Manny Pacquiao’s basketball league is thriving

Boxing champion turned politician Manny Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) in the Philippines in 2017, investing 2 billion Philippine pesos ($34.3 million).

With a vision to showcase talent from various regions, Pacquiao structured the league to include home-and-away games similar to the NBA. The league has since thrived, receiving professional status in 2021 and expanding to include a youth league and a volleyball association. Today, it rivals the Philippines’ premier league, the Philippine Basketball Association, in popularity.