ABSTRACT

Basketball, also known as the tall mans game, is paradoxically considered as one of the Philippiness most popular sport. The emblematic representation of small players and their extraordinary matches with bigger opponents reflects the Filipinos struggle against a greater global force, particularly during colonization.

According to John Louie Ramos, an expert writer based in Manila, it was virtually an unknown sport in the Philippines before, due to the massive influence of Spain during their 300year colonization of the islands. Filipinos are more into cockfighting and other forms of social gambling. There are also indigenous Filipino martial arts such as the Arnis de Mano which dominated the Philippine sports landscape.

For the past few decades, we witnessed the clash of Filipino basketball team competing against different countries. This started from streets and eventually to Philippine basketball leagues like Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the first professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA which is first played in Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. (Ramos 2013)

Basketball maintained its image as the favoured sport in the Philippines despite competition from developing sports such as the revived football-powered Azkals, the sport of basketball will forever remain engraved in the hearts and minds of the sport-loving Filipinos. As of now, the league is played in different venues in and out the metro. Some games are also played out of the country.

The role of location and context of the arena is crucial. Context is important for understanding the economic impact of sports facilities," according to Propheter (2012). "However, the context that is important is not facility-dependent but rather city dependent. The pre-existing

economic strength and sports infrastructure are key predictors of the success of basketball arenas. (Florida, 2012)

The arena which the games are held plays a very important role in the spectators experience as well as the players or performers. Design features and systems are being built into everything seen, touched, smelled, tasted, or heard. Space is being added to meet expanding building platforms. Todays more sophisticated fan wants to be entertained with non-game elements; the game itself has become only a part of the entire experience.

The proposal is something edgy and quite modern in its own right. It will house all functions of PBA and provide a center of operations. It will serve as the main venue for all PBA conferences and a practice facility for PBA teams. In addition, it will also provide a museum and a commercial space for all PBA products to help in financing its activities.

What makes this better compared to many other modern basketball venue or training facility is its location as it is located along a new commercialized area with linkages to transport hubs which is more accessible and the integration of a museum which will introduce the spectators to PBAs Hall of fame and a commercial space for PBA products to aid in financing its activities.