Manila Mavericks

Manila Mavericks
Sport Team tennis
Founded 2014
Current season 2014
League International Premier Tennis League
Team history 2014-present
Based in Pasay, Metropolitan Manila, Philippines
Arena Mall of Asia Arena
Colors

Royal Azure, Vivid Golden Yellow, Strong Red

              
Owner(s) Hans T. Sy
Jean Henri D. Lhuillier
Kevin Belmonte
Haresh Hiranand
Bala Swaminathan
Head coach Treat Huey
Broadcasters ABS-CBN
Website www.manilamavericks.net

The Manila Mavericks is a tennis team based in Pasay, Metropolitan Manila, Philippines that competes in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). It is one of four charter franchises participating in the IPTL's inaugural 2014 season.

Team History

Founding of franchise

On 21 January 2014, IPTL announced that one of the charter franchises for the league's inaugural 2014 season would be based in Bangkok.[1][2]

Inaugural draft

The Bangkok franchise (as the Mavericks were still known at the time) participated in the IPTL inaugural draft on 2 March 2014, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Players selected by Bangkok were[3]

Player IPTL Category
Men
United Kingdom Andy Murray Icon players
France Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Category A
Spain Carlos Moyá Past champions
Canada Daniel Nestor (Serbian Cyrillic: Данијел Нестор) Doubles players
Women
Russia Maria Sharapova Icon players
Belgium Kirsten Flipkens Category D

Move to Manila

On 10 May 2014, before the founder and owner of the franchise had been revealed to the public, IPTL announced that the Bangkok franchise would be moved to Metro Manila, Philippines due to the 2013–14 Thai political crisis.[4][5] The ownership group that moved the team to Manila comprises Filipinos Hans T. Sy, Jean Henri Lhuillier, Kevin Belmonte, Haresh Hiranand, and Bala Swaminathan.[6] Sy is president of SM Prime Holdings, the largest shopping mall operator in the Philippines.[7] Lhuillier is the President and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, which operates Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop, a large pawnshop chain in the Philippines, as well as related businesses.[8]

Team name

By June 2014, the Manila franchise had been named the Manila Mavericks.[9]

Home venue

On 23 July 2014, the Mavericks announced that their home matches would be played at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila.[10] On 29 August 2014, IPTL announced that the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Metropolitan Manila, the first choice as a home for the Mavericks, had opened up the dates of the team's home matches making it possible for the Mavericks to play there. The Mavericks and IPTL seized the opportunity to move the team's home matches to an arena the league described as "one of the finest entertainment venues in the world."[11][12]

First coach

On 27 October 2014, Manila resident Treat Huey was named the Mavericks' first coach.[13]

Inaugural season

The Mavericks will open their inaugural season with a home match on 28 November 2014, against the UAE Royals.[14]

Mavericks owners are Hans Sy, Jean Henri Lhuillier, Kevin Belmonte, Haresh Hiranand and foreign partner Bala Swaminathan [15]

Television coverage

On 7 November 2014, IPTL announced it had reached an agreement for the Philippines television broadcasting rights with ABS-CBN.[16]

Current roster

As of 23 November 2014 [17]

References

  1. ↑ "Mahesh Bhupathi Launched IPTL in Melbourne". Jagran Josh. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Mumbai One of the Franchises in Cash-Rich International Premier Tennis League". CNN IBN Live. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Briggs, Simon (2 March 2014). "Andy Murray Signs for Bangkok As Premier Tennis League Prepares for Take-Off". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Bhupathi's IPTL Opener Moved to Manila from Bangkok". The Times of India. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Tennis - Political Unrest Costs Bangkok New League Staging Rights". Reuters. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Successful IPTL Debut a Testament to Filipinos’ Love of Tennis". The Philippine Star. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Board of Directors". SM Prime Holdings. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Owners / Management Team". P.J. Lhuillier Incorporated. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Ousman, Allaam (25 June 2014). "Djokovic Leads UAE Royals at Inaugural IPTL: Dubai Will Host Finale of $1 Million Tournament from December 11-13". Emirates 24/7. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Reyes, Marc Anthony (23 July 2014). "Sharapova Adds Oomph to Manila Mavericks". Asia News Network. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Manila Mavericks Tickets on Sale from 1 September 2014" (PDF) (Press release). International Premier Tennis League. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Almo, Alder (31 August 2014). "'Masha Mania' to Hit Manila as IPTL Tickets Go on Sale". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "International Premier Tennis League Announces Coaches for Inaugural Edition". Spicy Stars Mumbai. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Schedule". International Premier Tennis League. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Schedule". Philstar. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Coca Cola International Premier Tennis League to be Broadcast in More Than 125 Countries Worldwide" (PDF) (Press release). International Premier Tennis League. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Players". Manila Mavericks. Retrieved 23 November 2014.

External links