ECHO sweeps Blacklist International, wins MPL Philippines Season 11 Grand Finals

In what was undoubtedly an intense and thrilling match, ECHO stunned the defending champions Blacklist International in a resounding 4-0 sweep during the MPL Philippines Season 11 Grand Finals.

ECHO secured their position as the new champs and grabbed the lion’s share of the $150,000 prize pool. Meanwhile, both teams earned a ticket to participate in the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2023 in Phnom Penh between June 10-18, 2023.

ALL EYES ARE ON THE MATCHUP

The Grand Finals of MPL Philippines Season 11 drew a staggering crowd of over 5,000 offline spectators, with many more fans streaming the matches on LED screens outside the main hall. The season also broke records in terms of viewership, with a peak-concurrent viewership of over 900,000 fans, surpassing Season 10’s peak views of 800,000, according to analytics partner Esports Charts.

ECHO and Blacklist International will represent the Philippines in the MSC 2023, featuring teams from three new regions, including North America, Turkey, and MENA, for the first time.

A NIGHT OF RECOGNITION

Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya was awarded the Grand Finals’ most valuable player (MVP), impressing fans and commentators with his incredible gameplay.

The Grand Finals night also honored the game’s community favorites and most outstanding players. Edward “EDWARD” Dapadap, a true legend in the Mobile Legends community, was inducted into the prestigious Hall of Legends.

Other awards were given to Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo as the Regular Season MVP, Kenneth Carl “Yue” Tadeo as the Rookie of the Season, Renmar “Reptar” Sta. Cruz as the Best English Caster, and Caisam Yvez “Wolf” Nopueto as the Best Filipino Caster.

Meanwhile, the league also awarded the following based on fan votes:

• Sportsmanship Award: Ben “Benthings” Maglaque
• Freshest Face Award: Kristof Malcus “Hesu” Calderon
• Most Fashionable Award: Jonmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna
• Best Content Creator Award: Danerie “Wise” Rosario
• Most Improved Team Award: BREN Esports
• Most Epic Game Play Awards (no particular order):
  – Red for Redemption by Blacklist International
  – Sanford’s Backdoor Play by ECHO
  – Tali ng Pagkakabigan by Blacklist International

Smart, the official tournament telco partner, proudly supports the MPL Philippines Season 11. Infinix also joined the pool of official sponsors. Meanwhile, MAYA and Secret Lab served as partners in esports.