate sports may face due to this growing phenomenon. Collegiate sports already faces issues with school loyalty and disparities in allowance and benefit offers. With the growing issue of sports betting, adding integrity to the sport being played as a new issue our flawed collegiate sports system has to tackle. You can bet on that.
Email me at thebedan_sportseditor@sanbeda.edu.ph