55,000 fans and nowhere to hide: what it’s like to play in basketball’s biggest arena
Summary
Jamie Malonzo, a basketball player, described playing in the Philippine Arena, which holds 55,000 fans, as an intense experience due to the massive crowd noise. The arena, once the largest indoor in the world, hosted a record-breaking Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup in January 2023, where Malonzo’s team won in front of over 54,000 spectators.Key Facts
- The Philippine Arena can seat 55,000 people, nearly three times the capacity of most basketball arenas.
- The arena was the largest indoor arena in the world until September 2023.
- Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup in January 2023 had 54,589 fans, the highest ever for the league.
- Jamie Malonzo scored 22 points and 17 rebounds in the game and was named Best Player.
- The game was postponed by two days due to high ticket demand.
- Malonzo’s team, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, defeated the Bay Area Dragons from Hong Kong 114-99.
- Basketball is extremely popular in the Philippines, with courts found in all neighborhoods.
- The Philippine Basketball Association, founded in 1975, was Asia’s first professional basketball league.
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