The premier Filipino basketball league, Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (PIBAQ), will open today its 12^th season dubbed as Subaru Cup 2012 at the Gharafa Training Gym driven with a more competitive and bigger teams participation.

PIBAQ officials said this year’s tournament is yet another milestone in their continuing all-out effort to establish a truly professional league in Qatar which had already gained much respect in the large Filipino community that it had drawn more interest to new teams in the two divisions.

The popularity of PIBAQ has encouraged Mannai Trading Company WLL to parade its well-patronized Japanese brand Subaru cars as the main sponsor of the 12^th season with an equal support from its ever loyal partner, the McDonald’s Qatar.

Some five teams will slug it out in the professional Division A while another 23 teams mostly newcomers will prove their mettle in Division B which had also gained more fans and followers.

Pat Carido, president of PIBAQ, has assured sponsors and teams that they will expect a more professional officiating in the games throughout the season after the league has recently hosted the two-day referees and coaches seminar-workshop by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. (SBP), the governing basketball body in the Philippines.

Ziad Shuaib, General Sales Manager at Mannai’s Subaru showroom, said their company has decided to become the main sponsor for the season as a way of returning the favor for the Filipinos in Qatar who are now their leading loyal customers.

“Fifty percent of our customers are Filipinos,” Shuaib said adding that Subaru being a well-known Japanese rally car has been sponsoring many local sporting activities including basketball, golf and even other community events.

For his part, Firoz Mayladan, Assistant General Manager of Marketing at McDonald’s Qatar, said McDonald’s partnership with PIBAQ for seven years is already a tradition not only because of its large Filipino customer base but believed in the Filipinos true passion for basketball.

“McDonald’s Qatar has been there to many other events of PIBAQ in addition for its sponsorship of the league’s official website,” Mayladan said. “ McDonald’s is not just trying to be sponsor but become more involved in sports.”