First Half of July 2023
Filipinos are naturally very active; from the time we could walk, we were already making friends outside and playing various activities with them; birthday parties involve numerous parlor games; and PE classes are obligatory. This said, it’s not surprising that sports are a top trend in the country. According to Capstone-Intel’s findings for the trending topics from July 1 to July 15 in 2023, sports is the 5th most talked-about category online, with more than 875,000 t
otal engagements in just 14 days.
The top sporting event in the sports category for July is the Premier Volleyball League, or PVL, with 744,000 engagements, with the top trending keyword being theheartofvolleyball. PVL is a professional women’s volleyball league in the Philippines, with six teams currently playing in the semi-finals. The next top event series is the Volleyball Nations League, or VNL, with 58,000 engagements. VNL is an international volleyball competition, with the Philippines hosting some games from July 4 to July 9. Coming in 3rd is Dota 2, with 38,000 engagements, as Dota 2 celebrated its 10 years of gaming on July 10. Interestingly, only coming in 4th is the Philippine Basketball Association, or PBA, with 18,000 engagements from the keyword pbaontour.
The PBA’s regular season is on hold to make way for the Philippines’ participation in the 2023 SEA Games, the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and the 2023 Asian Games; hence, the teams only travel to different cities and play exhibition matches there. However, there is no real competition since there is no championship to be won; meanwhile, the PVL is in its regular season and is already in the semi-finals. The Philippines, as said previously, is an active country; however, it is also quite obviously a basketball-centered nation. Every community has a basketball court they could use, and every home television has seen the sports channel because of this sport, which is why the numbers are surprising. This small comparison of how the seasons are currently being held could explain why the results are the way they are: Volleyball has a staggering dominance in the sports data.
On the other hand, equally interesting is that an online game had higher numbers than PBA. What these numbers highlight is the shift in generations, with the younger generation taking part in this relatively new sport and consequently the older generation not taking part in dedicated social media posting. Add also the fact that basketball and volleyball matches are usually shown on national television if not attended in person, while e-sports are usually only streamed online, which makes posting and commenting about said sport much easier since the audience is already on their devices.
This data is important to figure out and study, even if it has been a standard, constant source of entertainment for the Filipino people for decades, because it tells us exactly where the people’s interest is, and where brands and events alike need to direct their efforts. For example, with how attuned the Philippines is to sports, the government doesn’t exactly fund it well, which means the more we let people know about these games and events, the more investors see this industry as stable, and the more it will be supported. Capstone-Intel’s constant eye on industries and markets, as well as access to the audience and consumer feedback, is perfect for this job. May it be to create a plan, to get the data, or to commence a strategy, Capstone-Intel has something for everybody, which can be read from the website.
Support for these games should be dialed up to the maximum, especially since it is the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics once again next year. Whether it be exhibition games, a regular season, or international competitions, the passion that Filipinos have for sports, whether as viewers or professionals, should continue to translate into numbers. With Capstone, we can watch the number grow even more and the industry boom.
