The Mall of Asia will no longer be the only center of lifestyle and sports activities.
Events involving running and pickleball will now be spread out across SM’s 21 malls throughout the country.
SM Supermalls’ president Steven Tan said this following the launch of the SM Active Hub on Sunday at the MOA Music Hall in Pasay City.
“Its not just for MOA, but across the country. From Luzon, all the way to Mindanao,” said Tan, during a presentation with running organizers Rio de la Cruz and Patrick Rubin, and pickleball advocate and Toby’s Sports top executive Toby Claudio.
Organizers are seeking to set innovations in fitness and sports activities across the country by providing places for pickleball and running.
The launch comes a few weeks after MOA inaugurated the one and only rooftop football pitch, which was done according to international FIFA standards.
SM Active Hub will make available 44 pickleball courts and 14 running hubs nationwide.
And Tan hopes said this undertaking makes it the farthest-reaching multi-sports initiative in the country.
Running hubs have not only been opened inside the MOA and SM by the Bay, but also at SM malls in Fairview, Marikina, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Clark City in Pampanga, Tuguegarao, Seaside City in Cebu, Iloilo City, Uptown Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan, Davao City and Lanang.
The home courts for pickleball are located at malls in SM North EDSA, Southmall, SM City Grand Central, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Molino in Cavite, Baguio City, Valenzuela, Novaliches, SM City-Rosario, SM City Rosales, downtown Antipolo City and nine other venues.
De la Cruz said they used have a lot of running events at the MOA. But this time, there will be a lot of options, where there this can be done.
Meanwhile, Claudio said their support for pickleball has been around for the last two years, since it has risen not just locally, but globally. And they have foreseen its expansion back in 2023.