MPL PH Season 9 Will Reportedly Have Offline Matches

The upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Professional League (MPL) Philippines (PH) Season 9 is reportedly going to be an offline event. According to a report from Manila Bulletin, the tournament will start with an online format and will then later switch to an offline format onwards from the 5th week of the regular season. The tournament will also be following very strict health protocols to ensure the safety of the participants and staff involved. While the MPL PH Season 9 will be held offline, the venue will not host a live audience. However, matches will still be streamed online for the fans to enjoy.

Also Read: Blacklist International Aims for More MLBB Championship Titles in 2022

MPL PH Season 9 will be an offline event from Week 5

Moonton Games Public Relation Manager for the Philippines, Keith Niño Medrano, revealed through Manila Bulletin that the upcoming MPL PH Season 9 received permission to host offline matches. However, the first few weeks will remain online.

“The health and safety of our players, partners, and staff are of paramount importance. Given the current situation with the pandemic, we decided to keep the first four weeks online. This also follows the guidelines set by the local government,” stated Medrano, as quoted by Manila Bulletin.

However, the tournament will not be accepting live audiences but matches will still be watchable through the official streaming platforms of Mobile Legends esports. According to Medrano, the tournament must adhere to the standard protocols to ensure the venue will be a COVID-19 free environment.

“We have decided to limit venue access to the players, casters, and staff for safety purposes. There will be no audience during the games, but our fans can stream the matches at the comfort of their homes through MPL-PH’s official social media platforms – Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube,” he said, as quoted by Manila Bulletin.

MPL PH Season 9 is not the only official league that will be hosting an offline tournament. One of the biggest leagues in Mobile Legends, the MPL ID (Mobile Legends Professional League Indonesia) will have an offline format as well. However, unlike the MPL PH, the Indonesian league will allow live audiences to its venue.

Also Read: MPL PH Casters Manjean and Uomi Are Skeptical of ECHO’s All-Star Team

The upcoming MPL PH Season 9 will start on 18th Feb and will feature eight franchise teams competing for the championship title and the lion’s share of the $150,000 USD prize pool.

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