This Tuesday, September 9, the Smart Araneta Coliseum will play host to a basketball rivalry for the record books, as Korea’s Changwon LG Sakers take on Ginebra San Miguel.
Both teams come in with multiple titles to each of their names, and come from countries with a proud basketball tradition. Mr. Sung Woo Nam, LG Electronics Philippines managing director, said, “As a brand, LG Electronics is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances. The Asian Basketball Showdown serves as a historic milestone, as this is our first time to embark in a major sporting event.”
He continued, “Our goal is to engage our Filipino customers and enable them to experience first-hand the excitement of Koreans and Filipinos facing off on court. As both countries are represented in this year’s FIBA World Cup in Spain, we’d like to take this opportunity to bring a piece of the action to the Philippines, as a basketball-loving country.”
Korea’s LG Sakers leads the attendance rankings in eight out of 10 seasons of the Korean Basketball League (KBL), while the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is one of the most-loved teams in Philippine basketball and currently holds eight Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) titles.
Aside from letting its Filipino consumers witness a first of its kind basketball experience, LG Electronics is also extending the joys of the playing the sport to the kids of Manila Boys’ Town, a charitable residential institution for the underprivileged, abandoned, neglected and voluntarily surrendered children, teenagers and senior citizens from Manila.
On top of the newly-donated LG home entertainment products and kitchen appliances which the orphanage can use for their daily activities, LG refurbished a basketball court within the Boys’ Town compound as well where the kids can freely play the sport and enjoy the game.
Romeo Velasqeuz, a 15-year-old boy from Boys’ Town, expressed his gratitude to the company: “Maraming salamat, LG. Excited na kaming gamitin itong bagong court at maglaro ng basketball. Paborito kasi naming siyang gawin. (Thank you, LG. We’re excited to use this court and play basketball. It is one of our favorite things to do.)”
“LG always puts premium to our consumers, delivering unique experiences to as many Filipinos as possible. We hope that through this basketball game and clinic, we are able to show that life is truly good, as we all continue to share a common love for a sport like basketball which unites nations,” said Mr. Nam.