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Line 88: ==Television coverage rights== With ABS-CBN's contract to broadcast the UAAP expiring on March 31, 2010, two other TV networks are bidding for exclusive television rights for the league, although ABS-CBN has the [[right of first refusal]]. [[Solar Entertainment Corporation]]'s sports section Solar Sports will join the bidding for the TV rights, with a Solar official naming [[GMA Network]] as another interested party. The UAAP has been broadcast by ABS-CBN for ten years already at their UHF station Studio 23.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Abac |last=Cordero |title=Network war seen for UAAP television rights |work=[[Philippine Star]] |publisher=ngetstudio.com |date=18 March 2009 |accessdate=3 April 2009 Confirming Solar's earlier revelation, GMA has joined the bidding, submitting theirs at a UAAP board meeting on March 19, 2009. In order to strengthen its position, ABS-CBN's bid includes airing the men's basketball championship series at their flagship [[VHF]] station [[DWWX-TV|Channel 2]] instead of airing it on Studio 23, where ABS-CBN has aired the men's basketball tournament for the past nine seasons.<ref name=bid /> Solar will air it on VHF [[C/S 9]] of which they a block-timer. All three submitted five-year bids.<ref name=bid>{{Cite news|first=Joey |last=Villar |title=GMA-7 joins UAAP TV war |work=[[Philippine Star]] |publisher=ngetstudio.com |date=20 March 2009 |accessdate=3 April 2009 Despite the [[Ricky Hatton vs. Manny Pacquiao#Philippine TV rights|TV rights row on the Pacquiao-Hatton boxing bout]] between ABS-CBN on one hand and Solar Sports and GMA on the other, Solar has confirmed it will stand by their UAAP bid, with Solar offering a possible linkage either to ABS-CBN's [[The Filipino Channel]] (on which the games currently air) or to [[GMA Pinoy TV]] to air the games internationally.<ref name="Solar"/> With ABS-CBN's current contract worth [[Philippine peso|P]]75 million, Montinola has expressed delight that "there are three TV networks that are very, very much interested to become our partner next season," noting that it is "the first time that this is happening." Montinola clarified that the UAAP is not "rushing things" to determine which among the three networks have the best offer, and declined to comment on the financial offers, saying, "We [UAAP, GMA 7, ABS-CBN and Solar] are still far from that discussion."<ref>{{Cite news|first=Josef |last=Ramos |title=UAAP board not in a hurry to make decision, says Montinola |work=[[Manila Times]] |publisher=ngetstudio.com |date=23 March 2009 |accessdate=3 April 2009 On October 4, right before the tip-off of Game 2 of the men's basketball finals, the UAAP and ABS-CBN agreed in principle and signed a [[memorandum of agreement]] giving the broadcasting network the right to air the league's games for another five-year period starting [[UAAP Season 73]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Alder |last=Almo |title=UAAP extends partnership with ABS-CBN ==Basketball== | |||